There are many theoretical and practical reasons for evaluating projects – including explorative arguments focusing on expanding descriptive knowledge on project work as well as normative arguments focusing on improving prescriptive models of project performance. Despite the need for project management methodologies that work and combat project failure, and research methods that can assess effective project management and methodologies, as well as empirical research on the actuality of projects as practice, evaluation research on projects including project management and methodologies is scarce.
Each of the framework’s four approaches provides a distinct evaluation that sheds light on some issues while leaving others unattended. Following these lines, the paper calls for more multi-faceted project evaluations. Introducing a framework that can help analyze existing evaluations and structure upcoming evaluations by highlighting beneficial aspects and/or revealing hidden issues, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical and practical field of project management.
The paper contributes to project theory and practice by inspiring project researchers and aiding project workers in their efforts to open up the black box of projects and deliver relevant and valuable results.