Ensure an informed sign-off of the requirements definition You might suppose that this step was added to round out the steps to ten. Surely the user knows what is required, or the project would not have been approved, planned and funded. But a lot happens between concept and definition. At the time of writing this … Read more
Other than the failure to properly implement Change Management, probably the second-most systemic reason for IT project failures is the reluctance to institute and perform a checkpoint. Every major PM methodology subscribes to this process. Sometimes called stage-gate, or interim reviews, these are specific activities, not just a date on the project plan. A checkpoint … Read more
Identify a high level champion for Change Management Change Management is THE primary determinant for a successful IT project. The absence or failure of the change management process accounts for fully 50% of failed projects – more than failed technology, poorly designed software or runaway budgets. Michael Hammer, the leading force behind business transformation through … Read more
Invest in the Project Foundations Few significant business investments outside of IT would get approval without: a formal process of thought, investigation, discussion across a broad range of stakeholders, a sound plan and budget, all of which could pass muster with the senior management team. And rightly so! All too frequently, however, even major IT … Read more
Ensure technical feasibility within the time limit proposed for the project. Step 1 was probably easy for you. As the business leader, you probably felt comfortable dealing with business objectives. You may be less comfortable with technology issues and, even more, with geeks. Fear not. Read on. The questions are here and the answers should … Read more
Ensure the project has sustainable business benefits and identify to which business unit(s) they accrue That’s two steps, but the first seems too obvious to merit a blog entry of its own. But … You have probably already had demands from your CIO for essential funding to upgrade infrastructure to prevent the world coming to … Read more
In a career spanning more than forty years I have been involved in hundreds of successful project and been witness to hundreds more disasters. I have also performed more than a few post mortems on failing or failed projects. During that time, the dismal success and user satisfaction rates for IT projects has not budged, … Read more
Project Management is the art and science of achieving defined project goals, on time and within budget. A project typically involves multiple parties, sometimes from one business entity, but frequently involving various related and unrelated entities. A project may involve no contract or several separate and / or related contracts. Even for complex projects, the … Read more