Abstract
The main goal of this article is to identify the effects of the transformation of the project manager's role in IT project implementation. The diversity of views expressed in the literature on this topic prompts us to present our own position based on our own research, based on surveys, interviews, and our own experience with previously implemented projects. The study results demonstrate the changes that have occurred in recent years during the transition from traditional project management to agile project implementation. Based on the specification of differences, recommendations are proposed regarding the key role of the project manager in the success of agile project management methods in the overall value creation process within a company (product-centric). The study results allow for recommendations regarding the transformation from traditional methods to agile or mixed methods. The study's contribution lies in its mixed-methods research design. It combines a quantitative longitudinal survey tracking shifting expert perceptions between 2017 and 2023 with qualitative in-depth interviews (N = 11) of active IT project professionals to formulate actionable transformational recommendations. The study's findings can be used by both management theorists and practitioners – project managers and users of IT systems.
Paper Type
Short Paper
DOI
10.62036/ISD.2026.32
Transforming the role of the project manager in IT project implementation
The main goal of this article is to identify the effects of the transformation of the project manager's role in IT project implementation. The diversity of views expressed in the literature on this topic prompts us to present our own position based on our own research, based on surveys, interviews, and our own experience with previously implemented projects. The study results demonstrate the changes that have occurred in recent years during the transition from traditional project management to agile project implementation. Based on the specification of differences, recommendations are proposed regarding the key role of the project manager in the success of agile project management methods in the overall value creation process within a company (product-centric). The study results allow for recommendations regarding the transformation from traditional methods to agile or mixed methods. The study's contribution lies in its mixed-methods research design. It combines a quantitative longitudinal survey tracking shifting expert perceptions between 2017 and 2023 with qualitative in-depth interviews (N = 11) of active IT project professionals to formulate actionable transformational recommendations. The study's findings can be used by both management theorists and practitioners – project managers and users of IT systems.
Recommended Citation
Sołtysik-Piorunkiewicz, A., Chmielarz, W. & Szulc, P.(2026). Transforming the role of the project manager in IT project implementation. In M. Valenta, B. Mannová, R. Pergl, A. Przybylek, M. Lang, H. Linger, C. Schneider, N. Iivari, & E. Insfran (Eds.), Making ISD Sustainable: Reloaded with AI and Automation (ISD2026 Proceedings). Prague, Czech Republic: Czech Technical University in Prague. ISBN: 978-80-01-07585-2. https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2026.32