A Retrospective Analysis of the Role of Soft Factors in Digitalization Projects: Based on a Case Study in a Public Health Organization in Trondheim-Norway

Abstract

There is a common consensus in project management literature that managing the soft factors in digitalisation projects is a critical success factor. It is also suggested that enabling the digital transformation in organisations requires addressing carefully various forms of soft factors. The objective of the paper was to build on the current body of knowledge regarding the role of soft factors in digital transformation and to identify and present a retrospective analysis of the soft factors that have contributed to challenges of a major digitalisation project in the health sector in Trondheim-Norway. The major finding from the case study suggest that although commitment by top-management is a critical factor to drive and implement digital transformation, this commitment alone might be counterproductive if it is not balanced with other critical factors such as thorough understanding of the impact of the project on the workload and work process of various end-users of the system. The findings further showed that commitment is also counterproductive if not balanced with the ability to respond and act upon concerns emanating from the end-users. Finally, the study proposed a framework to enable the understanding of the interconnection between various soft factors in digitalisation projects and the impact of this interconnectivity.