To Mature or not to Mature: The Information Systems Conundrum

Abstract

<jats:p>Research has been done within the South African information technology (IT) industry over the last decade with regard to project management maturity (PMM) and the impact it has on delivering information systems (IS) projects successfully. The research was done to determine whether IS PMM per knowledge area has improved over the last decade. It investigates if there is a correlation between maturity levels and project success. Four independent surveys over the last decade focused on IS PMM and the longitudinal analysis provides a benchmark for whether IS PMM has increased or not. This article focuses on whether certain knowledge areas are more of a problem within the IT industry and to determine what the overall IS PMM is. The longitudinal analysis indicates trends and highlights areas of concern. It indicates that most IT companies are still operating at level 3 and that risk and procurement management are the knowledge areas of concern. A comparative analysis indicates that there is no difference between South African and international maturity levels. The results provide a South African perspective of IS PMM. It highlights that risk management is still a knowledge area that is neglected and that emphasis must be placed on managing risk within IT projects.</jats:p>

Information technology project managers’ competencies: An analysis of performance and personal competencies

“…Only 72.2% of the project managers feel that they are competent enough to do proper risk management. These results correlate with previous studies on the maturity levels of risk management, and it was found that risk management is the least mature of all the knowledge areas (Marnewick 2013a). …”

Information technology project managers’ personal competence

“…The project managers ranked themselves as competent in this area (93.5%). These results are in line with Marnewick (2013aMarnewick ( , 2013b where communication management was the most mature knowledge area.…”

Critical success factors in Software Development Projects

“…The success rates of IT projects in South Africa in 2003 (43%) and 2008 (37%) were not as impressive as that of 2011 (59%). The results of 2011 by C. Marnewick (2013) almost doubled the results of 2008 (from 37% to 59%). The success rate of 59%, and 29% were calculated as challenged, and the failure rate was 12%.…”

“…A study of the success rate of IT projects in South Africa was initially undertaken by Sonnekus and Labuschagne ( 2003) and thereafter taken over by C. Marnewick (2013). The study reports on IT projects in general, not restricted to software development projects.…”

“…The success rate of 59%, and 29% were calculated as challenged, and the failure rate was 12%. The results generated from the study by C. Marnewick (2013) were derived from projects that were undertaken in both South Africa and the African continent at large.…”