This qualitative, phenomenological doctoral dissertation research study explored the software project team members perceptions of changing organizational cultures based on management decisions made at project deviation points. The research study provided a view into challenged or failing government software projects through the lived experiences of the 25 participants from across the software development lifecycle. The participants represented four companies from the Washington D.C. area for three challenged or failed projects based on definitions provided by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Findings from the study revealed five themes within the traditional software development cycle and two additional themes not related specifically to software projects. The five themes were a) quality culture was always the initial starting point, b) internal (to the contractor) project deviations of costs and schedules created a stressor for the project, c) external (reporting to the government) project deviations of costs and schedule created a stressor for the project, d) schedule was the top stressor for the project or program, and e) communication decreased over the lifetime of a challenged project. The two additional themes outside the software cycle were a) the team writing solutions for the request for proposal was not the project execution team and b) the organizational cultures of the government are very different than the disciplined organizational cultures of a software development organization. The themes and recommendations from this study could lead to better coordination for government software project to achieve their performance objectives. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]