The process of social alignment and misalignment within a complex IT project

Abstract

Project management is more efficient and effective when project stakeholders are socially aligned on what the project objectives are and how they should be achieved. This outcome occurs because social alignment reduces the friction amongst stakeholders each time a project management decision is made. Yet, how social alignment develops or dissolves over time in a complex project is unknown. This research develops a dynamic model of social alignment and misalignment, and it identifies some of the project controls that appear to affect their development. Drawing on interview and observational data from 17 respondents involved in a complex health-IT project over a two-year period, we show that social alignment and misalignment involve eight stages – separation, disrespect, lack of cross-discipline participation and social misalignment through to learning, respect, cross-discipline participation and ultimately, social alignment. The research has implications for how researchers theorize social alignment in complex projects and how practitioners can facilitate its development.