5 Essential Keys to Successful
IT Projects
reprinted with permission
from the HP Small Business Center
Despite being a hot topic in business for many years,
the truth is that project management still isn't well understood among
many businesses. And the success rate of projects appears to be lower than
ever. According to The Standish Group's April report, "CHAOS Summary
2009," 44 percent of all projects are late, over budget, and/or have less
than the required features and functions. Even worse, 24 percent fail
altogether - either cancelled prior to completion, or delivered and never
used.
"These numbers represent a
downtick in the success rates from the previous study, as well as a
significant increase in the number of failures," says Jim Crear, Standish
Group CIO. "They are a low point in the last five study periods. This
year's results represent the highest failure rate in over a
decade."
Some experts and analysts have
disputed the accuracy of these statistics, but there are few who would
argue that the use of basic project management best practices can help
ensure that IT projects don't end up in the bin. Here, some simple points
to keep in mind.
1. Make sure the project
scope is justified and supported
Before starting any project, there
should be evidence to support that the project will have or promote value.
Once that has been established, a "project champion" should be assigned to
ensure the project can be justified and managed throughout its lifecycle.
Then, ensure the project has support across the organization before
building the actual project team. Even in smaller businesses, gaining a
common understanding and across-the-board commitment before undertaking a
project helps prevent inter-departmental sparring over resources,
priorities and commitments.
2. Put the right people on
the team
When selecting project team members, pick them for their
skills and abilities as they apply to your particular project, and strive
for a mix of different sets of skills and abilities that together
represent all you need to complete the project. In your first team
meeting, make sure everyone is clear about their role and
responsibilities, and delegate tasks as appropriate.
3. Plan ahead to ensure a
successful project
It's been said so many times it's nearly lost
its meaning, but the fact is that comprehensive project planning is
absolutely crucial to success - even in projects with tight timelines.
Figure out what deliverables you really need, then prioritize them to keep
the project team tightly focused on specific issues - determine short-term
"must-haves" (e.g. one to three months) and long-term goals (e.g. one to
three years).
4. Keep communicating and
collaborating
Regular communication between project team members
and stakeholders is vital to keeping a project on track. Team members
should hold weekly meetings to discuss issues and potential solutions; if
the team is geographically diverse, use collaboration tools to hold
meetings and share information. Make use of project management software
tools that keep project managers and team members informed of progress and
help avoid miscommunication.
5. Never stop
learning
Successful project management can sometimes be based on
trial and error, so you should be keeping track of your own internal best
practices for future reference. Conduct project "post-mortem meetings" to
understand what worked, what went wrong, and how successful the project
was, based on your internal metrics.
Project management training can
also help members of your organization contribute to more successful
project outcomes. For more information, visit the HP Project
Management Training website.
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