Proactive knowledge accessibility and causal clarity: Key factors in improving project management and cross-project learning

Given that performance is linked to an organization's ability to create knowledge (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995 Tsoukas, 2003), how can information technology (IT) project managers maximize the value and impact of knowledge from prior project experiences within and across project teams? This study is an inquiry into how IT project outcomes and processes can be repeated and optimized over time by creating enabling project environments and by sharing and using project knowledge within and across project teams. Using a sample of 917 members of the Project Management Institute's Information Systems Special Interest Group, the study examines relationships among the IT project context, the practices for sharing and using project knowledge, and the project manager's perceived effectiveness and project performance. The project context describes practices for improving project management, including the use of project management maturity models. Project knowledge sharing and use describes practices for informal learning or retrieving knowledge informally, for having inclusive and appropriately frequent project review meetings, and for using the complete lessons learned lifecycle. The researcher also investigates the effect of social capital and causal clarity (the absence of causal ambiguity) on the project knowledge sharing and use.Factor analysis and scale reliability analysis suggests that the instrument measures the antecedents, practices, and impact of project knowledge sharing and use with sufficient validity and reliability. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that improving project management, proactive knowledge accessibility and causal clarity have significant predictive and explanatory effect with project knowledge sharing and use. While proactive knowledge accessibility supports project manager effectiveness, implementing practices for improving project management significantly predicts project performance. A project management office and the project management professional credential support the effect of these practices on project performance. The lessons learned lifecycle significantly predicts both project manager effectiveness and project performance. Given that project management maturity levels have been at level 1 or 2 for over a decade, it is possible that the policies and practices supporting the use of codified knowledge in a non-codified way may be the key to the exchange of the tacit aspects of project knowledge and to increasing professional artistry and competence among IT project managers.