Implementing success management on government-to-government projects: an integrated perspective with the PMBOK guide

Abstract

Purpose: As in the private sector, public organizational information systems (IS) development is commonly carried out through projects. One of the alternatives followed by governmental organizations to perform their projects is outsourcing (by hiring other public institutions that have expertise in the IS area of the projects to be developed). However, limited research has been conducted on project success regarding these government-to-government (G2G) contexts. Since achieving success is crucial for public management, this paper proposes a model for Success Management of IS projects in G2G context. Design/methodology/approach: The research method was design science research (DSR). In the evaluation step of the DSR, IS projects in a G2G environment were the object of case studies. Findings: This work presents in detail how Success Management activities can be integrated into the processes and process groups of the Project Management Institute's project management guide. The authors also suggest tools and techniques to be used in each Success Management activity. Practical implications: Managing success, particularly addressing success criteria and success factors, can help managers focus their efforts on what will really impact the success of a project. In the context of IS projects in G2G contexts, this contributes to decreasing waste and increasing the chances of providing better services to citizens. Originality/value: This work contributes to theory by providing a new model for IS G2G projects that integrates Success Management and project management processes.