Developing Soft Skills to Manage User Expectations in IT Projects: Knowledge Reuse among IT Project Managers

Abstract

This research explores information technology (IT) project managers' reuse of knowledge associated with soft skills when managing user expectations. Through interviews with IT project managers, several themes emerged: novelty of problems, conditions within the organization, types of available knowledge, and methods for reusing knowledge. Within this study, we discovered the need for additional research on how social norms and organizational conditions encourage or inhibit knowledge reuse. Furthermore, we identified a difference in the usefulness of knowledge captured in formal repositories according to levels of project management experience. The findings confirm, extend, and illuminate the current research associated with knowledge reuse in IT project management.

Information technology project managers’ competencies: An analysis of performance and personal competencies

“…Bredillet et al (2015) extensively evaluated the various dimensions and assert that there are three key dimensions: skills, knowledge and core personality characteristics. Although this is comparable to the research of Crawford (2014), Bredillet et al (2015) view experience as a component of skills, whereas Petter and Randolph (2009) Each dimension is discussed in detail, and the relationships between the competency frameworks will be revealed.…”

“…These phases are, however, not often followed in practice, thus creating knowledge gaps. Petter and Randolph (2009) subsequently discovered three methods for sharing and reusing knowledge in project management: verbatim, synthesis and creation. Verbatim is a method where a project manager takes knowledge and directly uses it without altering it.…”

“…For example, the experience improves their skills in areas such as decision-making, problem solving and leadership as the exposure will provide guidance on what to do under certain circumstances. Although a novice could read up on the aforementioned skills, only experience and exposure can truly develop these skills (Petter & Randolph 2009).…”

“…Project management skills are often classified as technical or soft skills (Petter & Randolph 2009). Technical skills refer to the ability to understand and apply various tools and techniques pertaining to projects in general as well as specific projects such as information systems projects (Keil, Lee & Deng 2013).…”

A knowledge management perspective of the project management office

“…Some representative studies of KM in PM perspective are the following: Bower et Walker (2007) whose study subject is planning knowledge management and their phases in projects; Ajmal et Koskinen (2008) analyzing knowledge transfer in the projects and the influence of organizational culture; Reich et al (2008) knowledge management in IT projects; (Gladden, 2009;Alkhuraiji et al (2016) how to manage and apply knowledge in organizations; Petter et Randolph (2009), the processes of reusing knowledge among projects; Tukel et al(2010), knowledge and practice's salvages; Johansson et al. (2011), the importance of knowledge maturity to development projects; the relation between organizational performance and the knowledge to the project management; Alin et al (2011) knowledge transformation in projects; Gasik (2011) show a model of project knowledge management; Koskinen (2012) knowledge management as a factor that can improve project implementation; (Müller et al, 2013) project management knowledge in PMOs; Horstein (2014) knowledge as a factor of integration of projects.…”