Why Your IT Project Needs an Experienced IT Project Manager

It’s difficult to get accurate statistics on IT project failures. Few organizations like to self-report wildly inaccurate time estimates and budget overruns. They hesitate to say that projects are abandoned because of these and other issues.

One frequently cited report from The Standish Group found that just 15 percent of IT projects are completed on time and within budget. That statistic is backed up by a later Project Management Institute (PMI) study. PMI found that 49 percent exceed the expected timeframe, 43 percent go over budget and 31 percent fail to meet their objectives. Most organizations bite the bullet and muddle through. However, 14 percent of projects are canceled outright.

Countless articles have been written discussing why these problems persist. Commonly cited reasons include poorly defined goals, poor communication, lack of a project sponsor and failure to follow project management best practices.

That may well be true for projects generally. For IT projects, however, problems often arise when a nontechnical project manager is selected to spearhead the effort.

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A Distinct Discipline

It’s very easy to fall into that trap. An individual who has managed projects, even some technical projects, would seem to have the skills needed to manage an IT project. In reality, however, that is not the case. While IT project management shares some common elements with managing other types of initiatives, it is a distinct specialty. Understanding the nuances and unique vernacular only comes with experience.

One of the first steps in developing a project plan is determining the time and effort involved. From those estimates, the project manager can calculate the project timeline, budget and resources required. The IT project manager would need to speak with the engineers assigned to the effort, and someone without IT experience will immediately run into trouble.

There’s a lot of “thumb in the wind” guessing when it comes to estimating timeframes. Unless you have a technical history, you won’t be able to tell whether the engineer’s estimates are realistic.

The Problem of Inexperience

Someone inexperienced with IT project management might be inclined to plug the engineer’s time estimates into the project plan without identifying and measuring all the dependencies. The project is doomed from the start because the timeframe is unrealistic.

The project manager will also struggle to identify the resources needed to achieve the objectives. Let’s say the goal is to implement a new ERP platform. The engineer might talk about standing up a new server to support the application, but might underestimate the amount of storage and backup resources required. The engineer might not recognize the need for a business process management consultant to assist in mapping and optimizing existing workflows. User training is often overlooked.

“Scope creep” is another common problem. When a project lacks clearly defined tasks and measurable milestones, it becomes all too easy for stakeholders to insist on additional features and deliverables. The risk increases as the project begins to exceed its estimated timeframe.

How DeSeMa Can Help

If you don’t have an accurate timeline or the right resources, you won’t be able to stay within budget. If scope creep occurs, costs could easily double or more. It’s easy to see why so many IT projects fail for these reasons.

DeSeMa can help you identify an experienced IT project manager to guide your initiative to a positive outcome. Our unique talent appraisal methodology ensures that candidates have the expertise and personality traits needed to be successful. Through rigorous skills testing, interviews and working sessions, our experienced hiring managers look beyond resumes and certifications to find the right individual for your project.

If your IT project is faltering, it could be because the project manager lacks the right skills and experience. Let us help you find the right talent to right the ship and defy the statistics.