Implementing change through technology is often driven by the need to solve real business problems, like making financial savings through the automation of processes and services. The risk is if change through technology projects are simply handed over to the technical teams involved, those objectives can quickly get forgotten.
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“…Matt Nichols is a professional and creative Programme and Project Manager who will always strive to meet requirements…” Sarah Daniel (12 March 2012).
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By far the best approach is to keep ownership fairly and squarely on the business side of the fence led by business focused project and programme managers, something we can help you with. Below are some thoughts on the subject, including the potential pitfalls and how best to avoid them.
If you would like to discuss change through technology further, please make contact using the form below. Remember at PACE-Consulting.co.uk you are dealing direct and so all services are offered at extremely competitive daily rates or as fixed priced packages to ensure you get the maximum return on your investment.
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As an ERP and Digital Project and Programme Manager with 20 years experience of working closely with technology teams to implement products including: SAP, Oracle, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Online Services, Mobile Apps, Automated Phone technologies, Filemaker and SalesForce.com ERP and Commercial Vehicle Telematics. We would like to share an approach with you that keeps the management of these projects fairly and squarely on the business side of the fence to ensure change through technology is achieved.
It is tempting to simply hand over technology projects to those that are most obviously expert in it and there is no question that those teams and individuals have an important role to play. To actively manage such a project or programme on behalf of the business runs the significant risk of delivering something that can best be described as just that, a technology project. Where you’ll definitely get the technology, but will you get the change?
When handing over a project to technical teams those same business benefits may mean little to nothing to the teams involved as they write code, configure a product or manage key suppliers. They will instead naturally get drawn into the nuances and niceties of what sits under the bonnet. It’s not a criticism it’s just the nature of the beast, so to speak. A bit like a group of mechanics looking over a new car for the first time desperate to press and pull every new feature whilst telling you all about it in excited tones, regardless of relevance. Something that if left unchecked can divert the project focus and ultimately leave the business red faced and scratching its head on how money can be saved to deliver the Return on Investment (RoI) promised to the Head of Finance or Board of Directors.
Moving ownership to the business significantly changes the emphasis on how a project is managed, although it does rely on those directly involved having the ability to communicate with the technical teams tasked with delivering the project, itself an acquired skill. The good news is that this is something I can help you with, either directly or on a consultancy basis mentoring and guiding your own internal business professionals. Particularly those with a facilitative style that builds bridges between the differing disciplines involved. More importantly with ownership resting on business shoulders the original reasons the technology was being introduced in the first place are far less likely to get forgotten. The project may even exceed expectations, always something worth celebrating.
On the subject of getting the best out of any project and when pulling the business teams together it is a forgone conclusion that good people in equates to good products out and vice versa. In planning a new project or programme star players lined up to lead it may well require their day job back filled for the duration to ensure they are able to focus 100%. Bringing good people into the project or programme from the business and back filling their day job will give them sufficient time to focus on it, meaning that once they’ve got their heads around the basics they will quickly move the whole thing well above it just being a technical project to one that brings genuine business benefits that ensures genuine change through technology is achieved.
Remember at PACE-Consulting.co.uk all services are offered at extremely competitive daily rates or as fixed priced packages to ensure you get the maximum return on your investment. To discuss any of the services offered, including partnership working opportunities, please make contact using the form below.
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