I had the opportunity to visit
Immedion the other day (SC's only dedicated data center) and attend a great seminar presented by Jennifer Cunningham about good practices to insure an acceptable ROI for technology projects. Jennifer works as a consultant in the IT arena for companies such as AHOLD and BofA. She takes the common sense approach to analysis in that people or groups need to feel that it is "their" money that "they" are about to spend. Several key action items need to be considered before the project ever begins.
Jennifer feels that an ROI report/analysis has to be created before any project begins. Look at the scope of the project and honestly evaluate whether or not the results of the project will outweigh the overall costs of the project. An outline of the perceived cost has to be made first, then a monetary value has to be placed on the perceived benefits of the project. All costs have to be considered, that includes overage allowances. Not many projects finish within allocated budget parameters. This first step, the ROI analysis, is a crucial step in the project process and can spare a lot of time and grief if performed well and thoroughly.
End user support has to be in place in order for the project to be successful. Commitment to use the system has to be acquired by the end users. The group that is supposed to benefit from the project needs to be on board and involved with the project from day one. In order to do this, the end user has to be engaged before the project begins and shown what the "big" benefits of the project will be AND during the project life cycle. This is crucial because it keeps the end users involved throughout the entire process and provides momentum for the project. By having the end user group involved in the building process, milestones can be set that both sides agree on and accountability for meeting or not meeting milestones can be set also. This lets all parties feel involved in the project, keeps moral up and momentum alive, while at the same time providing accountability.
With many parties potentially involved in a project, clear communication lines need to be open. When all sides have clear paths of communication to the entire project group, a better system of input is used and changes can be made more efficiently and with less budget pains. Project updates can be done via a morning meeting where doughnuts and coffee are served, this way everyone involved can feel more comfortable and receptive to the information being presented. Providing regular milestone updates in a convenient manner also helps to carry momentum throughout the entire project life cycle.
While communicating throughout the project process, the majority group that will be utilizing the project results, needs to be determined. The majority are the 90% of the projects intended results users and the remaining 10% tend to be referred to as "super users". The super user is a special group of users that find and develop ways to do things within their realm of computing tasks and departments. This group will always find new and innovative ways to do things and the project does not need to focus on their needs. On the contrary, the majority of users need the help of the project results to get better and faster results; while the super user will always find new and/or better ways to complete certain required tasks. So, focus on the majority and the minority, super users, will find ways to achieve what they want accomplished.
Another key element in the entire process is choosing the right person or team to do the design/implementation. This can make or break the success rating of a project. Disaster is imminent if the incorrect person/team is picked to lead and develop the project task. Take careful consideration of the project tasks and then find a person/team that has a proven track record of successfully addressing similar projects or tasks. If an outside resource is used then they have to mentor the internal staff so the outside source can fully understand the needs and concerns of a project from an internal prospective. Make sure that the outside resources will be a fit for the internal project team. Have the outside resource supply documentation on the employees that they will be sending in to do the project. Actual resumes from the hired resource employees would be a good example of documentation in this type of situation. Lastly, make sure the outside resource will provide extensive training on aspects of the project during and after the project is completed. Picking a qualified, reputed outside resource is not always choosing the biggest name. Look deeply at many outside resources, small/medium/large, to determine which one will be the best for the project.
Finally, plan for ongoing maintenance and support for the project. There will be technical issues that will inevitably arise; however, plan for there contingency in advance. Now when issues arise, some thought will have been placed in that area and a conclusion can be obtained faster to keep everything in running order. At the same time, not only technical issues will arise. Business aspects of maintenance and support need to be thought about also. Business issues will occur when pre-planning aspects have been inadvertently over looked or new outside forces change aspects of business and the way it interacts with the project. Support and maintenance have to be considered in order to guarantee the success of a project.
In conclusion, Jennifer Cunningham made it clear that NOT heeding any one of these points during project development will seriously hamper the overall success of the project. Jennifer is likely the most experienced IT professional in the local area and has lead or been apart of many technology projects during her extensive career. Most of these points she speaks about are common sense items and things that ordinary people do as households on a regular basis. Use common sense and follow these key points to guarantee a good ROI for your investment.
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