Developing the project TWIST[trademark] test for project leaders and team members

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] What is a project? According to the Project Management Institute (2013), a project is "a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result" (p. 553). While the colloquial phrase 'good, fast, and cheap, pick any two' represents the main components of project quality according to most project management research, this study proposes there is something even more influential on project success: people's project preferences. People may ignore what is 'best' for project quality and instead adapt a project to fit their preferences. This sequential mixed methods study addressed people's project preferences through the development of the Project TWIST[trademark] Test. This instrument was designed to measure individuals' preferences for: (a) Tame project type, (b) Wicked project type, (c) Swift project-solving approach, and (d) Thorough project-solving approach. Following McIntire and Miller's (2007) test development process, this study included the development of test items, the piloting of the test by 105 participants, and data analyses needed to select the final items for Project TWIST[trademark] Test. The analyses indicated strong reliability for the test subscales and guided the reduction of test items to twenty per subscale. Additionally, the potential bipolarity of the subscales was explored utilizing Pearson correlations. The Tame/Wicked subscales and Swift/Thorough subscales demonstrated statistically significant, inverse relationships to indicate potential bipolarity. The Project TWIST[trademark] Test has implications for individuals, project leaders, and project team members. The Project TWIST[trademark] Test will help individuals better understand why some projects are enjoyable and successful for them and others are not. Project leaders gain knowledge of people's preferences, which is useful when assigning them to project teams and dealing with interpersonal conflict. Through awareness of others' preferences, project team members can transform bothersome qualities into benefits when