What You Need to Do to Keep Your IT Projects from Failing

The process of implementing new technology for your business can be a tiresome, frustrating, and confusing process. This is especially the case when you implement a new technology solution only to find that it was absolutely not worth the effort. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your IT project deployment might not go according to plan, as well as how you can make sure this does not happen for your company.

Lack of Business Alignment

While those in charge specialize in managing people and resources, many managers lack the technical expertise to know when a new technology solution will be a viable way to resolve operational issues within the company. That said, without the backing of management or the c-suite, new technology deployment initiatives are doomed to fail, or at least be implemented at a loss—the exact situation that we are trying to avoid here.

Therefore, it becomes critical that you set up a policy that all new and important IT decisions have the full clearance and support of management before they can get off the ground. Furthermore, these projects should have periodic reviews and status updates to ensure that the solution and workflows themselves align with the business’ goals and objectives.

Cost Control

Many IT projects fall behind or fail completely due to a lack of funding or financial commitment throughout the deployment process. Maybe there is a shift that occurs which forces you to reconsider the project itself, or maybe your short-term priorities change which pulls your attention away from implementing a new technology project. Sometimes the cost simply exceeds the perceived budget. Whatever the reason, IT projects are frequently one of the first expenses to get cut when a cut is deemed necessary—especially if there is not a specific operational issue that is holding back business as usual.

To keep the price tag from being a sticking point for your IT project deployment, it helps to expect the worst when planning out an implementation. Once you have an estimate, then proceed as planned. With this worst-case scenario in mind, you have nowhere to go but to save money. And remember, don’t start a project until you are sure you have the funds to follow through with it.

Bad Communication

If communication is lacking during the deployment process, your IT project will not succeed. Period. You will need to communicate both effectively and efficiently with stakeholders, management, and the project team to ensure that your deployment is successful. It only takes one person being off base to throw off a deployment process.

To prevent this, you should have the groundwork for proper communication in place before the project begins. There are so many communication platforms to choose from that one will surely suit the needs of your organization. Some of the most effective tools for project management include video conferencing or instant messaging.

Poor Project Management

The most important part of ensuring your IT project makes it off the ground is by assigning the appropriate project manager or management team. This involves not only the management of the tools and management of the project, but also managing the expectations and duties of everyone on the project team. It is important that project managers and anyone else involved in the higher-level decision-making process have grounded expectations for the project. If the project manager’s goals are too optimistic, there is a very real chance that the project will fail to achieve expectations, leading to the disappointment of all involved.

If you are unable to get an experienced project manager in-house, SMART Services can help. Our trusted technicians can help your business with comprehensive IT project management from start to finish, whether you need help procuring technology or deploying it to your infrastructure. We can also help you train your team on the new solution!

To learn more about IT project management and our IT services, contact us at 586 258-0650 .