Assessment of ICT project success/failure in Botswana using project metrics models

Abstract

Recently, there had been an increase in ICT/IT project deployment in public and private institutes in Botswana. However the majority of the IS projects implemented were not so successful. The goals of Botswana government ICT policy are to; create enabling environments, universal service and access to information and communications facilities, and make Botswana a regional ICT Hub. The concept of project management practise in Botswana towards fulfilling this mandates, is based on a wide range of critical success factors that have been used in other countries. This is due to the inability to realise the main protagonist factors contributing to project success/failures in ICT projects embedded in organizations. This has resulted in some numerous projects experiencing implementation challenges and eventually failing. With these cases, this fortifies the belief that the existing system for quantifying project success is somewhat ineffective. Therefore project managers need to measure project success to improve their project management practise. of the study was to assess ICT project success/failure in Botswana using project metrics models. The study was confined to ICT Senior managers in the southern part of Botswana, in the city of Gaborone. The study adopted a qualitative research design. Random sampling was used to select the participants. A metrics model tool was developed and used to analyse and interpret the data. The results of the study attested that majority of IT projects in Botswana could be successful in functionalities and best acceptable. Unfortunately when these projects are evaluated against theoretical success models and success evaluation criteria‟s in literature they are not up to their full potential, hence unsuccessful. The study also revealed that senior managers are aware of the factors contributing to the project success/failure in their organisations, but are keen to deliver functional systems. Hence, they tend to forget or choose to ignore other fundamental areas of project management profession which they regard not beneficial. The study argues that Botswana ICT projects would succeed if top managers provide support to all technological and non-technological project initiatives within IT organisations. Therefore, senior management should not sabotage or abandon some projects for being deemed low priority or not important to the benefits of the organisation. The study thus, recommends that Botswana ICT/IT senior managers need to reassess their project evaluation and delivery framework by putting more emphasis on developing top management support process, adequate training of the personnel and project managers experience.