Evaluating IS/IT Projects: Emergence of Equivocality in Practice

Equivocality has been indicated as the problem instigating erratic and hasty decisions of escalation and abandonment of on-going IS/IT projects. However, research pertaining to examine the emergence of equivocal situations in practice is still limited. Extant literature is analyzed to develop an a-priori set of potential causes and a framework for examining equivocal situations through case studies. Three major findings are noted. First, the emergences of equivocal situations were associated with the problematic nature of information concerning the project condition or status, diverse interpretations toward the evaluation objects, and limitations of data and information to support decision-making. Second, the object of evaluation within the content of evaluation is found to be the most critical part to inducing equivocal situations during the evaluation of IS/IT project. Finally, the potential elements that can be used to indicate the causes of equivocal situations are highlighted.