A systematic literature review on software development models for academic digitization in developing countries

Due to limitations in infrastructure, digital literacy, resources, and institutional environment, choosing software development models (SDMs) for academic digitization is especially difficult in developing countries. The documented application of SDMs in academic digitization in higher education in developing countries between 2013 and 2025 is examined in this comprehensive mapping review. Three required blocks (SDM terms, developing country context, and academic digitization) were used to search six primary databases (IEEE Xplore, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, DOAJ, and ERIC) as well as Google Scholar as an additional search engine. 54 primary studies (QA ≥ 2.0/4.0) were kept out of 239 records following screening and quality evaluation. Scrum, DevOps, and Kanban were the most commonly reported agile frameworks; traditional and hybrid approaches were less common. AI-based development, which is viewed as a research gap rather than an observed model, was not documented in any study. Reporting frequency does not indicate superiority or efficacy; the primary trials did not record cost, delay, success, or abandonment. The study suggests a context-sensitive framework based on cross-case thematic synthesis that links six suitability criteria (flexibility, traceability, cost, risk, stakeholder participation, sustainability) to four contextual dimensions (infrastructure, human capability, resources, and institutional environment).