Information Technology (IT) Projects

The challenges facing IT projects continue to evolve

Project teams are grappling with a changing technology landscape. Alongside more conventional activities, a growing need to execute ERP and SAP implementation projects is straining the resources and expertise of many organizations. These comprehensive system deployments require in-depth knowledge and the ability to plan and monitor a complex series of interdependent tasks. Defining the scope of a large-scale system implementation can be an early challenge for many organizations, who often don’t have a centralized base of knowledge ready to identify the scattered infrastructure components and data sources that will be integrated under the larger platform umbrella.

Maintaining a low total cost of implementation (TCI) can also be a struggle when executing a technology project. Every connected workflow must be evaluated against the post-project environment to identify where updates are necessary. Unless the organization is able to fully account for these potential modifications during the planning phase, the TCI is likely to increase over time. Couple these cost challenges with the internal political pressures that often appear when individual groups are asked to cede control to a centralized system, and it’s no wonder organizations have difficulty executing their technology projects.

IT project risks stand in the way of success

Many IT projects, from software development to SAP implementations, are highly visible within the organization. They may also consume significant resources, including funding, labor, and production or operational assets. Because so much is riding on these IT projects, any failure will almost certainly threaten productivity, and could even impact the organization’s long-term survivability.

If the organization doesn’t already have some type of tribal knowledge to help in identifying potential problem areas or those workflows that may need to be updated to ensure the project is successful, schedules may begin slipping almost immediately and the project’s scope may never be fully defined. Further complicating things is the very nature of technology, which is constantly evolving. The more an IT project’s timeline slides, the less value the final product may be able to deliver.

What PMAlliance can do for you

Our team of PMP®-certified consultants has extensive expertise in IT projects large and small. We have the skills necessary to develop workable timeframes for different types of projects, from new system deployments to software development. By applying our time-tested project control methodology, PMAlliance is able to ensure that every kind of complex IT project remains on track and that new issues are quickly identified and addressed.

Through a multitude of SAP and ERP implementations, we’ve also gained the experience necessary to bring all of a project’s stakeholders together and get everyone working toward a common goal. Communication strategies are key in these large system deployments and our team has the advanced facilitation skills to succeed in these challenging projects.