Identification and Prioritisation of Digital Transformation Projects Selection Criteria

Digital transformation (DT) initiatives are vital for organisations to remain relevant and competitive amidst a complex and ever-evolving technological landscape. Selecting and evaluating suitable projects is critical for achieving strategic objectives while balancing necessity and feasibility. Despite the extensive literature on project portfolio selection and prioritisation models, there is no consensus on effective critical success factors (CSFs), resulting in poorly selected criteria and overlooking project interdependencies. Therefore, improved selection guidelines are necessary for academic and professional communities. This study addresses the need for such guidelines by conducting a thorough literature review of project portfolio management characteristics and analysing 29 studies to identify DT projects selection and prioritisation criteria. The criteria were grouped into four success dimensions, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to weigh the criteria. Data was also collected from a group of experts in DT projects. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering the people, organisation, project, and uncertainty dimensions, with a focus on people management, collaboration with end-users, top management support, alignment to strategic objectives, and risk management were crucial criteria. The results of this study also suggest using Agile project management for managing DT projects and recommend developing monitoring and controlling capabilities. Overall, this study contributes to both academic and professional communities by providing guidelines for selecting and prioritising DT projects. By considering the success dimensions and CSFs identified in this study, organisations can improve their project selection process and increase the likelihood of successful DT initiatives.