Lessons for IT Project Manager Efficacy: A Review of the Literature Associated with Project Success

Abstract

In the maturing IT project management space, there are still many debates about the skills needed to achieve success. This article presents a review and synthesis of project management literature that highlights the potential conflict in goals and the measurement of “success” from three perspectives: project outcomes, project management processes, and the project manager's influence. Our review indicates that each perspective of success, defined by various stakeholders at various points in time, shifts the focus onto different skills and knowledge. Drawing upon this tri-focal lens, we propose a shift in focus on success to the intersection, or “sweet spot of project manager efficacy.”