Strategies Project Managers Use That Reduce Information Technology Project Failures in the Insurance Industry

The worldwide failure rate of information technology (IT) projects is approximately 65%. Insurance project managers who fail to successfully implement IT projects negatively impact organizational performance and profitability. Grounded in the management by objectives theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies project managers use to reduce IT project failures in the insurance industry. The participants comprised four IT project managers in Alabama who successfully used strategies to reduce IT project failures in the insurance industry. Data were collected from virtual semistructured interviews, company documents, existing literature, and journal notes. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: scope management, effective communication, and managing priorities. A key recommendation for IT project managers is to develop a change control process for scope management. The implications for positive social change include the potential for IT project managers to create jobs and stimulate the local economy