IT Project and Program Teams (and Individual Members) Require Acknowledgement and Recognition...

Technology Project Management

 

IT Project and Program Teams (and individual members) require Acknowledgement and Recognition ...

because without them their would be no success!

It’s about Team Success! I enjoyed and I am enjoying my career as a member of those teams.

I was proud to be a member of the teams: IT project and program teams built by the project or program manager and team Leads (Business and Technical). I appreciated the teams very much. And with their success came the acknowledgement and recognition they deserved as a team and as individual members.

Management, Project and Program Managers and team Leads must never forget this fact: That unless you are a "one man "show" success does not come without team success. That success, the team’s success, my success, I attribute to committed team members (empowered team members), with knowledge transferred by their interactions, and through their use of lessons learned and Best Practice Processes' (BPPs’) best practices. The teams, with the appropriate methodologies, were proactive to address potential problems, issues and risks with open communication throughout the projects and programs.

And even with their individual goals they were teams that were committed to the primary Goals and Objectives of the projects and programs.

Collaborate! IT and Business Projects and Programs Management, Sales, Contract Management and IT/Technology organizations

Technology Project Management

IT and Business Projects and Programs Management, Sales, Contract Management and IT/Technology organizations must collaborate!

I worked during my career for a company that required just that kind of collaboration and developed an engagement manual/document that presented the policy, process and activities to ensure/enforce (respsonsibilities and accountabilities) the collobration leading to realistic and coordinated projects and programs.

Sales and Technology Departments or groups must collaborate and work up front together (collaborate), as required, before contract award and throughout the contract award process. This process would ensure that Sales and Contract Management/Administration get it right (cost/price for projects/programs) because the Technology organization understands and knows that they have to provide to the sales and contract process realistic data first. This technical and cost information is provided to Sales and Contracts with min and max cost and not just a financial cost (not realistic) that is detrimental to the achievement of the business/company busines plan/strategy or project and program goals “to win a contract or satisfy a management or  client's/customer's unrealistic expectations.

IT Project and Program Plans and Schedules (Successful Lesson Learned)

Technology Project Management

IT project and program plans and schedules must be created and used for large scale projects and programs.

No one is saying that a plan is not subject to revision or change, but through control updating and change control processes. It is also a tool that supports status reporing including for "stand ups". But failing to appropriately plan is a serious mistake to make for large scales projects or programs.For large scale projects and programs (multimillion dollar contracts) more detail is required for planning, and that planning must extend further out to allow estimates to be more realistic and accurate. Customers/client must be comfortable with estimates for the money/cost for projects and programs. For Agile development processes this could be an issue with short term planning.

With the plans, at the Go or No Go gates, it will be important to examine where you are, if any modifications are required, or if it is a "No" to move on to the next phase or iteration required. Also, at the gates any adjustments that have to made, any refactoring that must be considered, can be evaluated. Revisions and changes to plans or the system/product's development can be approved through the proper Change and Configuration Control process.

The Need For Proven Best Practices For Project Success

Technology Best Practice Processes
 
There are serious concerns going forward in 2011 regarding IT project and program failures, including ERP, SCM and VOIP. Some IT professionals in the industry don’t think that changes required to reduce the rate of failure, or to stop this disastrous trend, is forth coming. In one article this seems to be the case, including a statement by an IT professional, “…he sees no immediate end to trouble projects….”
 
But with knowledge transfer, the documenting and USE of lessons learned and best and good practices there would be changes that increase the success rate for IT projects and programs. Also Best Practices are subject to improvement, must be used before the project or program is initiated (feasibility, to determine what is the best solution), be used for implementation or execution, and for closing out projects and programs.
 
Serious steps must be taken by IT professionals, senior management, Vendors and Subcontractors, e.g., system integration and developers, and customers.

Yes, there are several significant challenges and issues (See 10 ....) that lead to troubled or failed projects or programs)and but there are solutions and we must be diligent and committed to make the changes to increase the Success rate.
 
And while we have listed Challenges and Issues that lead to troubled and failed projects and programs, there are several more issues:
Seasoned IT professionals no longer in the work force to provide knowledge transfer (laid off or retired), Inexperienced and experienced IT professionals working extended hours, having extensive and dual responsibilities, burning out.
 
[Read More...] Proven Best Practices are being presented to overcome the Challenges and Issues.