Project Management / Opinions

6 Things to Know About Choosing a New IT Vendor

We tend to approach new vendors based on the products they sell and choose vendors largely based on what we believe the products do. Unfortunately, this leads us to buy solutions that we often never fully deploy or that often fail to meet our expectations. What's more, we rarely conduct a causal analysis of the problems.

Written by Rob Enderle15 Aug. 14 23:53

Agile Project Management Lessons Learned From Texas Hold'em

Over the holidays, CIO.com columnist David Taber spent way too much time discovering eternal truths while playing online poker. Take a look at what he learned along the way about agile project management.

Written by David Taber13 Jan. 14 16:55

Target: Deceive first, answer questions later

Issuing deceptive statements is no way to win back customers' trust. That's a lesson for anyone who might find itself in Target's position someday.

Written by Evan Schuman28 Dec. 13 16:48

Why IT projects really fail

You have probably read about the Queensland Department of Health payroll project, which ended in debacle with costs estimated at $1.2 billion. In the US, the Expeditionary Combat Support System project was cancelled after the US Air Force spent $1bn on its development.

Written by Hemant Kogekar05 Dec. 13 11:46

Technology procurement is like a marriage

A list of the basic 'don'ts' to consider before saying 'I do' to a technology investment - whether it is hardware, software or serviceswhether it is hardware, software or services.

Written by Simon Martin28 Oct. 13 07:38

Why CIOs fail - and what they can do about it

Many CIOs are not rising to the level of seniority or executive contribution they feel they should be. Why not? It comes down to key areas of leadership failure, such as focusing on inputs instead of outcomes, or failing to use metrics that the rest of the business understands.

Written by Vawn Himmelsbach08 Feb. 11 22:00

Keep your eye on the ball

Having worked within the public sector ICT machine I usually take exception to the popular media pastime of gloating over government ICT project failures. “Sure, there have been a few projects that have gone a bit wobbly lately, but no more so than in any large organisation, right?” Hmmm ... this argument seems to have worn a bit thin of late as a convincing explanation for what seems to be continual string of bad government ICT project news stories.
Indeed, the dip in funding commitment to ICT projects in this year’s Victorian State Budget relative to prior years seems to reflect a view that caution has now become the better part of ICT valor in Victoria. A series of troubled ICT projects – notably transport ticketing and police records - has dented the Government’s confidence in its ability to successfully deliver big ICT enabled change projects.

Written by Steve Hodgkinson04 Aug. 10 22:00

New tricks for old dogs

What is it about benefits realisation that makes it so difficult? For many years, the mere mention of those two words could elicit an immediate cringe of pain from seasoned project managers. For many it was about as exciting as being reminded to mow the lawn. However, there are now signs that benefits realisation is coming back onto the management radar. This time there may be real progress and some lasting solutions.
The theory of benefits realisation is quite simple and very sensible:

Written by Kevin Noonan06 July 10 22:00

Implementing ERP

ERP implementations are complex, expensive and prone to failure. As Thomas Wailgum notes, “ERP projects have only a 7 percent chance of coming in on time, most certainly will cost more than estimated, and very likely will deliver very unsatisfying results” (See “Why ERP is still so hard” ).
And yet, these ERP solutions still play an essential part in many businesses.

Written by Stuart van Rij13 Oct. 09 22:00

The three types of CIOs

I'm often asked what the CIO's role should be in keeping projects out of trouble. This is an especially challenging task in large organisations where the CIO must contend with multiple layers of management. CIOs want to talk about projects and programs and PMOs and dashboards and measurements, but the most productive time is often spent talking about the CIO's role in making an IT department successful.
Should the CIO's job be to influence desired outcomes, or should the CIO personally take control of major initiatives? Part of the answer to that question often lies in determining the type of CIO a given company employs. For the sake of argument - and this certainly is not a scientific assessment - let's say there are three types of CIOs: strategic, transformational, and operational. Each has unique characteristics, traits that give way to specific questions. Will the CIO's style mesh with a particular project? Does his or her experience fit the organisation's size and structure?

Written by Chris Curran21 Sept. 09 22:00

A bit of discipline required

Andy Hayler is puzzled by the lack of rigour in applying metrics to the value of projects, and offers a simple guide to basic cost justification.

Written by Andy Hayler16 Dec. 08 10:46

Don’t panic!

The ‘Gershon downunder’ tour is the biggest ICT game in Canberra at the moment. What might the outcomes of Sir Peter Gershon’s independent review of the Government’s management of ICT be? My view is that the recommendations will, or ought to cover:

Written by Steve Hodgkinson09 July 08 22:00

Ten tips to secure the best legal advice

In bridging the gap between technology and business, the CIO is often the primary contact with external legal providers — particularly on large outsourcing or procurement deals. Choosing the right lawyer and properly managing that relationship can help a CIO achieve his or her desired business outcomes.
As an external legal provider, I have learned some approaches clients can take to get the best value for money out of their legal services. The following are my top 10 tips for managing relationships with external legal providers.

Written by Heidi Leslie08 June 08 22:00

Rudd Goverment’s new broom in ICT

The Australian Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, has been on the front foot about the efficiency, or rather lack of efficiency, of federal government ICT. In April, Tanner invited Sir Peter Gershon to lead an independent review of the Government’s management of ICT.
Sir Peter was the architect of the UK Government’s 2004 Spending Review “Releasing Resources to the Frontline”. It identified cash and funding redeployment savings in excess of 20 billion pounds, triggering a major rethink of ICT management and procurement in the UK.

Written by Steve Hodgkinson06 June 08 22:00

Getting the IT message out

For politicians, the key to success is winning the hearts and minds of the voters. Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan was particularly adept at this, using his skills as "The Great Communicator" to get his message across and win the electorate over to his way of thinking. CIOs are not unlike political leaders in that their success depends largely on winning the hearts and minds of users and customers. Those CIOs who take communication seriously are likely to have an easier road to success.
Ken Fitzpatrick is one of those guys. He understands the value of communications, and he has applied that knowledge to help build success in his role as Director, Information Services for steel manufacturer WGI Westman Group Inc. And perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise, but Fitzpatrick is also a politician.

Written by David Carey21 May 08 22:00

Keys to credibility

The CFO can be one of the most influential individuals in your enterprise, in terms of how IT is perceived and managed. However, at times, the two do not see eye to eye and view each other as stumbling blocks to achieving their individual and enterprise goals. This is particularly problematic when a “parent/child” relationship exists because the CIO reports to the CFO.
I hear recurring (and disturbing) themes from CIOs that many CFOs think:

Written by Mary Ann Maxwell09 Sept. 07 22:00