October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Session: Project Lifecycle Management

Panelist: Annette Feliciani,AEF Systems Consulting, City of Rancho Cucamonga, (client)

Date: Wednesday October 3, 2001

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Success Rate of IS Projects

Only 16% will come in on time and on budget

More than 31% will never be completed

53% will be late and over budget

Note: Statistics gathered through The Standish Group through interviews of 365 IS executives

16%

31%

53%

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Incompetent staff is almost never the problem

Uncooperative users are almost never the problem

Bad commercial software is almost never the problem

Insufficient planning is almost never the problem

Why Do Projects Fail?

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Why Do We Need to Project Manage? Allows us to understand the true size and

scope of the project Tells us where and when we need more

resources Allows us to be proactive versus reactive Provides us with information to effectively

speak with management about issues Helps us know what is actually going on

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Project Management Approaches Can be very formal and use

sophisticated planning tools Can be informal and done with basic

spreadsheet or word processing tools Either way requires the right amount of

“homework” to make it meaningful and useful

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Key Elements of Successful Projects

Project Manager Most significant factor

contributing to the success or failure of the project

Requires an unusual set of skills and talents — not everyone can or should manage

Must have authority Must be a good

communicator Must care for the team

Work Plan Necessary evil Project blueprint Includes realistic

assessment of tasks, resources, dates, etc.

Must identify deliverables Team must use and

follow the plan — it has no value otherwise and becomes a tedious useless activity

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Key Elements of Successful Projects

Motivating the Team Must have strong,

cohesive team Use good staff Replace problem

personnel Give out awards Go offsite and celebrate

successes

Communication Communicate to

management - get them on your side early

Create a project czar who resolves all issues

Keep track of issues Communicate successes

to everyone Hold raffles, brown bag

lunches, etc.

October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Conclusions

Projects can be fun and rewarding

Focus on people issues as well as the project issues

Reward your successes Communicate your

successes Have fun!