The Critical Role of Timely Executive Decisions in IT Product Development: Avoiding Delays to Ensure Success

Vaijinath Susuruth Narayana Saker

Abstract: Timely executive decision - making is a critical factor in the success of IT product development and the overall software development lifecycle (SDLC). Delays in decisions whether related to product configurations, feature prioritization, or strategic direction can have widespread negative impacts, creating bottlenecks that slow down progress, inflate costs, and reduce product quality. Teams rely on clear, binary decisions to move forward with confidence, and indecision or ambiguous directives from leadership can lead to uncertainty, misalignment, and costly rework. This white paper explores how delayed executive decisions disrupt the SDLC, hinder product creation, and erode team morale, emphasizing the need for timely, black - and - white choices. It also discusses strategies for improving decision - making processes, helping executives avoid these pitfalls and support their teams effectively to ensure project success.

Keywords: executive decision making, IT product development, software development lifecycle, timely decisions, leadership strategies