Author:

Keywords:

complex IT projects, project management, structural complexity, uncertainty, complexity, appropriate complexity, positive complexity, Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Science & Technology - Other Topics, UNCERTAINTY, STRATEGIES, SCIENCE, RISK

Abstract:

IT project complexity increases continuously, in synchrony with technological complexity, making projects difficult to manage and control. Despite a growing importance and priority in research, there is still a strong need for solutions to the significant challenges posed by complexity. This paper presents an exploratory qualitative research process based on design science, that expands the current theoretical foundations of IT project management by providing insights into the positive, appropriate, and negative aspects of complexity, and supports practice with newly designed tools for the analysis and management of complexity and response strategy planning, based on complexity sources and effects. The design and validation were performed with semi-structured interviews with experts, based on actual complex IT project cases.