  As project managers (PMs) play an important role in project success,
assigning PMs with appropriate skills and personalities to projects is a
crucial task. Empirical research on skill requirements for information
technology (IT) PMs is limited and little information systems literature
focuses on the role of internally recruited IT PMs. This paper presents a case
study of a troubled IT project which was led by three consecutive PMs, all with
different backgrounds, skill sets, and personalities. Lessons learned from the
three PMs confirm the importance of some skills previously described in the
literature, and the need for an additional focus on how an IT PMs personality
encourages or inhibits IT project outcomes. Internally recruited PMs usually
lack IT project management expertise and experience but were found to have
advantages in understanding organisational culture and business processes.
Nevertheless, IT project management expertise was found to be a necessity of
project success.
