IT Project Management in a Remote Work Environments

The rapid shift to remote work, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has fundamentally altered the way we do work. The experience during and post-COVID-19 indicates that remote work is revolutionising IT project management, demanding a fundamental shift towards digitally-driven collaboration and communication to preserve productivity and team cohesion. The complexities of managing geographically dispersed teams across diverse time zones necessitate heightened flexibility and adaptability, propelling a transition towards agile project management methodologies that prioritize responsiveness and continuous improvement. However, despite a growing interest in remote work, research specifically investigating its impact on the effectiveness of IT projects remains limited. In response to the call for further research and to fill the gap in the literature, this study examined how IT project management has evolved recently in relation to the wide adoption of the remote work paradigm. Employing a qualitative case study research strategy and semi-structured interviews as a data collection method, the research aimed to answer two research questions—How has the increase in remote work impacted IT projects? and How have project managers responded to the increase in remote work? The results of the study identified several changes as the result of remote work that have implications for IT project management practices presented under five categories, i.e., communications and collaboration, technological proficiency, team performance and cultural awareness, adaptation and flexibility, and leadership. These findings offer valuable insights for organisations transitioning to remote work and IT project managers seeking to enhance their remote project management capabilities.