Managing Information Technology Projects Using Agile Methodology

2021 ◽  
pp. 123-146
Author(s):  
Alice S. Etim ◽  
Chandra Prakash Jaiswal ◽  
Marsheilla Subroto ◽  
Vivian E. Collins Ortega
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Agile Methodology ◽  
It Project ◽  
Product Delivery ◽  
Sub Saharan

The management of information technology (IT) projects has experienced a shift from predictive and traditional project management methodology to more adaptive practices like Agile. Agile method and its developmental stages are a response to current business-changing trends and computing needs of society. The process assists in accelerating product delivery with rapid feedback and cost-conscious, consecutive iteration, distinguishing it from other traditional practices like the waterfall method. This chapter contributes to the existing literature by discussing agile project management for IT projects, with a specific case of the Africa IT project – the Books for Africa Project (hereafter called, Book Project). The first part of the chapter is used to review the literature on Agile IT projects. The Book Project as a case is an IT project, and it is discussed in detail in the chapter. The chapter concludes with transferable lessons for projects in developing countries, specifically those located in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Computational Intelligence for Information Technology Project Management

2012 ◽  
pp. 1601-1624
Author(s):  
Robert J. Hammell ◽  
Julie Hoksbergen ◽  
James Wood ◽  
Mark Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Computational Intelligence ◽  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
It Projects ◽  
It Project ◽  
Information Technology Project ◽  
Information Technology Project Management

With the growing complexity of information technology (IT) projects, the management of these projects is proving to be a daunting task. The magnitude of this problem is underscored by the assertion that approximately 70% of IT projects fail to meet their objectives (Lewis, 2007). Computational intelligence (CI) is an area of research focused on developing intelligent systems to help with complex problems. Specifically, CI seeks to integrate techniques and methodologies to assist in problem domains in which information, data and perhaps even the problem itself are vague, approximate, and uncertain. It would seem that research aimed at leveraging the power of CI against IT project management problems is critical if IT project success rates are to be improved. This work examines the core CI technologies – fuzzy logic, neural networks, and genetic algorithms – and looks at current and potential future applications of these techniques to assist IT project managers.

Computational Intelligence for Information Technology Project Management

2010 ◽  
pp. 80-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Hammell ◽  
Julie Hoksbergen ◽  
James Wood ◽  
Mark Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Computational Intelligence ◽  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
It Projects ◽  
It Project ◽  
Information Technology Project ◽  
Information Technology Project Management

With the growing complexity of information technology (IT) projects, the management of these projects is proving to be a daunting task. The magnitude of this problem is underscored by the assertion that approximately 70% of IT projects fail to meet their objectives (Lewis, 2007). Computational intelligence (CI) is an area of research focused on developing intelligent systems to help with complex problems. Specifically, CI seeks to integrate techniques and methodologies to assist in problem domains in which information, data and perhaps even the problem itself are vague, approximate, and uncertain. It would seem that research aimed at leveraging the power of CI against IT project management problems is critical if IT project success rates are to be improved. This work examines the core CI technologies – fuzzy logic, neural networks, and genetic algorithms – and looks at current and potential future applications of these techniques to assist IT project managers.

The Influence of Probability Discounting on Escalation in Information Technology Projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-39
Author(s):  
Hilde Mobekk ◽  
Asle Fagerstrøm ◽  
Donald A. Hantula
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Hyperbolic Discounting ◽  
Probability Discounting ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Titration Procedure ◽  
It Project ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Viable Approach

An experimental study was conducted with 17 experienced information technology (IT) project decision-makers. Each participated in a computer based simulation where they had to choose whether to continue an ongoing IT project despite negative feedback, (called escalation of commitment), or abandon it and sell the project as is. A titration procedure for sales price was manipulated over seven probability conditions for success of the project. The switching points where each participant would choose to sell the project instead of continuing development was determined, and probability discounting factors were calculated. The median switching point of the participant's subjective values of the project fit a hyperbolic discounting function well. An escalation factor was calculated and the results indicate that several participants in the study showed signs of escalation. These data demonstrate that the discounting framework may be a viable approach to understand the phenomenon of escalation in IT projects.

Information Technology Project Management to Achieve Efficiency in Brazilian Companies

2003 ◽  
pp. 260-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marly M. de Carvalho ◽  
Fernando J.B. Laurindo ◽  
Marcelo de Paula Pessoa
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
It Projects ◽  
It Project ◽  
Information Technology Project ◽  
Information Technology Project Management

This chapter focuses on applying the best practices in Information Technology (IT) project management in Brazil. The theoretical models adopted to discuss this issue are the Capability Maturity Model - CMM (Humphrey, 1989; Paulk et al., 1995), Project Management Maturity Model – PMMM (Kerzner, 2000 and 2001); the Project Management Body of Knowledge - PMBoK (PMI, 2000), and Quality Systems for software - ISO9000-3 (2001) and ISO 12207 (1995). Several problems have been discussed regarding the efficiency of IT projects. Evaluation of efficiency is a controversial issue, and meeting project efficiency goals involves balancing scope expectations and the available resources. This chapter presents IT project cases in Brazilian companies and a comparative analysis of their IT projects management models. The study is based on multiple cases: financial services, telecommunications and building materials companies. Interviews with the main actors from different levels of the organisational hierarchy have been done.

Providing a Model for Virtual Project Management with an Emphasis on IT Projects

2016 ◽  
pp. 476-496
Author(s):  
Hamed Nozari ◽  
Seyed Esmaeil Najafi ◽  
Meisam Jafari-Eskandari ◽  
Alireza Aliahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Management

With globalization of economy and increase of global competition to acquire rare resources, the organizations have moved towards geographical distribution to achieve competitive advantage. Users and project teams at various places within various countries with different national and local cultures throughout the world work on projects at the environment concerning geographical distribution. On the other hand, with increase of advancements in communication, the distributed project teams have been witnessed with more expansion, known with “virtual teams”. When members of virtual project team from various organizations and time zones attend in the projects, they will be more likely affiliated to electronic media such as email. With regard to virtualization of IT projects, the present study aims to develop a model for virtual project management with an emphasis on information technology projects, including several elements in geographically distributed environments. The final model of virtual project management of information technology projects was represented.

Project Management Best Practices to Increase Success

2005 ◽  
pp. 2335-2340
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Job Title ◽  
Goals And Objectives ◽  
Term Objective

Utilizing good project management practices has become one of the key differentiators in delivering successful information technology projects. Kerzner (2001) defines project management as “the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of company resources for a relatively short-term objective that has been established to complete specific goals and objectives” (p. 4). The field of project management has seen explosive growth in the amount of individuals holding a job title such as project manager, in the amount of research being conducted, and in the amount of books and articles being published. This paper explores the reasons for this growth, the reasons why project management has become so important to the on-going success of IT projects and thus the success of organizations and what future directions the field of project management will travel.

Replacing Project Managers in Information Technology Projects

2016 ◽  
pp. 2375-2394
Author(s):  
Kirsi Liikamaa ◽  
Tero Vartiainen ◽  
Maritta Pirhonen ◽  
Heli Aramo-Immonen
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Anecdotal Evidence ◽  
It Project Management ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Interpretive Approach

According to anecdotal evidence, project managers working on information technology (IT) projects are occasionally replaced, although the literature on information systems (IS) and project management (PM) makes little mention of it. With a view to narrowing this knowledge gap the authors examined the reasons behind the practice. The authors took an interpretive approach to the data gathering and analysis, and collected descriptions about replacing project managers (RPM) from interviews and questionnaires (n=43). The concept of contradiction served as a lens through which to identify the underlying reasons. Contradiction refers to statements asserting or expressing the opposite of another statement. The authors identified four contradictions explaining why RPM occurs in IT projects. These contradictions show that RPM appears to be a simplistic solution when there are more fundamental issues to consider. The implications extend to education, practice, and research in the context of IT project management.

Knowledge Sharing Tools for IT Project Management

2010 ◽  
pp. 2380-2385
Author(s):  
Stacie Petter ◽  
Vijay Vaishnavi ◽  
Lars Mathiassen
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
The State ◽  
It Project Management ◽  
It Projects ◽  
The Past ◽  
It Project ◽  
Group A

Information technology (IT) project disasters make worldwide headlines, and billions of dollars have been lost due to poor project implementations. The Standish Group, a research advisory firm, reports that only one-third of the over 13,500 IT projects evaluated in 2003 were successful, and half of the reported IT projects were classified as challenged, meaning they experienced cost and budget overruns (Larkowski, 2003). While the state of IT project management is improving, organizations must explore ways to reduce unnecessary spending that occurs because of failures, cost and schedule overruns on IT projects. One possibility is to improve knowledge sharing to avoid repeating mistakes and to build on successes from the past.

scholarly journals Management Principles Associated With IT Project Success

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Nicholas ◽  
Gezinus Hidding
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Change Leadership ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Project Failure ◽  
It Project ◽  
It Project Failure

Success in information technology (IT) projects remains elusive, even after decades of efforts to improve it.   Most of these efforts have focused on variations of the traditional project management paradigm as promulgated by PMBOK.  We suspected that a potential cause of high IT project failure is with the paradigm, which focuses on the project itself and on meeting time and cost targets.  A new paradigm called Value-Driven Change Leadership (VDCL) originated from discussions of a panel of project management experts.  This paper describes the principles of that paradigm.  It also reports the results from a survey of four project managers on the association between project success and management principles from VDCL and PMBOK.

Providing a Model for Virtual Project Management with an Emphasis on IT Projects

2016 ◽  
pp. 43-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Nozari ◽  
Seyed Esmaeil Najafi ◽  
Meisam Jafari-Eskandari ◽  
Alireza Aliahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Management

With globalization of economy and increase of global competition to acquire rare resources, the organizations have moved towards geographical distribution to achieve competitive advantage. Users and project teams at various places within various countries with different national and local cultures throughout the world work on projects at the environment concerning geographical distribution. On the other hand, with increase of advancements in communication, the distributed project teams have been witnessed with more expansion, known with “virtual teams”. When members of virtual project team from various organizations and time zones attend in the projects, they will be more likely affiliated to electronic media such as email. With regard to virtualization of IT projects, the present study aims to develop a model for virtual project management with an emphasis on information technology projects, including several elements in geographically distributed environments. The final model of virtual project management of information technology projects was represented.

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