Good Project Management Practices Drive More Than Project Success: Learning, Knowledge Sharing and Job Satisfaction in IT Project Teams

Project management practices are designed to help achieving a desired project outcome. However, their effect on project team members and their environment has rarely been investigated. Considering that a project team is essentially a small organization within an organization, good management practices, effective communication and collaborative relationships are critical for project success and overall organizational value. This study investigated the impact of following good project management practices on team members. Survey data from 327 team members across 15 industries suggests that these practices create a foundation of collaborative relationships and a project team environment of reciprocal accountability that fosters knowledge exchange, individual learning, performance and ultimately job satisfaction. Although not measured specifically in this study, previous research also suggests that enhanced job satisfaction reduces employee intention to leave and ultimately bolsters retention of skilled team members during IT projects.