IT Projects and IT Strategy initiatives consistently have high rates of failure in Organisations. Depending on where you look, you can find reports claiming failure rates as high as 51%, and in some cases even higher again, (although to be fair, it's never really clear exactly where the data in some of these Surveys come from!)
In any case the failure rates are too high, and Businesses continue to struggle to achieve their IT objectives.
...So let's talk about that.
What do we mean when we say that a Project has "Failed"?
When we say that an IT Project has failed, it's not that it somehow led to something drastic happening, not like it caused a complete Organisation-wide shut-down, or ended with some sort of rogue AI explaining the best way to rob a bank!
Generally speaking, what determines the sucess or failure of an IT Project is subjective. Take a look below at the main reasons that are regularly used to explain such failures;
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In all cases, the issue comes down to a breakdown in Communications across the Teams in the Organisation.
Now (finally!), Businesses are starting to address this problem. This year KPMG reported that improving collaboration is the #1 hurdle for successful Digital Transformation, while Gartner says the #1 focus for CIO's in 2024 is to co-deliver IT initiatives by "franchising" the responsibilities with other CxO colleagues.
By bringing everyone together to achieve the Organisations' IT Goals, and adopting a shared responsibility to achieve them, you can overcome many of the traditional barriers that so often lead to IT Program failure.
Sounds simple, so what are we doing wrong so consistently?
We're all too familiar with cutting corners to save time and money with IT projects; maybe reduce a bit of testing here ("we can fix that issue later, thank you Agile methodoligies!"), or put that documentation aside over there ("who needs it?, it's not like there's a risk that our IT Talent might leave us anytime soon, right!"😏). As much as it hurts to say it, these things can be adjusted during a project as we can always come back to them at a later date.
However, what we can't come back to look at retrospectively, are things like;
Is the Project still a Business Priority today?
How much of the Project has consistently aligned to the Business Objective?
How prepared are the Business to onboard this Project, and to adapt to the Change it will bring to the day-to-day after it goes live?
Do we still have Business Sponsorship for this Project, and have the Business Leaders been promoting its' success?
Is the IT Organisation prepared to maintain and sustain this new functionality after the Project is over?
We often neglect to maintain regular lines of communication between the Business, Business Leaders, and IT Teams when undertaking these Initiatives. Projects may go months without real contact between all of the relevant stakeholders, and this leads to issues all the time.
...This is where IT Program Management comes in, the underutilised role in Digital Transformation Initiatives 💪
IT Program Managers are the bridge between the Business and IT, ensuring that Business Initiatives are translated into IT Solutions, and importantly, that IT Solutions are delivered correctly and according to the Business expectations.
By providing a centralized and coordinated oversight, IT Program Managers foster a collaborative environment where different perspectives and expertise are valued and integrated into the decision-making process throughout the Project lifespsan.
IT Program Managers also help to drive both Business Organisational Change and IT Organizational Change by helping onboard to modern IT Principles, such as introducing Modern IT Organisation Structure and Design, or implementing DevOps Practices, and ensuring that IT Projects are delivered with futureproofing in mind.
But if IT Program Managers are so great, why don't we see more of them?
There's many reasons why we don't hear this role very often in the IT-Sphere. To be a good IT Program Manager, you need both Business and Technical experience, a combination that is getting harder to find in a Market with a Global shortage of IT skills.
It also might be that a Business doesn't need a full-time IT Program Manager, and possibly aren't willing to hire one into the Organisation. This kind of expertise can be costly to keep on the books, and many Businesses are willing to take the risk without one if it means cost savings. IT Projects come and go after all, and you might only need this kind of expertise for the short-term during the Project lifespan.
So how can Businesses access this kind of resource when they need it most? Thankfully, the Solution is right here at CB Navigate! 😮
We know what you need to deliver your IT Projects and Initiatives successfully, and our IT Program Manager as a Service offering is here to help you achieve your Goals.
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With fully customisable and flexible plans to suit your needs, CB Navigate can help you understand your Business and IT Strategy, help you choose the right IT Solutions, embed those Solutions correctly into the Organisation, and most importantly, maintain those Solutions successfully over time.
If you'd like to hear more about how the IT Program Manager as a Service offering will bring value to you and your Organisation, please get in touch!
What are your thoughts? We'd love to hear your feedback, or if you'd like to discuss this topic and others with us in more detail, please reach out to us info@cbnavigate.com
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