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.

Technology Project Program Management

Technology Project Management Best Practices

Project Managers, Business and System Analysts have Different Responsibilities

Recently their have been job descriptions requesting a Project Manager/Business Analyst (PM/BA). A Business Analyst and Systems Analyst (SA) have different roles and responsibilities. A BA relates to the Business side and gathers requirements and specifies/documents business requirements and SA relates to the Technical side and analyses is problems, supports the determination of solutions and business requirements to create and specify functional and non-functional requirements.

That's why is it important to understand the differences and that anyone applying for a BA or SA position must pay particular attention to the responsibilities and skills sets/qualifications required. The PM, BA, and SA have different roles and extensive responsibilities. With a small project you may have a PM doing some BA work but don’t kid yourself. For intermediate and large scale projects and programs they have full time responsibilities. Many IT Project Managers manage multiple projects but the responsibilities are basically the same.