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The effect of decision style on the use of a project management tool: an empirical laboratory study

Managing a software development project presents many difficulties. Most software development projects are considered less than successful, and many are simply cancelled. Ineffective project management has been cited as a major factor contributing to these failures. Project management tools can greatly assist managers in tracking and controlling their projects. However, their structured and analytical nature does not necessarily match the decision-making styles of project managers.This paper presents the results of an empirical laboratory study that examined the influence of decision style on a project manager's use of the project management tool, Microsoft Project. Project managers from eight companies participated in the study, and generated an interesting pattern indicating that significant differences exist with respect to the use made of a project management tool when the project manager's decision style is taken into consideration. The results clearly indicate that when completing certain tasks, such as developing an initial project plan, project managers preferring a more directive or analytical approach to decision making significantly outperformed those project managers preferring a more conceptual or behavioral approach, both in regard to the time taken to complete the plan, and the accuracy of the plan.