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Rev. Gest. Soc. Ambient. | Miami | v.19.n.1 | p.1-26 | e011080 | 2025.
1
RGSA – Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental
ISSN: 1981-982X
Submission date: 11/11/2024
Acceptance date: 01/13/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v19n1-162
Organization: Interinstitutional Scientific Committee
Chief Editor: Ana Carolina Messias de Souza Ferreira da Costa
Assessment: Double Blind Review pelo SEER/OJS
CHALLENGES AND ATTRIBUTES FOR AN AGILE MANAGEMENT ROADMAP
OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) PROJECT
PORTFOLIO: A LITERATURE SYSTEM REVIEW
Leandro Tenorio de Santana
1
Marilia Macorin de Azevedo
2
Napoleão Verardi Galegale
3
ABSTRACT
Objective: To identify the challenges and attributes that contribute to the implementation of information and
communication technology (ICT) portfolio management in federal public universities.
Theoretical Framework: The research addresses a gap in the portfolio management of ICT projects in public
universities.
Methods: A literature review was conducted using the Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO, and CAPES databases,
employing the PRISMA-P protocol for article selection and filtering.
Results and Discussion:: Six major challenges and thirteen attributes were identified that facilitate the
development of artifacts specific to the ICT sector in public universities. The study presents two summary tables:
one outlining the challenges and another detailing the attributes for developing a roadmap. The study provides
guidelines for federal public universities to enhance efficiency in the management of ICT project portfolios.
Research Implications: The implications of this research provide guidelines to optimize ICT portfolio
management in public universities, impacting sectors such as public administration and digital transformation. The
results can guide the implementation of effective strategies to improve governance and efficiency in technological
projects.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by identifying and analyzing challenges and attributes
specific to ICT Project Portfolio Management (ICT-PPM) in the context of Brazilian public universities. The
originality lies in the systematic approach to understanding gaps and ideal characteristics for ICT-PPM, promoting
more mature governance processes. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by its potential to guide
the implementation of effective digital transformation strategies in public institutions.
Keywords: Project Portfolio Management in ICT, Federal Public Universities, Roadmap, Design Science
Research, Strategic Alignment.
DESAFIOS E ATRIBUTOS PARA UM PROJETO ÁGIL DE TECNOLOGIA DA INFORMAÇÃO E
COMUNICAÇÃO (ICT) ROTEIRO DE GESTÃO DE CARTEIRAS: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA
DA LITERATURA
RESUMO
Objetivo: Identificar os desafios e atributos que contribuem para a implementação da gestão de portfólio de
projetos de TIC nas universidades públicas federais.
1
Centro Estadual de Educação Tecnológica Paula Souza, São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil.
E-mail: leandro.santana@cpspos.sp.gov.br Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6193-7225
2
Unidade de Pós-Graduação, Extensão e Pesquisa, CEETEPS, São Paulo, Brazil.
E-mail: marilia.azevedo@fatec.sp.gov.br Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0225-8155
3
Unidade de Pós-Graduação, Extensão e Pesquisa, CEETEPS, São Paulo, Brazil.
E-mail: napoleao.galegale@cpspos.sp.gov.br Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2228-9151
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
(Ict) Project Portfolio: A Literature System Review
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Quadro teórico: a investigação aborda uma lacuna na gestão de carteiras de projetos de TIC em universidades
públicas.
Métodos: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura nas bases Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO e CAPES, utilizando
o protocolo PRISMA-P para seleção e filtragem de artigos.
Resultados e Discussão: Foram identificados seis desafios principais e treze atributos que facilitam o
desenvolvimento de artefatos específicos para o setor de TIC nas universidades públicas. O estudo apresenta duas
tabelas de resumo: uma que descreve os desafios e outra que detalha os atributos para o desenvolvimento de um
roteiro. O estudo fornece diretrizes para que as universidades públicas federais melhorem a eficiência no
gerenciamento de portfólios de projetos de ICT.
Implicações da investigação: As implicações desta investigação fornecem orientações para otimizar a gestão das
carteiras de TIC nas universidades públicas, com impacto em setores como a gestão pública e a transformação
digital. Os resultados podem orientar a implementação de estratégias eficazes para melhorar a governança e a
eficiência em projetos tecnológicos.
Originalidade/valor: Este estudo contribui para a literatura ao identificar e analisar os desafios e atributos
específicos da Gestão de Portfólios de TIC (ICT-GPP) no contexto das universidades públicas brasileiras. A
originalidade reside na abordagem sistemática para compreender as lacunas e as características ideais do GPP-
TIC, promovendo processos de governação mais maduros. A relevância e o valor desta investigação são
evidenciados pelo seu potencial para orientar a implementação de estratégias eficazes de transformação digital em
instituições públicas.
Palavras-chave: Gestão de Portfólios de TIC, Universidades Públicas Federais, Roteiro, Pesquisa Baseada em
Design, Alinhamento Estratégico.
DESAFÍOS Y ATRIBUTOS PARA UNA HOJA DE RUTA DE GESTIÓN ÁGIL DEL PORTAFOLIO
DE PROYECTOS DE TECNOLOGÍAS DE LA INFORMACIÓN Y COMUNICACIÓN (TIC): UNA
REVISIÓN SISTEMÁTICA DE LA LITERATURA
RESUMEN
Objetivo: Identificar los desafíos y atributos que contribuyen a la implementación de la gestión de portafolios de
proyectos de tecnología de la información y comunicación (TIC) en universidades públicas federales.
Marco Teórico: La investigación aborda una brecha en la gestión de portafolios de proyectos de TIC en
universidades públicas.
Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de literatura utilizando las bases de datos Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO y
CAPES, empleando el protocolo PRISMA-P para la selección y filtrado de artículos.
Resultados y Discusión: Se identificaron seis principales desafíos y trece atributos que facilitan el desarrollo de
artefactos específicos para el sector de TIC en universidades públicas. El estudio presenta dos tablas resumen: una
que describe los desafíos y otra que detalla los atributos para el desarrollo de una hoja de ruta. El estudio
proporciona directrices para que las universidades públicas federales mejoren la eficiencia en la gestión de
portafolios de proyectos de TIC.
Implicaciones de la Investigación: Las implicaciones de esta investigación proporcionan directrices para
optimizar la gestión de portafolios de TIC en universidades públicas, impactando sectores como la gestión pública
y la transformación digital. Los resultados pueden orientar la implementación de estrategias efectivas para mejorar
la gobernanza y la eficiencia en los proyectos tecnológicos.
Originalidad/Valor: Este estudio contribuye a la literatura al identificar y analizar los desafíos y atributos
específicos de la Gestión de Portafolios de Proyectos de TIC (GPP-TIC) en el contexto de las universidades
públicas brasileñas. La originalidad radica en el enfoque sistemático para comprender las brechas y características
ideales de la GPP-TIC, promoviendo procesos de gobernanza más maduros. La relevancia y el valor de esta
investigación se evidencian por su potencial para guiar la implementación de estrategias efectivas de
transformación digital en instituciones públicas.
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
(Ict) Project Portfolio: A Literature System Review
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Palabras clave: Gestión de Portafolios de Proyectos en TIC, Universidades Públicas Federales, Hoja de Ruta,
Investigación Basada en Diseño, Alineación Estratégica.
RGSA adota a Licença de Atribuição CC BY do Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
1 INTRODUCTION
Organizations have been affected by several triggers, including digital transformation,
sustainability, and globalization. These factors have led to scenarios of constant and often
instantaneous changes, with elements such as uncertainty permeating strategic planning. In
view of this, Lappi et al. (2019) emphasize that digital transformation emerges as one of the
megatrends driving reforms in both the public and private sectors. The digitalization of
processes, services, and products, despite developing, automating, and enhancing productivity,
also generates some points of attention and challenges for organizations. Studies on information
security, sustainability of IT environments and the use of IT in educational systems show that
digital transformation is a reality (Ito et al., 2013; Azevedo et al., 2024; Galegale et al., 2024).
In the university environment, information and communication technology (ICT)
project portfolio management (PPM) faces difficulties in responding to this scenario of constant
change (Ahriz et al., 2018), reflected in a high number of projects, resource overload, multiple
interdependencies, the need to adapt to legislation, and strategic alignment problems. This
situation increases the pressure on the ICT-PPM (Hoffmann et al., 2020). As pointed out by
Valverde-Allulema et al. (2021) and Ahriz et al. (2018), the implementation of project portfolio
management in universities can boost digital maturity and ICT governance.
However, new models and mechanisms must be adapted to the PPM process, leading to
greater dynamism, adaptation to changes and, consequently, facilitating better strategic
alignment. Based on this perspective, Kaufmann et al. (2020) suggest that organizations and
professionals incorporate elements of agile methodologies into project portfolio management.
Agile methodologies have been used due to their possibility of adaptation, continuous
communication and constant delivery of results.
This study seeks to answer the following research question: What challenges and
attributes can contribute to the construction of a roadmap for an agile management process for
information and communication technology project portfolios at federal public universities?
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
(Ict) Project Portfolio: A Literature System Review
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Therefore, the objective of this article is to identify which challenges and attributes can
help in the construction of a roadmap for the agile management process of information and
communication technology project portfolios in federal public universities, according to
scientific production. The specific objectives are to survey works related to the research context,
to prepare a summary table with the challenges and attributes that answer the research question,
and to present the steps that should be included in the roadmap.
2 METHODOLOGY
This research is defined as exploratory because it seeks to gather information on a
specific subject through research that can be used to extract data (Gil, 1991). As for the
scientific procedure, it is developed based on a systematic review, which, according to Sampaio
(2007), presents a summary of relevant evidence based on a strategy of search, selection,
evaluation, and synthesis of the selected information. Bibliometrics is used in the process of
searching for studies. Bibliometrics brings together several research procedures that examine
journals, aiming to calculate, verify, and classify scientific production (Ramos-Rodriguez;
Ruíz-Navarro, 2004). Bibliometrics plays an essential role in the dissemination of scientific
production, using a technique that measures the influence of researchers or journals, making it
possible to verify trends, in addition to highlighting relevant thematic areas, among other
aspects.
To assist in the identification and filtering of studies, this study applied the Prisma-P
protocol, which, according to Moher et al. (2015), aims to assist researchers in carrying out
systematic literature reviews, allowing the addition of relevant studies. To carry out these
activities, the following tools were employed:
• R-Studio: an application that uses the statistical language R. In this study, used to
concatenate the bases defined. Página do Projeto R-Studio: https://www.rstudio.com;
• Bibliometrix: R language-based application for bibliometric analysis. Bibliometrix
information: https://www.bibliometrix.org.;
• Iramuteq: application for analyzing textual content, R libraries are used to perform
statistical analyses and can generate, for example, a dendrogram. Iramuteq project page:
http://www.iramuteq.org.;
• OpenOffice Calc: an electronic spreadsheet, used to organize articles. OpenOffice tool
website - https://www.openoffice.org;
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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• Zotero: a reference manager applied to concatenate the various exported BibTeX.
Zotero app website - https://www.zotero.org.;
• Github: used to host the files for this research. Github service website -
https://github.com;
The flow shown in Figure 1 objectively presents the research steps in this RSL phase.
Figure 1
Stages of the systematic literature review process.
Source: Authors (2023).
First, in step 1, the search journals were defined as Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, and
Periódico Capes. Then, in step 2, the search string was established and the keywords were
defined in the elements being searched, such as public sector, University, Information and
Communication Technology, Project Portfolio Management, and Agile Project Portfolio
Management. Between July 8 and 26, 2023, searches were carried out in the defined databases,
with the same search string structure; some adaptations had to be made since the platforms did
not offer the same functionalities, for example searching attributes such as title, keywords, and
abstract simultaneously. However, they are shown in Figure 2; all fields were marked to
download the file with the bibTex extension.
Figure 2
Database composition and search string.
Data base
String
Scopus
( ( ( ( "Agile Portfolio" ) OR ( "Agil*" AND " Portfolio*" ) ) OR ( ( ( "Project*
Portfolio*" ) AND ( ( ( "IT project*" ) OR ( "public" AND ( administration OR
sector OR management ) ) OR ( universit* ) ) ) ) ) ) )
Web of Science
( ( ( ( "Agile Portfolio" ) OR ( "Agil*" AND " Portfolio*" ) ) OR ( ( ( "Project*
Portfolio*" ) AND ( ( ( "IT project*" ) OR ( "public" AND ( administration OR
sector OR management ) ) OR ( universit* ) ) ) ) ) ) )
Step 1- Define
journals to search; Step 2 - Define search
string; Step 3 - Consolidate a
database;
Step 4 - Apply
Prisma-P based
protocol;
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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Scielo
( ( ( "Agile Portfolio" ) OR ( "Agile" AND "Portfolio" ) ) OR ( ( ( "Project Portfolio"
) AND ( ( ( "IT project" ) OR ( "public" AND ( administration OR sector OR
management ) ) OR (university OR universities) ) ) ) ) )
Capes Periodicals
( ( ( ( "Agile Portfolio" ) OR ( "Agil*" AND " Portfolio*" ) ) OR ( ( ( "Project*
Portfolio*" ) AND ( ( ( "IT project*" ) OR ( "public" AND ( administration OR
sector OR management ) ) OR ( universit* ) ) ) ) ) ) )
Source: Research result (2023).
Figure 3 presents the organization and flow of keywords, based on the search string. To
make the visualization more readable, the first articles selected contained “Agile Portfolio” or
“Project* Portfolio” or the combination of the words “Agile” and “Portfolio”. Later, from the
filtered articles, the string based on the search contexts was delimited. These were articles
applied in “IT Project” or “University(ies)” or the combination of “Public” and
“Administration” or “Management” or “Sector”.
Figure 3
Keywords diagram
Source: Research result (2023)
In step 3, the "bibtex" files resulting were exported and imported into Zotero software,
in which they are grouped into a single directory. Subsequently, in phase 5, in the R-Studio
software, a script removed duplicates and consolidated all documents into a file with the
extension "xls", link: https://github.com/ts2050/bibliometria-disserta-
o/tree/main/Revis%C3%B5es. Database files and the spreadsheet with the articles were stored
in the publicly accessible Github repository. Stage 4 used the Prisma-P protocol as the basis for
its execution. Subsequently, the studies were identified, selected, and analyzed, link:
https://github.com/ts2050/bibliometria-disserta-o/tree/main/Revis%C3%B5es
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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3 DATA ANALYSIS
Figure 4 presents a protocol scheme based on Prisma-P. The phases followed during this
mapping were: identification, screening, and inclusion. In the identification phase, the query
databases are presented and the search string is applied, in addition to the removal of duplicate
articles. The screening phase is responsible for selecting the articles; in the first part, called
records under screening, the selection filters are applied; subsequently, an analysis of the
abstracts and titles is performed. The last phase, inclusion, stipulates the articles selected to
carry out systematic review processes.
Figure 4
Protocol for RSL flow based on Prisma-P.
Source: Research result - Adapted from the Prisma-P protocol by the authors (2023). Website with documents,
flows, and information on the use of the protocol: https://prisma-statement.org. File in original format with higher
resolution, file name Prisma-P__Revisão.pdf : https://github.com/ts2050/bibliometria-disserta-
o/tree/main/Revis%C3%B5es
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In the first stage, 548 documents were identified, but 75 duplicate articles were removed,
70 of which were removed via script in the R-studio tool and the other 5 manually in Opencalc,
resulting in 473 papers classified for subsequent stages. In the first screening stage, the
following filters were applied: language – English; document type – articles published in
journals; and period: 2012 to 2022. In addition, 2 articles without full access were also excluded,
resulting in 136 articles included.
A table was built in Opencalc to control the status of the work and carry out the second
stage of analysis of abstracts and titles, based on the following criteria:
• Inclusion criteria:
o Context - applied studies in public sectors or Universities; or
o Studies with PPM applied to ICT or employing agile approaches.
• Exclusion criteria:
o They do not address the issues referenced in the inclusion criteria;
o Duplicate articles; and
o Articles without access to the full work.
These requirements allowed us to select only articles that engaged with the research
question. At this stage, the abstracts of the papers were read based on the inclusion and
exclusion criteria, identifying 50 articles, which were read in full for the subsequent phases of
the RSL.
3.1 BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED STUDIES
Figure 5 shows the number of publications selected for RSL from 2012 to 2022; these
data revealed a growth trend over the last 5 years, with an average of 6 publications per year.
When analyzing the average number of articles published throughout the entire period, this
value is approximately 5 articles per year. The year with the highest number of publications
was 2020, which had practically double the number of publications of the previous year, in
addition to being more than double the average.
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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Figure 5
Evolution of publications, 2012-2022.
Source: Research results (2023) - Analysis developed in bibliometrix and OpenCalc.
Figure 6 shows a list of words related to PPM; as expected, Portfolio and Project are
highlighted. In addition, we find words such as study, research, management, model, problem,
practice, strategy, organization, governance, selection, strategy, value, technology, good
practices, Public Management, University, agile, objective, information, business, analysis,
method, among others. Study, research, University, and Public Management were words that
often stand out due to the similar research context. Strategy, governance, value, good practices,
objectives, information, and business may suggest research related to strategic alignment,
generating value, and PPM governance. These are topics that are of interest to this research.
Figure 6
Word cloud extracted from the abstracts
Source: Research results (2023) – Analysis developed using Iramuteq.
Figure 7 shows the dendrogram, which groups classes resulting from the similarity
between the terms. When analyzing the figure, it is clear that 6 classes of words were generated,
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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each with a weight percentage. In addition, there is also a relationship between these classes, as
there is a balance between the percentages of the classes, however classes 6 and 1 have the
highest percentage. When analyzing the words in each class, it is possible to name them as class
1 and 6 - reflect decision making, words such as criteria, impact, investment; class 2 and 5 -
method and context - the contexts of investigation, research, models; class 3 and 4 - PPM
properties, such as agile, interdependence and risk.
Figure 7
Dendrogram of words extracted from the abstracts
Source: Research results (2023) – Analysis developed using Iramuteq.
Therefore, three macroclasses can be visualized: decision-making; method and context;
and PPM properties. They demonstrate perspectives on the list of selected studies. In addition
to these analyses, through bibliometrix, it was possible to verify that the research was carried
out in different geographic origins and Brazil was among the countries that published the most
on the subject. The journals with the greatest relevance were also identified, from the point of
view of citations, with emphasis on the International Journal of Project Management, which has
almost half of the citations raised in this study. Regarding the collaboration networks, no large
clusters were noted, however, among those found, three stood out: PPM-IT, project
interdependence, and project portfolio management in public administration.
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 CHALLENGES IN PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC
SECTOR AND FEDERAL PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
This topic aims to map the challenges related to Project Portfolio Management, through
an RSL. The response was divided into 2 blocks of analysis: challenges in the public sector and
Federal Public Universities; and the other, in information and communication technology.
Finally, a synthesis was made with the presentation of a summary table that describes the macro
challenges.
A study on a specific government shows that the error rate in project investments was
approximately 50%, covering the period from 1998 to 2015 (Pradhan, 2019), and this error rate
can be derived from Portfolio decision-making problems, such as project selection and
prioritization. Given this, Hansen et al. (2013) describe that the Public sector generally has a
decentralized structure, which requires effective formalization of processes and constant
alignment, but, despite this decentralized structure, there are higher instances, which often
interfere and add new rules (Bourne et al. 2020) that, in some cases, are beneficial, while in
others, they are not. In Federal Public Universities, although they are autonomous bodies with
administrative and budgetary autonomy, directives and guidelines from the Ministry of
Education and the central Government are followed, according to which each public university
must justify the budget request and clarify the use of its financial resources.
Pradhan (2019) states that project management is more complex in the public sector
when compared to the private sector and that this can be intensified in underdeveloped
countries, as several external properties affect projects and portfolios, which need to be
analyzed in public management, such as the exchange of political positions, economic policy,
and international relations. Thus, a problem of allocation of budgetary resources in public
management can be noted (Çağlar et al., 2019), as there is a need to ensure that the budget is
used in ideal initiatives (Tavana et al., 2019), but as Ronen et al. (2012) explain, governments
have a high demand and often do not have a compatible budget. This budgetary constraint
motivates the definition and prioritization of projects that meet the needs of stakeholders, that
is, the sectors of society (Biscola et al., 2017).
For Vo et al. (2021), the Public sector needs to regularize many of the elements that
make up its structure. These elements are presented as they should be, but in audits, for example,
the lack of employability of these elements is observed, which can result in overlaps and a lack
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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of legitimacy in effective practice (Lappi et al., 2019). In agreement with this, Maceta et al.
(2020) and Alves et al. (2022) describe that the public sector has more documentation on the
activities of the Project Portfolio than the private sector as the main instrument of governance,
such as ordinances, standards, policies, laws, and the like. However, Lappi et al. (2019) warn
that these documents can be bureaucratic, disconnected from the operation, and ineffective,
which limits the connection with the PPM when insufficiently designed. Therefore, objectivity
and operationalization must be considered to avoid ambiguities.
Nielsen et al. (2014) point out that, although there are several techniques and
subprocesses in PPM, there are still difficulties in articulating this outside the normative
literature on PPM. Yamakawa et al. (2018) report, in the context of the study they employed,
that many PPM processes are more related to informal processes and not outlined from
normative instruments and processes. Oscillations of strategies in an incoherent manner,
resistance to change, and insufficient information are factors that increase the risk of
ineffectiveness in PPM (Zarghami & Dumrak, 2020). For Maceta, et al. (2020) and Alves et al.
(2022), the Public sector focuses less on risk management, which can generate a higher cost for
society, in addition to factors such as rework.
Some other challenges are verified concerning the success of PPM, such as projects that
lack adequate implementation; poorly dimensioned projects, whether in terms of scope,
resources, and priority; inadequate evaluation methods and tools, as well as management and
planning; the interconnection between strategy and projects not being transparent; resources are
not allocated effectively; inadequate information flow; poor prioritization; multiple projects
being executed at the same time; constant changes in priorities; projects started without ideal
resources; and high demand for projects (Chan et al., 2014; Steyn et al., 2015; Oosthuizen et
al., 2016; Cooper et al. 2020). These challenges are addressed in organizations in general,
including the Public sector.
Yamakawa et al. (2018) point out that the public sector has low maturity in PPM. It is
necessary to add a new approach to the organizational culture so that it is more proactive
concerning changes, which in itself is one of the main challenges (Alves et al., 2022; Gertzen
et al., 2022; and Vorkut et al., 2022). Thus, Hoffmann et al. (2020) show that during the process
of maturation and implementation of PPM-TIC, the cultural mentality still resides in informal
routines, such as making requests that contradict what is established in the PPM.
This can be even more pronounced in organizations that have process structures that are
closer to the informal and that are beginning to professionalize these processes. For Hoffmann
et al., (2020), organizations have some difficulty admitting failure, which is a cultural barrier
Challenges and Attributes for an Agile Management Roadmap of Information and Communication Technology
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to implementing PPM, as it can cause people to give up or weaken the process. In turn, Alves
et al. (2022) indicate that improving routines and visualizing how the culture responds to these
stimuli can be a way to apply PPM, instead of adding all the necessary points after a single
round of implementation.
Therefore, Federal Public Universities have specific characteristics. Thus, Cheshmberah
(2020) characterizes a Federal Public University as a State Institution or an institution that
receives funds from the State; and, additionally, Valverde-Alulema et al. (2021) point out that
every University, whether private or public, has a social purpose. Furthermore, like public
sectors in general, Universities have a high complexity of stakeholders, formed by a collegiate
structure, in which the search for consensus becomes the main characteristic and challenge
(BARBOSA et al., 2020), which probably differentiates them from other public bodies.
Furthermore, in the case of Federal Public Universities, they inherit the attributes and
characteristics presented by the Public sector. This scenario creates a problem to the
management of PPM benefits and expectations, since it is not always possible to meet the needs
of all interested parties, due to limited resources. Therefore, one must seek to develop a PPM
that meets as many of the parties involved as possible (Cheshmberah, 2020).
Biscola et al. (2017) and Barbosa et al. (2020) mention that there is still a limited culture
of strategic management in research institutions and universities. Gellweiler et al., 2020
mention the problem of alignment between ICT and business, which has been the subject of
study in the development of theories, techniques, and tools. Ahriz et al. (2018) mention that one
of the major challenges in PPM tends to be the high number of projects, arising from the
heterogeneous needs of universities. Thus, developing and managing a project agenda becomes
a challenging task within this context, intensifying the need for alignment. Political,
technological, and economic issues make the environment uncertain, further aggravating this
scenario.
There is a growing importance of ICT in the University, not only as a support tool but
also as a strategic element to support teaching, research, extension, and administrative processes
(Golghamat et al., 2020). The interoperability of the ICT area denotes a complex scenario about
the flow of projects. Added to this, there is a difficulty in understanding the role of ICT, as well
as its attributions and objectives. Valverde-Alulema et al. (2021) report that the PPM-ICT is
being used as a priority in Universities in several countries, since in general, all Public
Universities need to align the strategic plan with the acquisition plan. Therefore, the next topic
aims to delve a little deeper into the PPM-ICT.
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4.2 CHALLENGES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Considering the different properties of each type of ICT project such as risks, financial
return, allocation of resources, and knowledge; decision-making becomes a valuable instrument
due to the continuous decisions required (Şahin et al., 2021). Cho et al. (2013) and Idler et al.
(2019) highlight the growing relevance of the ICT sector in the budget of organizations since it
contributes to improving performance, automation, and modernization and acts as a survival
necessity for contemporary organizations. The advancement of digital technologies and digital
transformation have made the activities of the ICT sector increasingly complex, this includes
project management, in which new challenges are continually presented (Vasconcelos et al.,
2015; Ahriz et al., 2018). In addition, ICT projects have different types, among them:
informational; strategic; transactional; and infrastructure (Pendharkar et al., 2014).
According to Ronen et al. (2012) and Daniel et al. (2015), there is growing pressure to
operationalize more activities with fewer resources in the ICT area, especially in terms of
budgetary resources. This further drives e-governments and directly impacts ICT departments.
This makes the ICT area a protagonist in the digitalization of governments (Lappi et al., 2019).
However, it is worth noting that the digital transformation process needs to be multidisciplinary
in organizations, and this factor is dependent on the organizational vision of the role of ICT.
Given this, Ajjan et al. (2013) and Pendharkar et al. (2014) define that the ICT-PPM enables
organizations to optimize the alignment of ICT projects with the organizational strategy,
balancing risks and returns of interrelated projects. For Daniel et al. (2015), institutions that
employ PPM-TIC change the relationship between ICT and business, in which instead of ICT
being focused on itself, it must participate more actively in institutional needs, thus expanding
collaboration and dynamism in PPM-TIC.
For Hansen et al. (2017) and Hoffmann et al. (2020), the implementation of the ICT-
PPM requires security and consideration on the part of decision-makers, which requires an in-
depth understanding of ICT; this participation and sponsorship is extremely important.
However, constant interventions by senior management in the ICT-PPM can create a scenario
of tensions and conflicts (Hoffmann et al., 2020). In this case, El et al. (2018) point out that
negotiating with senior management about ICT projects tends to be one of the biggest problems
for ICT managers. The lack of knowledge about the nature of the ICT sector can cause the loss
of opportunities to aggregate projects that truly meet strategic planning (Pariz et al., 2021).
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However, many organizations still maintain a superficial understanding of the role of these
sectors.
Regarding teams, strong leadership is suggested, teams that understand the processes
and initiatives they serve (Wang et al., 2017), and with a more entrepreneurial and proactive
profile to mitigate the risks and challenges arising from uncertainties and changes (Kaufmann
et al, 2020). Finally, Chen et al. (2020) point out challenges to knowledge management and
resource allocation in ICT projects, as it is important to decentralize the knowledge and
techniques of products and projects, to reduce risks concerning turnover, for example, and
ensure the maintenance of the knowledge necessary for the development of projects.
Organizations still deal with difficulties regarding ICT-PPM practices (Hoffmann et al.,
2020), such as the simultaneous number of projects (Ajjan et al., 2013) and scope problems that
can increase the risk of canceling an ICT project, resulting in financial losses (Cho et al., 2013;
Hopmere et al., 2020), in the context of the Public sector, and causing damage to society. In
addition to these problems, others are also mentioned in the literature such as Portfolio problems
such as selection, prioritization, and monitoring (Şahin et al., 2020; Pariz et al., 2021); high
failure and investment rate (Khan et al, 2017; Wang et al., 2017); the duality between operation
and innovation and constant changes (Chiang et al., 2013); project interdependence problems -
the relationships between projects are complex and can occur in different ways (Bathallath et.
al., 2016, 2019); project evaluation and monitoring problems (Sánchez et al., 2013 and
Vasconcelos et al., 2015).
For Ghapanchi et al. (2012), the uncertainties of ICT projects can be technological and
organizational; as technologies can quickly become obsolete, with no return on project
investments and benefits; and there may be unpredictable requesters, expenses, and resistance,
among other factors linked to organizational uncertainties. Therefore, the use of agile
approaches within PPM, especially in the sense of dealing with uncertainties and continuous
changes, can be a beneficial ally. However, knowledge about the obstacles of this new paradigm
is still being built within the PPM area (Stettina & Hörz, 2015; Kaufmann et al., 2020).
Thus, the success of a project affects others in the portfolio, highlighting the need for
careful management (Bathallath et. al., 2016; Neumeier et al., 2018). To achieve this, it is
important to have a solid process with full knowledge of routines, investments in training teams
and leaders, as well as fostering an environment with relevant information (Sánchez et al., 2013;
Constantiou et al., 2019), which can promote greater transparency. PPM is a proven practice
for implementing an ICT governance culture, as organizations are leveraging technology to
achieve strategic objectives (Valverde-Alulema et al., 2021). Hansen et al. (2017) also highlight
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the increasing dependence on ICT-PPM as organizations invest in ICT-enabled innovations.
For Idler et al. (2019), standardizing routines and processes can be seen as positive, thus,
instruments and tools that simplify and facilitate the understanding of the process present
themselves as a plausible solution.
Based on the analysis of these studies, macro challenges were mapped, based on the
motivations or problems investigated in the articles. Thus, 6 macro challenges were structured,
as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8
Summary of main challenges
Macro challenge
Authors
Context
Ronen et al. (2012); Hansen et al. (2013); Biscola et al. (2017); Ahriz
et al. (2018); Yamakawa et al. (2018); Çağlar et al. (2019); Lappi et
al. (2019); Pradhan (2019); Tavana et al. 2019; Barbosa et al. (2020);
Bourne et al.(2020); Cheshmberah (2020); Golghamat et al. (2020);
Maceta et al. (2020); Valverde-Alulema et al. (2021); Vo et al. (2021);
Alves et al. (2022).
Transparency and Bureaucracy
Ghapanchi et al. (2012); Lappi et al. (2019); Maceta et al. (2020); Vo et
al. (2021); Alves et al. (2022).
Organizational culture
Stettina e Hörz (2015); Hansen et al. (2017); El et al. (2018); Valverde-
Alulema et al. (2021); Gertzen et al. (2022); Vorkut et al., 2020;
Hoffmann et al., 2020 e Alves et al. (2022);
Role of ICT
Ronen et al. (2012); Cho et al. (2013); Pendharkar et al. (2014);
Vasconcelos et al., 2015; Wang et al., (2017); Ahriz et al. (2018); Idler
et al. (2019); Lappi et al. (2019); Chen et al. (2020); Gellweiler et al.
(2020); Golghamat et al. (2020); Şahin et al., (2020); Pariz et al. (2021);
Valverde-Alulema et al. (2021);
Uncertainties and changes
Ghapanchi et al. (2012); Chiang et al. (2013); Chan et al. (2014); Steyn
et al. (2015); Stettina e Hörz (2015); Oosthuizen et al. (2016); Cooper
et al. (2020); Kaufmann et al. (2020); Vorkut et al., 2020; Gertzen et al.
(2022).
Maturity in PPM-ICT
Ajjan et al. (2013); Cho et al. (2013); Sánchez et al., (2013); Chan et al.
(2014); Nielsen et al. (2014); Pendharkar et al. (2014); Daniel et al.,
(2015); Steyn et al. (2015); Vasconcelos et al., 2015; Bathallath et al.
(2016); Oosthuizen et al. (2016);Bathallath et. al (2017); Hansen et al.
(2017); Khan et al, (2017); ), Wang et al. (2017); Ahriz et al. (2018);
Neumeier et al. (2018); Yamakawa et al. (2018); Bathallath et. al
(2019); Constantiou et al., (2019); Idler et al. (2019); Cooper et al.
(2020); Hoffmann et al., (2020); Hopmere et al. (2020); Şahin et al.,
(2020); Zarghami & Dumrak (2020); Pariz et al. (2021); Valverde-
Alulema et al. (2021); Gertzen et al. (2022).
Source: Research result (2023).
Regarding the context, the artifact must visualize the specificities, and understand the
processes that organize these institutions. For the challenges of transparency and bureaucracy,
one must seek to make the environment as dynamic as possible, however, one must implement
controls and governance mechanisms that can promote traceability, transparency, and
communication. The role of bureaucracy should be to organize and enable governance to reduce
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biases and actions not aligned with strategic planning. Organizational culture is impacted by
resistance to change and, often, difficulty in developing a more proactive culture regarding the
role of ICT. Although ICT is expanding its space within the strategic process, according to
studies, a space more focused on the operational is still observed, in addition to the
centralization of ICT actions in these sectors.
Many studies develop theories, artifacts, and investigations related to PPM, although
this topic has been studied for more than 7 decades. With the evolution of organizational
elements and society, there is an attempt to improve and develop new skills and abilities. Both
in Universities and organizations in general, there is still a low maturity regarding PPM, and in
this sense this study sought to develop an artifact that can increase this maturity in the
implementation of PPM-ICT, enabling the execution and monitoring of the ICT strategy.
From these challenges outlined and fragmented from the problem, the artifact must be
reflected based on these perspectives. And, therefore, the next topic aims to map the essential
attributes for building the Roadmap.
4.3 DEFINING ATTRIBUTES FOR SOLUTION
As highlighted in the introduction to this work, the creation of a Roadmap presents itself
as a potential solution to the identified research problem. Therefore, a systematic review of the
literature is used to discover which attributes can assist in the elaboration of this Roadmap,
functioning as requirements for the artifact.
Based on the selected studies, it was possible to map a total of 13 attributes. Data
collected through bibliometrics, such as the word cloud and the dendrogram, served as starting
points for the analysis of such attributes. Additionally, as highlighted in the theoretical basis,
some attributes that are part of the PPM, such as selection, prioritization, and balancing of
resources, are frequently cited in studies and good practice guides, which demonstrates that
they are fundamental to the process.
Figure 9 presents the attributes identified for the development of the roadmap, based on
the RSL. These attributes are intended to effectively contribute to ensuring that the fundamental
aspects are considered in the construction of the artifact.
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Figure 9
Attributes mapped for the development of the Roadmap in the systematic literature review.
Digital
transformation
Digital transformation can be seen as one of the main drivers of projects in the public
sector. This relevance mainly affects strategic planning and its objectives, as well as the
ICT sector. Consequently, actions and goals seek to meet the demands of the digital
transformation process. However, this is a challenge given the difficulty in establishing
agendas to achieve it. Given this, in addition to the benefits exposed to PPM, it can also
help to increase the digital maturity of the organizations that apply it.
Lappi T;Aaltonen K;Kujala J 2019; Hansen L;Kræmmergaard P 2013; Gertzen
W;Van D L E;Steyn H 2022; Nielsen J;Pedersen K 2014; Ajján H;Kumar
R;Subramaniam C 2013, Cooper et al. (2020).
Strategic
alignment
PPM is the main means of promoting strategic alignment, enabling the evaluation and
monitoring of actions that are being developed about the stipulated objectives, allowing for
greater dynamism and adaptability in decision-making.
Regarding strategic planning, it can be seen as a requirement for PPM; the more solid and
objective it is, the more positive the impact on PPM.
However, the practice of managing a portfolio of projects and, at the same time,
maintaining this strategic alignment can be one of the main obstacles to establishing a
successful PPM, since the needs of organizations are constantly changing.
Ajjan et al. (2013); Sánchez et al., (2013); Daniel et al., (2015); Oosthuizen et al. (2016);
Biscola et al. (2017); Yamakawa et al. (2018); Pradhan (2019); Barbosa et al. (2020);
Gellweiler et al. (2020); Golghamat et al. (2020); Maceta et al. (2020); Valverde-
Alulema et al. (2021);Alves et al. (2022).
Interested parts
Individuals or groups exert influence on PPM management, and in turn, PPM results also
affect them. In the context of public administration, a diversity of stakeholders is observed,
which can be explained by their nature. Federal Public Universities also have this
characteristic, but in addition, they are also formed by numerous decision-making groups,
divided and organized into collegiate bodies. These properties can make it difficult to seek
consensus and result in a lack of objectivity in planning and execution, becoming a
challenge for PPM governance. For this reason, continuous communication must be
implemented in conjunction with the PPM governance process, to organize and manage
expectations and interests, which requires diagnosing and mapping the needs and power of
each party within the strategic process, collaborating in the management of conflicts and
results. In addition, communication must make the environment more transparent,
informing about updates and changes to the PPM.
Barbosa et al. (2020); Cheshmberah, M.et al. (2020); Hoffmann et al. (2020); Maceta
et al. (2020).
Governance
PPM governance aims to prevent harmful interests and influences from interfering with the
organization's objectives, thereby reducing the risk of bias and lack of transparency,
balancing expectations and interests.
The effective integration of PPM governance with its various stages ensures the stability
of priorities, promotes strategic alignment, and enables value creation. PPM governance,
especially in the public sector, can be implemented through standards, policies, and
instruments that guide all stakeholders and activities in this process. However, an excess
of governance instruments can make the process slow, but their lack also causes problems
with transparency, traceability, and balance, in addition to directly affecting results.
Therefore, balance must be sought.
Chiang et al. (2013); ); Hansen et al. (2017); Ahriz et al. (2018); Lappi et al. (2019);
Gellweiler et al. (2020);Hoffmann et al. (2020); Valverde-Alulema et al. (2021);Vo et
al. (2021).
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Resource
allocation
Resource management is the basis of PPM, both in terms of material resources and human
resources. It is recommended that resource balancing and allocation be reflected in strategic
planning. Regarding human resources, ICT professionals are important stakeholders in
project development, but there is a mismatch between supply and demand, which results
in excessive simultaneous activities, a high number of priority tasks, and frequent changes.
Because of this, balancing resources in PPM makes it easier to balance resources
concerning workload and, indirectly, focus on what needs to be done, due to limited
resources, in addition to promoting well-being and fair distribution, in the case of team
management. However, a lack of information can make it difficult to allocate resources
and visualize the workflow. To this end, leaders must play an active role in managing their
project portfolio and actively communicate with the team.
Ronen et al. (2012); Chan et al. (2014); Nielsen et al. (2014); Steyn et al. (2015); Stettina
e Hörz (2015); Çağlar et al. (2019); Chen et al. (2020).
Interdependence
Although some challenges can be observed in this activity, such as the lack of adequate
understanding of responsibilities, environmental uncertainties, and technological obstacles
and limitations, PPM-TIC can be viewed as a network, in which the failure or success of a
project can have significant impacts on other projects concerning schedule, risk, cost and
other factors. Thus, it becomes a good practice to manage interdependencies in all phases
of PPM. Its implementation allows for mitigating communication problems, and resource
distribution and avoids rework, these being some of the positive factors. To do this, the
properties that need to be visualized must be mapped, which is a requirement for its
implementation.
Ajjan et al. (2013); Bathallath et al. (2016); Bathallath et al. (2017); Neumeier et al.
(2018); Bathallath et al. (2019).
Decision making
PPM is based on making the right decision to optimize resources and promote an advantage
in your project portfolio, thus being timeless in the process, as it is involved in all stages
of PPM. Decision-making can encompass political behaviors and intuition, which can be
beneficial in some cases, as rationality cannot always foresee something new or a different
vision, especially when it comes to innovation. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the
motivators that stakeholders use in their decision-making and, consequently, update and
calibrate the decision-making instruments.
Nielsen et al. (2014); KHAN et al, (2017); Wang et al., 2017; Ahriz et al. (2018);
Constantiou et al., (2019); Idler et al. (2019); Şahin et al., (2020).
Criteria
Criteria can be a support mechanism for decision-making, translating the outlined strategy,
and mainly assisting in the stages of project selection and prioritization. However, defining
them is a complex task, due to the number of projects and stakeholders, and may also vary
depending on the context. Among the selected studies, two main approaches stand out:
multicriteria and multiobjective. The multicriteria model allows observing a project
through several criteria, benefiting a broader view of which initiatives promote more value
to the project portfolio. The multiobjective model aims to diagnose the impact of these
criteria on strategic objectives. Regarding the criteria, some of those raised were strategic
alignment, stakeholder needs, value delivery, resource optimization, risk management,
culture, and ethics. Some decision-making models that employ the criteria are also
presented, including fuzzy-topsis and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).
Ahriz et al. (2018); El et al. (2018); Barbosa et al. (2020); Chen et al. (2020); Golghamat
et al. (2020); Maceta et al. (2020); Şahin et al., (2020); Pariz et al. (2021); Gertzen et
al. (2022).
Project
Selection
The purpose of the selection process is to define a portfolio of projects that are ideal and
aligned with the strategic plan; identifying, evaluating, and selecting those that add the
most value, using criteria and a decision-making model. However, in the context of ICT,
this stage faces some challenges, such as the diversity of ICT components, lack of
knowledge on the part of decision-makers, imprecise criteria, and poorly defined strategic
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planning, among others. Therefore, the criteria, weights, and selection model must be well-
defined. In addition, the selection process can function as a funnel, starting with a screening
of projects, which can verify the consistency and maturity of these initiatives, thus reducing
the time for senior management to subsequently evaluate the projects and select them for
the subsequent stages.
Ghapanchi et al. (2012); Cho et al. (2013); Pendharkar et al. (2014); Ahriz et al. (2018);
El et al. (2018); Tavana et al. (2019); Barbosa et al. (2020); Golghamat et al. (2020);
Gertzen et al. (2022); Vorkut et al. (2022).
Project
Prioritization
The prioritization stage aims to signal the order in which projects should be executed, based
on the selection list, thus allowing interested parties, for example, execution teams, to know
which projects to start with and which urgent tasks should be developed.
Ahriz et al. (2018); El et al. (2018); Şahin et al. (2020); Pariz et al. (2021).
Portfolio
Optimization
Regardless of the need to have a skilled team, investment in technology, and knowledge of
models and tools for optimization, it is necessary to understand which aspects and steps
can be optimized. In portfolios with a small number of projects, it may be possible to apply
simpler models and, on their own, visualize the allocated resources, and interdependencies,
among other factors. However, in situations with larger numbers, this practice becomes
more complicated, requiring procedures and routines that speed up PPM decision-making.
In cases like these, mathematical models, automation and algorithms must be implemented
to help reduce time and costs and make more assertive and agile decisions, as is the purpose
of PPM optimization.
Chiang et al. (2012); Ahriz et al. (2018); El et al. (2018); Vorkut et al. (2022).
Agile Portfolio
Management
The interactive nature and the smaller, continuous cycles allow for constant reviews, thus
helping to eliminate projects that are no longer necessary due to changes in context, as well
as prioritizing scope and continuous workflow, thus favoring active listening, and
providing opportunities for innovation and ideas for improvement. Constant collaboration
and communication, interactive delivery, and adaptation to changes are some of these
factors. However, this new standard also leads to some challenges for implementation, such
as increased portfolio turnover, which may not fit into budgetary processes, or more static
strategic planning, which limits the dynamics of PPM.
Stettina e Hörz (2015); Cooper et al. (2020); Hoffmann et al. (2020); Kaufmann et al.
(2020); Alves et al. (2022).
Monitoring
Monitoring is an inherent task in the PPM process, improving and substantiating decision-
making, resource allocation, results delivered concerning those planned, project
performance, and traceability. Furthermore, not only should projects be monitored, but the
PPM process itself should also be monitored, to enable continuous improvement of the
process. Since the scarcity, reliability, and quality of information can be a point of concern
that causes difficulties in assessing what needs to be done and where to go next, monitoring
should elucidate the work that is being done in the PPM, present trends and demonstrate
whether the path taken promotes value about the defined strategies. To this end,
organizations must invest in analytical skills, technologies, and knowledge to provide
effective information. Therefore, the availability of reports and dashboards with accurate
information is essential for the success of PPM-ICT and, mainly, for conducting projects
aligned with the organizational strategy.
Sánchez et al., (2013); Vasconcelos et al., (2015); Bourne et al. (2020); Cooper et al.
(2020);Hoffmann et al. (2020); Hopmere et al. (2020).
Source: Research result (2023).
As seen, the PPM-ICT comprises several essential attributes to promote the
effectiveness of strategic planning. Some of these attributes are transversal, such as strategic
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alignment; monitoring; governance; and stakeholders, which can be visualized through
communication. Others can be visualized as supporting attributes, such as portfolio
optimization; interdependence; criteria; decision-making; and agile portfolio management.
Digital transformation is seen as a contextual attribute. Because of this, a Roadmap, based on
the RSL, can contain the following steps: prerequisite related to the stage of building an ICT
strategic plan; step 1, demand management; step 2, project selection; step 3, project
prioritization; step 4, adjustments; and step 5, portfolio review.
5 CONCLUSION
The objective of this article was to identify the challenges and attributes that can help in
the construction of a roadmap for the agile management process of ICT project portfolios in
federal public universities. The method used to achieve this objective was a literature review of
scientific production, and the databases used in this research were: Web of Science, Scielo,
Capes, and Scopus. The selection of articles was based on the Prisma-P protocol. After
searching, filtering, and selecting the articles, a total of 50 articles were selected for the data
analysis process. Through the RSL, it was possible to note several challenges for the
implementation of the PPM-ICT, in the context of study. The challenges were grouped into 6
perspectives, enabling a broad analysis based on macro challenges, namely: context;
transparency and bureaucracy; role of ICT; organizational culture; uncertainties and changes;
and maturity in PPM-ICT.
After identifying the challenges, we sought to understand which attributes could help
federal public universities implement the PPM-ICT and help mitigate the challenges identified.
In this sense, 13 attributes were mapped, as well as their properties, namely: strategic alignment,
governance, decision-making, criteria, resource allocation, agile portfolio management,
portfolio optimization, interdependence, selection, prioritization, monitoring, and digital
transformation. When verifying the characterization of the selected studies, through
bibliometric analysis, it was possible to perceive heterogeneous themes within the research
context, becoming a positive point, which enabled a broad view of the PPM-ICT, an ideal
scenario for building a Roadmap.
The number of databases may be a limitation of this work; however, we sought to
conduct a broad review, including four databases. This study was part of a broader
investigation, which was a Design Science Research (DSR) study, which aimed to produce a
roadmap to assist federal public universities in implementing PPM-ICT processes. Exploring
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the challenges and attributes proves beneficial both for understanding the context and
production of artifacts developed in future research; therefore, as future studies, it is
recommended to use these artifacts in the construction.
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