| This research is influenced by three major trends: more people are using project management tools and techniques in information systems projects, there is an increased numbers of IS projects, and there is a low success rate for these projects. The main research question is what are the soft competencies IS project participants require for successful projects, differentiated by project type, phase and job role? To answer this question, the Delphi, interview and survey methods were used. From the Delphi surveys, a Complexity-based Project Classification Framework was developed, and the key project job functions were identified. These Delphi outputs were used in the subsequent interview phase to frame questions about project participant competence. The primary results from the competency interviews and surveys were to identify the most important soft competencies (e.g. commitment, manage expectations, and trust) for the initiation, planning, implementation, and closeout phases of an IS project. 86 competencies were identified and grouped into seven competency categories: communication skills (e.g. effective questioning and listening skills), leadership skills (e.g. ownership of tasks and decisiveness), professional conduct (e.g. results oriented and technical skills), project management skills (e.g. manage expectations and business know how), personal attributes (e.g. 80/20 perspective and eye for details), negotiation skills (e.g. consensus building and conflict resolution), and social skills (e.g. ability to get along and be truthful). In addition, the competencies by project type in terms of project complexity are identified and discussed. The soft competencies within these seven groups were identified for the technical, hybrid and managerial roles. Finally, where these results can be applied, and identify opportunities for further research are presented. |
