Using nudges to realize project performance management

Organizations face continual challenges in identifying, analyzing, controlling, and evaluating their performance. These challenges are frequently addressed through control systems or plans, but rarely through the behavioral changes needed to achieve project performance. We examine how the behavioral concept of nudges can be used in projects to address the ‘iron triangle’ of time, cost, and quality measures. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with project professionals working for multinational organizations to deliver large-scale projects across a range of sectors, we combine insights from nudge theory and project performance management to explore typical settings in which particular nudges drive time, cost, and quality performance. We unpacked 21 relevant nudge tools, and show the direct and indirect impacts of these on three key measures of project performance – time, cost, and quality. We also position a future agenda of research and practice considering the application of nudges on project performance.