A performance measurement view of IT project management

TLDR

The paper aims to develop and apply a performance measurement methodology and framework to better understand and evaluate IT project success. The authors use a mixed‑methods case study combining qualitative interviews, bibliographic research, and a constructivist multicriteria decision‑aiding (MCDA‑C) instrument to build the framework. The framework enables visualization of decision‑maker values, ordinal and cardinal performance measurement, ranking of proposals, and improved stakeholder negotiations, thereby aiding project officers in selecting and prioritizing strategic projects.

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this paper is to develop a methodology and a framework to assess performance measurement and generate a better understanding of the project context. The paper aims to present an application to illustrate the proposed methodology, to identify and measure the success parameters for a project. Design/methodology/approach The research method is a mixture of qualitative and quantitative and it is applied to a case study. The primary data were gathered using unstructured interviews with decision makers. Bibliographic research is used in order to construct the theoretical framework and the intervention instrument adopted is the multicriteria decision aiding methodology – constructivist (MCDA‐C). Findings The methodology makes it possible to visualize the criteria that must be taken into account according to the decision makers' values in the project selection process. The framework supports the ordinal and cardinal measurement of the project performance, making it possible to compare and rank proposals, as well providing a process to improve project proposals. Practical implications This process has helped in negotiations between stakeholders in the project, and, consequently, has helped the chief project officer to select and prioritize strategic projects within the demand for new products. Originality/value This paper offers an empirical understanding of the application of performance evaluation to project management and identifies a complementary tool in this interdisciplinary area.