Exploring Critical Success Factors for Managing Complex Information Technology Projects in Federal Agencies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of understanding about failures of government leadership in accomplishing complex information technology (IT) projects and the ways such failures can negatively affect organizational performance. The purpose was to query subject matter experts and leaders with the intent to identify methods to reduce complex IT project failure rates in government organizations. This qualitative study drew on the technology acceptance model and the capability maturity model integration framework to evaluate organizations’ abilities to manage complex IT projects. The research questions focused on exploring senior managers’ experiences, the tacit knowledge of project management methodologies, and IT governance frameworks. The Delphi method was suitable for collecting and analyzing opinions of subject matter experts to help reach group consensus. Qualitative data analysis was used to identify themes, categories, and subcategories for thematic analysis. The result of the study was the identification of critical success factors and leadership attributes to increase the success rate of complex IT projects in federal agencies. This research may be beneficial to federal government program leaders who, as the result of increased insights and knowledge, can more effectively provide online government services using technology-enabled end-users’ computing devices in a cost-effective and secure method