Abstract: Control is often implemented in IS projects to increase project success. A typical control relationship involves two parties: A controller, who is executing control and a controllee, who is being controlled. While there is no doubt that effective and efficient control can positively influence project success, previous research has mainly focused on the controller perspective. This primarily includes the managerial aspect of control choice, i.e. creating a set of control mechanisms for

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... a project. However, it is arguable that also the controllees' perception of control has a considerable impact on their behavior and the resulting control effectiveness and efficiency. To close the current gap in research and get a better understanding of the controllee perspective on IS project control, explorative interviews with experienced IS project team members in Austria were held. Our summarizing content analysis yields three main findings. First, the familiarity of the project team members with each other is a crucial factor determining the perceived appropriate amount of control. Second, controllees prefer control that focuses more on the outcome rather than on their way of working. Finally, control might have a better connotation than expected and could be even seen as an opportunity to make achievements visible to supervisors.