Strategies of Successful Government IT Projects Based on Cost and Time

From 2001 through 2015, some information technology (IT) project managers failed to deliver U.S. Government IT projects on time and within budget. The failure of IT project managers to complete projects on time and within budget provoked the U.S. Government Accountability Office to classify IT projects as high risk. This multiple case study explored strategies government contracted IT project managers use to reduce cost overruns and improve on-time delivery. The participants in this study were government contracted IT project managers from organizations that provide IT project management in the Maryland area. Employing purposeful sampling of the explicit population, 5 selected participants from 5 firms provided data. The conceptual framework for this study was the actor-network theory. Data were collected and triangulated from 5 semistructured interviews and business documentation. Yin\u27s 5-step data analysis process resulted in the emergence of multiple themes. The emergent themes included clearly defined requirements, monitor and control, and demonstrated leadership. As more government organizations realize the benefits of IT project success strategies, funding may become available for leaders to advance additional positive social change projects in various communities. IT project managers may implement the practical strategies found within this study to improve the outcome of their government contracted IT projects