The management of collaborative Information Systems research projects

Today a major challenge in project management is the adaptation of commonly accepted conventional knowledge and practices to the needs of a specific project type and its characteristics. Despite the growing understanding that project success largely depends on the suitability of the project management method, most projects are still managed via a uniform management approach. This specific perspective has been subject to various discussions and shows limited applicability when dealing with “unconventional” project types. This is particularly evident for collaborative research projects which need a more contingent approach in project management taking into account the unique features of this project type. Research is conducted by a heterogeneous consortium established loosely through the availability of a funding opportunity and the common research interest. Funding opportunities are growing significantly with IT being a major industry in this respect. Thus public funded collaborative research projects take up an increasing percentage in the project portfolio of industry and academic organisations and their management becomes a major challenge that research organisations are facing today. Given this background, this research will focus on the management of collaborative research projects by contributing to the development of a tailored project management model. Core arise from the large degree of uncertainty in terms of research methods and outputs, individually oriented project personnel and the distinctive heterogeneity of involved stakeholders.