Abstract
Information system (IS) projects are renowned for underperforming and producing questionable results. This is evident by the poor performance of IS projects at both global and South African level. The financial impact of failed and challenged IS projects is significant and cannot continue. Project success, however, is a misnomer which has been the topic of multiple research endeavours. There are numerous views of project success, viz. a two-dimensional, four-dimensional and five-dimensional view. IS project success is best understood through the five-dimensional view. This view entails process success, project management success, product success, business success and strategic success. These five dimensions can exist in isolation but ultimate IS project success is realised when all dimensions are aligned and realised. There is a knock-on effect between each dimension as they contribute to each other and enhance each subsequent level. A possible explanation for lacklustre performance is the ever-increasing complexity of the project management landscape. IS project complexity consists of five constructs: organisational complexity, technical complexity, environmental complexity, dynamics and uncertainty. A total of 75 features underpin the 5 IS project complexity constructs. Organisational complexity dominates with 34 features, and technical and environmental complexity have 12 and 13 features,respectively. Dynamics has 6 features and uncertainty has 10. The fundamental research problem is that there is little understanding of the relationship between IS project success and IS project complexity. This research therefore sought to develop a predictive model of IS project complexity by contextualising its relationship with IS project success. A complex adaptive systems approach was adopted to show the complex interconnected relationship between all the constructs. Firstly, this research established the 39 significant and relevant IS project complexity indicators which occur during IS project execution. Being aware of these indicators provides a benchmark for identifying, measuring and monitoring complexity during an IS project. Awareness is the first step to addressing IS project complexity. Secondly, it was established that 3 constructs substantially predict IS project complexity, viz. organisational complexity, technical complexity and uncertainty. Thirdly, the constructs of IS project success were reduced to process success, deliverable success and strategic success. Finally, the predictive model showed that IS project complexity significantly influences process success and deliverable success and that process success influences deliverable success, which in turn influences strategic success. This research details the exact success and complexity indicators that need to be considered when embarking on an IS project. This contributes to contextualising the relationship between IS project success and complexit.
Ph.D. (Information Technology Management)