Managing and Practicing OD in an IT Environment: A Structured Approach to Developing IT Project Teams

Abstract

This chapter introduces a framework for improving success in information technology (IT) projects by leveraging the organization development (OD) practitioner’s expertise in fostering cooperation and learning in teams. It argues that IT project failure can be addressed and prevented by building teams that anticipate and recover from issues of communication, goal clarity, and internal support. The author intends this framework to provide a foundation for OD practitioners and IT project teams to engage the domain knowledge of each in order to successfully execute projects that are cooperative, focused on improvement through learning, and ultimately dedicated to more productive outcomes for the organizations they serve.