Researching navigation of project complexity using action design research

Mikkelsen, Mogens Frank; Venable, John; Aaltonen, Kirsi

doi:10.1108/ijmpb-02-2020-0040

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Project scholars have only recently begun to see the possibilities of applying ADR, which is a recognized and rather mature methodology within the field of information management. This study adds to the few studies applying ADR in project management (Henriques & O’Neill, 2021; Mikkelsen et al, 2020). Applying ADR here yielded useful descriptive and prescriptive project knowledge across different research contribution levels (Gregor & Hevner, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Developing a Multidimensional Conception of Project Evaluation to Improve Projects

Rode

Svejvig

Martinsuo

2022

Project Management Journal

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In the quest to improve projects, project actors rely on sound project evaluation. However, project evaluation can be complex and challenging. This study aims to explore and define project evaluation and reveal how it can promote continuous improvements within and across projects and organizations. A review of extant literature finds four constitutive properties for project evaluation: criteria, times, evaluands, and evaluators. Based on the action design research of 75 projects in 21 organizations, the study finds three evaluation perspectives: process, outcome, and learning. Understanding the multidimensionality of project evaluation through the seven identified dimensions offers a meaningful conception of project evaluation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Developing a Multidimensional Conception of Project Evaluation to Improve Projects

Rode

Svejvig

Martinsuo

2022

Project Management Journal

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“…This paper proposes the design and application of a purposeful socio-technical conceptual artifact representing the problem domain (Mikkelsen et al , 2020) evidenced in existing scholarship and practice, which lends itself to the design science research (DSR) approach. A DSR method comprising four stages is employed, adapted from of the framework proposed by Gregor and Hevner (2013), with additions from Venable (2006).…”

Section: Methodology/approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing antifragile social-technical information systems in an era of big data

Muñoz

2021

ITP

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PurposeTo explore the value and the case for designing antifragile socio-technical information systems (IS) in an era of big data, moving beyond traditional notions of IS design towards systems that can leverage uncertainty for gains.Design/methodology/approachA design science research (DSR) approach was adopted, comprising four stages, including problem identification and solutions definition, conceptual artifact or socio-technical system design, preliminary evaluation, and communication and knowledge capture.FindingsA conceptual socio-technical artifact that identifies antecedents to antifragile IS design. When operationalised, the antecedents may produce the desired antifragile outcome. The antecedents are categorised as value propositions, design decisions and system capabilities.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is conceptual in nature, applied and evaluated in a single big data analytics case study in Facebook-Cambridge Analytica. Future research should empirically validate across a range of real-world big data contexts, beyond the presented case study.Practical implicationsUncertainty generally results in socio-technical system failures, impacting individuals, organisations and communities. Conversely, antifragile IS can respond favourably to the shocks and stressors brought forth by periods of elevated uncertainty.Social implicationsAntifragile IS can drive socio-technical systems to respond favourably to uncertainty and stressors. Typically, these socio-technical systems are large, complex structures, with increased connectivity and the requirement to generate, process, analyse and use large datasets. When these systems fail, it affects individuals, organisations and communities.Originality/valueExisting IS design methodologies and frameworks largely ignore antifragility as a possible designable outcome. Extant research is limited to abstract architectural design, and approaches based on the proposition of principles. This research contributes to knowledge of antifragile IS design, by deriving a conceptual artifact or socio-technical system based on antecedent-outcome relationships that leverage uncertainty towards performance gains.

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“…Given the perception is always subjective, there will be multiple perceptions of the complexity of a project. Based on a large survey among practitioners, Mikkelsen et al. (2021) found that the project stakeholder role influenced how the concept of complexity is understood; hence, there are many layers of the perception to include when trying to understand the overall perception of project complexity.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mikkelsen et al. (2021) use the SoS view to develop four distinct managerial approached depending on what kind of system the project adherent to.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More prescriptive knowledge is needed to guide the project managers in navigating the project complexity in project managers' pursuit of success. Identifying the complexities of a given project is a real-world problem for project managers (Mikkelsen et al, 2021). The purpose of the paper is to investigate the research of prescriptive knowledge on the management of project complexity.…”

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confidence: 99%

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IT-enabled management of project complexity – An Action Design Research project

Mikkelsen

Aaltonen²

2022

IJMPB

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PurposeProject complexity has been researched much. The majority of publication is searching for law-like relations or development of descriptive frameworks. More prescriptive knowledge is needed to guide the project managers in navigating the project complexity in project managers' pursuit of success. Identifying the complexities of a given project is a real-world problem for project managers (Mikkelsen et al., 2021). The purpose of the paper is to investigate the research of prescriptive knowledge on the management of project complexity.Design/methodology/approachBased on a longitudinally case study, this paper uses Action Design Research (Sein et al., 2011) (ADR) to research the management of project stakeholder complexity. ADR is a variation of action research (AR) with inspiration from design science (Hevner et al., 2004) where an artifact is designed to solve a real-world problem. In this case study, an information system was configured in collaboration with the project managers of the recipient organization.FindingsThe findings from the research project are presented using the affordance theory (Gibson, 1977) as a framing concept and give special attention the affordance perception (Pozzi et al., 2014). Among the project managers, who were very engaged in the co-design, the majority refrained from activating the information system and got the outside view from the stakeholders. Interviews afterward identified “fear of bad project ratings from the stakeholder” as the main course of resistance to deploy the surveying information system.Originality/valueThe paper contributes on two levels. The paper presents a novel approach to researching project complexity based on engaging the stakeholder in generating a common perception of the ongoing state of the projects. The paper also contributes insights into reasons for reluctance on the part of the participants (the project managers) of the recipient organization and hereby adds to the understanding of the organizational change aspect of AR in the research of project management. The paper concludes with the identified benefits of using ADR in research on project complexity management and gives recommendations for future research.

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Researching navigation of project complexity using action design research

Cited by 14 publications

References 59 publications

Developing a Multidimensional Conception of Project Evaluation to Improve Projects

Developing a Multidimensional Conception of Project Evaluation to Improve Projects

Designing antifragile social-technical information systems in an era of big data

IT-enabled management of project complexity – An Action Design Research project

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