<p>Background: The project controller is a function witch evolved due to the strong gaining ground of project operation. Why the area of the project controller is interesting to study is explained by the fact that increasing knowledge of this function is important in order to make project operation work well. The fact that opinions in this field disagree, further increases the interest of the field. In order to study the function of the project controller three companies have been singled out. They are IFS, Intentia and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The selection is based upon them being knowledge based companies with project intense operation. </p><p>Aim: The aim with this study is to compare and analyse the function of the project controller in three project intense knowledge based companies. </p><p>Method: This study is based upon three methodological bases being qualitative study, case study and interview. As a complement to the interviews, document analysis have been used. </p><p>Result: The field of responsibility of accounting controllers is still of great importance, but can be seen as a smaller part of the collected project controller functions. A new area for the function of the project controller stresses constitutes of interaction, which both directly and indirectly supports project control. In the interactive function, both offensive and defensive functions are included, which can be conceived paradoxically. Furthermore the function of the project controller is rather influenced by how companies organise and structure the management control than the importance of the project operation.</p>

Background: The project controller is a function witch evolved due to the strong gaining ground of project operation. Why the area of the project controller is interesting to study is explained by the fact that increasing knowledge of this function is important in order to make project operation work well. The fact that opinions in this field disagree, further increases the interest of the field. In order to study the function of the project controller three companies have been singled out. They are IFS, Intentia and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The selection is based upon them being knowledge based companies with project intense operation. Aim: The aim with this study is to compare and analyse the function of the project controller in three project intense knowledge based companies. Method: This study is based upon three methodological bases being qualitative study, case study and interview. As a complement to the interviews, document analysis have been used. Result: The field of responsibility of accounting controllers is still of great importance, but can be seen as a smaller part of the collected project controller functions. A new area for the function of the project controller stresses constitutes of interaction, which both directly and indirectly supports project control. In the interactive function, both offensive and defensive functions are included, which can be conceived paradoxically. Furthermore the function of the project controller is rather influenced by how companies organise and structure the management control than the importance of the project operation.