Abstract
ABSTRACT Human factors significantly influence software engineering (SE), where assigning unsuitable personnel to tasks is a leading cause of project failures. This challenge worsens under time pressure (TP), resulting in decreased performance and delays. Past studies have primarily focused on technical aspects, often neglecting the humanistic side, such as personality types and gender differences, in coping with TP. This study investigates the impact of personality types, gender, knowledge, and task complexity on developers' performance under TP and proposes the i‐SYNERGY model. The research provides actionable insights for project planning under time‐constrained conditions. Empirical data were collected through controlled experiments with SE students and generalized using industrial case studies. Myers–Briggs type indicator (MBTI) measured personality types, while the NASA task load index (TLX) assessed TP levels. Logistic regression outperformed four other models (artificial neural network [ANN], support vector machine [SVM], decision tree, and K‐nearest neighbor [KNN]) with the highest prediction accuracy and was used to develop the model. Gender‐specific results revealed ESTJ and ENTJ as effective under TP for males and ISFJ and ISFP for females. The i‐SYNERGY model demonstrates that TP significantly reduces developer performance, but personality type, gender, knowledge and task complexity shape resilience. These results highlight the importance of aligning task assignments with individual traits to optimize performance. The proposed i‐SYNERGY model offers a validated, structured framework to enhance decision‐making and improve project outcomes in time‐constrained environments.