A Correlational Study on Project

Management Methodology and

Project Success (Review)
1. title

● suitable for the paper as it effectively conveys key aspects of the research. Here's a
breakdown of how the title addresses different elements:

● What is researched: The title clearly states that the research focuses on the correlation
between project management methodology and project success.

● How the topic is addressed: The title indicates that the study adopts a correlational
research approach.
… title

● The population and unit of analysis: The title does not explicitly mention the
population or unit of analysis. However, given the context of software projects, it can be
inferred that the research is conducted within the software project domain.

● The research context: The title does not explicitly specify the research context, such as
a specific industry or organization. However, it indicates a general focus on project
management methodology and project success within the broader context of software
projects.
2. Abstract section

I. The overall purpose/overview of the study:

● to extend previous research by investigating the relationship between project

management methodology and reported project success.

● examining the moderating variables of industry and project manager experience.

… Abstract section

II. The research problem

● revolves around understanding the impact of project management methodology

on project success and exploring potential moderating variables.
… Abstract section

III. The methods used

● non-experimental and correlational

● The researchers collected data through a survey instrument consisting of 58 questions.

● The survey included sections for demographic information, successful project-related

questions, and less successful project-related questions.

● Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression were employed for data
analysis.
… Abstract section

IV.Main findings

● found a weak correlation between project management methodology and reported

project success.

● The correlation between project management methodology and project success

was not influenced by industry or project manager experience.

● The results did not align with previous studies in this area.
… Abstract section

V. Interpretations and conclusions

● The findings indicate a need for further investigation into the factors that impact
project success, including potential moderating variables.

● there may be other factors beyond project management methodology, industry,

and project manager experience that influence project success.
3. Introduction section:

I. Research background and problem:

● The research background highlights the discrepancy between anecdotal evidence

favoring specific project management methodologies and the lack of consistent
support from research studies.

● The research problem is the challenge organizations face in achieving project

success despite the availability of new resources, methods, procedures, and
practices.
… Introduction section

II. Justification and significance

● The introduction justifies the need for the research by emphasizing the steady
project failure rates and the potential impact of project failures on organizations.

● The significance of the research lies in its aim to identify the factors that contribute
to project success, which can assist organizations in delivering value through
temporary initiatives.
… Introduction section

III. Research objectives and questions

● The primary research question is stated: "To what extent does project management
methodology influence reported project success among North American Project
Managers, and is this relationship influenced by industry (technology versus non-
technology) or experience?"

● The sub-questions further break down the research objective by examining the
influence of project management methodology on reported project success in non-
technology industries, technology industries, and considering the influence of years
of experience on project outcomes.
… Introduction section

IV. Methodological approach, context, and scope

● a non-experimental correlational study

● The context of the study focuses on North American project managers with specific
criteria, such as five years of experience, age 25 or older, and experience with
multiple project management methodologies.

● The scope of the study appears to be limited to investigating the relationship

between project management methodology, reported project success, and the
moderating variables of industry and project manager experience.
… Introduction section

V. Purpose of the last paragraph

● to provide an outline of the structure of the paper, indicating the subsequent

sections that will be covered.

● including a literature review, data and method description, results and findings, and
a discussion of limitations and suggestions for further research.
4. Literature Review section

I. The motivation for the research

● to understand the factors that contribute to project success and failure.

● to identify the key success factors and project management practices that can
enhance project outcomes.
…Literature Review section

II. The literature analysis support

● The literature analysis supports this motivation by providing a comprehensive

overview of previous research conducted in the area of project success.

● It covers studies by Pinto and Slevin, Cooke-Davies, Fortune et al., Oracle, Standish
Group's CHAOS reports, and Serrador and Pinto, among others.

● These studies have examined various aspects of project success, including success
factors, project management methods, success rates, and financial implications. The
literature analysis consolidates these findings and synthesizes the knowledge to build
a foundation for the current research.
…Literature Review section

III. The research problem and its importance

● the relatively low success rates of projects and the need to identify factors that can
improve project outcomes.

● This problem is important because project failures can lead to significant financial
losses, missed opportunities, and decreased organizational performance.

● By understanding the key success factors and project management practices,

organizations can enhance their project success rates and improve their overall
performance.
…Literature Review section

IV. The purpose of the literature review

● to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research conducted in the field of project

success.

● It aims to synthesize existing knowledge, identify common trends, and highlight key factors
that contribute to project success or failure.

● The literature review effectively positions the current research by presenting a wide range of
studies and their findings.

● It establishes the context and importance of the research problem and sets the stage for the
subsequent research conducted by the authors.
5. Research Design/Methodology
I .Research Design/Methodology

● The research design for this study is quantitative in nature, aiming to examine the
influence of project management methodology on reported project success.

● a survey-based approach, utilizing an online questionnaire delivered through

SurveyMonkey.

● The sample consists of North American project managers who meet specific
criteria, such as age, experience, and familiarity with multiple project management
methodologies.

● a simple random sampling, where participants were selected from a sampling

frame using a random selection process.
…Research Design/Methodology

● Data collection was conducted through the online survey, with participants
reviewing and accepting the informed consent before proceeding.

● The survey instrument used in the study was developed by Serrador and Pinto
(2015) and consisted of 58 questions on a 5-point Likert scale.

● Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS), employing descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and
multiple linear regression to test hypotheses.
…Research Design/Methodology

II. Extent of Research Design Suitability

● The chosen research design aligns well with the research problem of investigating
the influence of project management methodology on reported project success.

● The quantitative approach and the use of surveys allow for the collection of
numerical data and statistical analysis, which is appropriate for examining
relationships and testing hypotheses.

● The inclusion of industry and experience as moderating variables enhances the

design's ability to address the research problem by considering potential contextual
influences.
…Research Design/Methodology

III . Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses

A. Strengths

● The use of a well-established survey instrument developed by Serrador and Pinto

(2015) enhances the reliability and validity of the data collected.

● The simple random sampling technique helps to ensure a representative sample

and allows for the generalization of the findings.

● The utilization of statistical analysis techniques, such as Pearson's correlation

coefficient and multiple linear regression, provides rigorous data analysis.
…Research Design/Methodology

B. Weakness

● The reliance on self-reported data through an online survey may introduce

response biases and limitations in the accuracy of the responses.

● The study focuses solely on North American project managers, limiting the
generalizability of the findings to other regions or contexts.

● The study only considers two categories of project management methodologies

(agile and traditional), potentially overlooking other emerging methodologies.
…Research Design/Methodology

IV .Ethical Considerations

● The publication mentions informed consent, where participants were required to

accept the terms of consent before proceeding with the survey.

● The intermediary used for survey delivery facilitated communication with

participants, avoiding direct contact between the researcher and respondents.

● The study obtained permission from the lead author of the survey instrument
before reusing it, ensuring ethical considerations regarding intellectual property.
…Research Design/Methodology

V. Clarity for Replication

● The research design provides a clear outline of the methodology, data collection,
and data analysis techniques employed.

● The sampling technique, data collection tool, and statistical analysis software used
are specified.

● However, additional details on specific survey questions and the intermediary's role
could enhance the clarity for replication.
6. Results/Findings

● The results/findings of the study are presented clearly and consistently.

● The study aimed to investigate the influence of project management methodology on

reported project success, comparing agile and traditional methodologies.

● The findings indicate a weak correlation between project management methodology and
reported project success.

● Other variables, such as the adoption, maturation, and tailoring of project management
practices, may have greater importance in project success.
…Results/Findings

● The industry context was found to have a moderating role on the correlation, with a
weak positive correlation in non-technology industries and a moderate correlation in
technology industries.

● Surprisingly, project manager experience did not moderate the correlation between
project management methodology and reported project success.

● These results align with the research aims and contribute to understanding project
success factors in different project management methodologies.
7. Discussion

I. Interpretation of the findings

● The findings suggest a weak correlation between project management methodology and
reported project success, indicating that other variables may have greater importance.

● The moderating role of industry on the correlation suggests that the relationship
between project management methodology and project success varies depending on
the industry context.

● The lack of a moderating effect of project manager experience on the correlation is

surprising and warrants further investigation.
…Discussion

II. Significance of the research findings in relation to the research

problem related to software projects:

● The findings highlight the complexity of selecting an appropriate project management

methodology for software projects.

● They challenge the notion that a singular methodology can guarantee project success and
emphasize the need to consider other factors.

● The study adds to the existing knowledge by examining the moderating role of industry and
project manager experience in the correlation between project management methodology
and project success.
…Discussion
III. Explanation of new understandings and fresh insights
about the problem:
● The findings suggest that consistent project success remains a challenging
problem influenced by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) in
project environments.

● They emphasize the importance of flexibility in selecting and adapting project

management methodologies to address the dynamic nature of software projects.

● The study encourages further research into other project management

methodologies and the customization of methodologies for specific
organizations to improve project success.
…Discussion
IV. Contribution to advancing understanding of the research
problem and modern software project management:
● The research moves the understanding of project success factors forward by
highlighting the weak correlation between project management methodology and
reported project success.
● It challenges traditional beliefs and offers insights into the need for a more nuanced
approach to project management in software projects.
● The study contributes to the advancement of modern software project management
by advocating for the consideration of industry context and the customization of
methodologies to improve project outcomes in VUCA environments.
● It provides a foundation for future research to explore other methodologies, adoption,
maturity, tailoring, and qualitative methods to gain deeper insights into project
success in software projects.
8. Conclusion

● The provided conclusion does not explicitly address whether the research project met
the research objectives or answered the research questions. However, it does
summarize the main findings of the research.

● The main findings of the research include:

1. A weak correlation between project management methodology and reported
project success.
2. The moderating role of industry on the correlation, with different effects observed
in non-technology and technology industries.
3. The lack of a moderating effect of project manager experience on the correlation.
Finally…

Important inputs for a career in Software Project Management:

● Understanding the complexity of project success factors and the need for flexibility in
selecting and adapting project management methodologies.
● Familiarity with different project management methodologies, such as agile, traditional,
PRINCE2, lean, and extreme/Emertxe, to explore their suitability for different project
contexts.
● Awareness of the moderating role of industry on the correlation between project
management methodology and project success.
● Recognition of the importance of considering other variables, such as the adoption,
maturation, and tailoring of project management practices, in addition to methodology
selection.
Finally…

Recommendations for future action based on the content of the

paper:
● Conduct further research to explore additional project management methodologies beyond
agile and traditional, such as PRINCE2, lean, or extreme/Emertxe, to understand their impact
on project success.
● Investigate the customization of project management methodologies for specific
organizations and project contexts to improve project outcomes.
● Analyze the captured data in more detail, including sponsor success, team success ratings,
budget, schedule, and scope responses, to gain new insights into project success factors.
Finally…

Recommendations for future action based on the content of the

paper:
● Consider qualitative research methods, like grounded theory, to gain a more in-depth
understanding of methodology selection, implementation, and deployment.

● Explore the links between project management methodology and adoption, maturity, and
tailoring of practices to enhance project success.
Finally…

Further research issues identified related to software project

management:
● Investigate the relationship between project management methodology and
reported project success in different industries and contexts.
● Explore the impact of project manager experience on project success and how it
interacts with project management methodologies.
● Examine the customization and tailoring of project management methodologies for
specific organizations and project types.
● Analyze the role of other variables, such as adoption, maturation, and tailoring of
project management practices, in project success.
Thank You!!!