PROJECT MANAGER COMPETENCIES AND PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES IN IT PROJECTS

Meeting performance targets for IT projects is difficult, and skilled project managers have been identified as a key factor in maximizing the possibilities of success. Our goal in this study was to identify critical behavioural competencies for IT project managers, including competencies necessary for entry-level positions and competencies that distinguish superior performance in IT project management. Two categories of competence, team leadership and concern for order, were associated with higher levels of IT project performance outcomes. The behaviours within these two categories provide a useful focus for organizations seeking to improve their project management performance. Some of these behaviours - for example, detailed planning and managing meetings - are entry-level behaviours that should be the target of basic training for novice project managers. Other behaviours - for example, accurate estimation and problem solving strategies - were observed in fewer respondents and could be the focus of more advanced training for incumbent project managers. Additionally, two valuable but infrequently observed behaviours ? creating a compelling vision and ensuring alignment with business strategic goals ? were correlated with performance related to supporting longer term business benefits from IT projects, suggesting that developing project manager competence in these behaviours would be particularly beneficial for achieving long-term success from IT projects

Behavioral Competencies and Learning Methods for IT Project Management: An Exploratory Study

What do IT project managers consider to be the critical skills necessary for project success, and how have they developed those skills? The aim of this research has been to answer these questions. We interviewed 23 experienced IT project managers from 11 organizations, focusing first on what the managers perceived as their most critical project management skills, and then on how they had developed those skills. We also discussed their exposure to a wide variety of organizational development interventions. By focusing on how project managers actually learned critical skills, we have been able to uncover the importance of informal learning channels, often involving project experiences, for the development of IT project management skills

SoK: Safer Digital-Safety Research Involving At-Risk Users

Research involving at-risk users -- that is, users who are more likely to experience a digital attack or to be disproportionately affected when harm from such an attack occurs -- can pose significant safety challenges to both users and researchers. Nevertheless, pursuing research in computer security and privacy is crucial to understanding how to meet the digital-safety needs of at-risk users and to design safer technology for all. To standardize and bolster safer research involving such users, we offer an analysis of 196 academic works to elicit 14 research risks and 36 safety practices used by a growing community of researchers. We pair this inconsistent set of reported safety practices with oral histories from 12 domain experts to contribute scaffolded and consolidated pragmatic guidance that researchers can use to plan, execute, and share safer digital-safety research involving at-risk users. We conclude by suggesting areas for future research regarding the reporting, study, and funding of at-risk user researchComment: 13 pages, 3 table

Tuned Souls: The Role of Music in the Lives of Homeless Young People

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2014Although music is considered to be an important part of adolescence and young adulthood, little is known about music and homeless youth. Accordingly, this dissertation research investigated the role of music in the lives of homeless young people, aged 15-25. The study was conducted in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia and engaged homeless young people (n=202) and service providers staff who work at agencies that provide support for homeless young people (n=24). Homeless young people completed surveys (n=202), design activities, which included drawing and story writing (n=149), and semi-structured interviews (n=40). Service providers completed semi-structured interviews (n=24). Data analysis included descriptive analysis of survey data and qualitative coding of the design activities and interview responses. Findings indicated that music was an important part of everyday life for homeless young people, who listened to music daily (98%), owned music players (89%), and had wide-ranging and eclectic tastes in music which did not vary based on location. Music played a role in emotional control and regulation, in relationships with other people, and homeless young people engaged with music not only through listening, but also by singing, dancing and playing musical instruments. Additionally, the study shows that public libraries and service agencies are key places for homeless young people to access the Internet in order to listen to music, despite evidence that 22% of participants (45/202) had been banned at one time or another from either libraries or service agencies. Findings also indicated that risk-taking behaviors were high among the homeless young people but did not show that music led to particular behaviors. Finally, analysis of the drawings and stories from the design activities indicated that homeless young people could imagine how music devices could help homeless youth in practical ways as well as play a role in service provision for homeless youth and in building relationships with the mainstream community