Getting a Grip on IT Project Complexity – Concluding to Underlying Causes

Research appraises that the substandard management of complexity is one of the common reasons for IT project failure. However, improving the management of complexity requires an unambiguous understanding of what is meant by complexity. In this study, we therefore strive to provide conceptual clarity regarding the construct complexity. We develop a two-dimensional framework. We evaluate its practicability by drawing on semi-structured interviews with IT project management experts. The resulting framework will help researchers and practitioners to understand how complexity can occur in IT projects, as it provides insights into what causes complexity and where it is located within a project