Is Project Alignment – a Process Perspective

Abstract

Information system (IS) project alignment has been defined as the degree to which an IS's project deliverables are consistent with the project's objectives, which are shaped by the organization's IS strategy. These objectives may change as the project unfolds, reflecting emergent opportunities, limitations, and strategy (Jenkin and Chan, 2005). The IS project alignment process refers to the sequence and flow of events that lead to project alignment and, thus, strategy execution. To develop an understanding of project alignment processes – how IS projects become aligned or misaligned – this study examines nine projects across two organizational settings to analyze the key events and processes of project alignment. By analyzing three different project patterns using different organizational metaphors, this study explains evidence contradicting widely held beliefs about project management. Rather than planning and process maturity, the results of this study highlight the importance of executing processes, change, learning, knowing in practice, and heedful interrelating between project team members to align final project deliverables. This research, based on an empirical study, contributes to both the IS alignment and project management literatures by further developing the emerging concept of project alignment to include a process view of how to achieve alignment of final project deliverables with IS project objectives and the IS strategy.