IT projects, no matter how small or extensive, whether ongoing or as once-off implementations, have people at their core; and without a successful team at the helm, they`re on a sure road to failure.
"Successful IT projects are built by people, for people," says Wayne Press, account manager at business systems solutions provider DVT. "It`s all about teamwork - the team delivering the solution needs to work well together and in synch with the client`s team receiving the solution. A project can only be considered a success if the relationship between both parties is conducive to working well together."
Press says the people aspect and the "soft" side of project management tend to be swept aside in favour of an all-important technology focus. All too often IT focuses predominantly on technology and how best to implement it, forgetting that in order to get the most out of any project, the team needs to follow processes that focus on the people directly involved - the implementers and the users.
Building a relationship between the two teams starts at the prospecting stage and spans the entire duration of a project. Communication, trust, flexibility and buy-in are critical factors for project success.
"Getting the basics right is important, and proving this focus to the client from the start is fundamental. Communication is the foundation on which the entire working relationship is built, and this has to happen from day one," says Press.
Good communication is the effective exchange of information between the parties involved. The sender is responsible for ensuring the information is clear, unambiguous and complete so the receiver can hear it correctly. The receiver is the responsible for making sure the information is received in its entirety and understood correctly.
There are many dimensions to communication and message delivery during a project:
* written and oral, listening and speaking
* internal - within the project
* external - to the media, the public and other arenas
* formal, such as reports, briefings and presentations
* informal, such as memos, emails, phone calls and ad hoc conversations
* vertical - up and down the organisation
* horizontal - with peers
Press says selecting the appropriate form of communication for the situation is important for delivery of the message and the way it is received and perceived. When logging a maintenance or support call, for example, there is considerable difference between receiving an automated response or e-mail and being able to interact verbally with a live voice.
"Live communication, preferably face-to-face, gives the impression that the person is taking time to focus on the issue, taking ownership of solving the problem," says Press.
Core to good communication is effective listening. Hearing what the client is saying and responding appropriately to prove you`ve understood what is being communicated helps build a relationship based on trust. Trust between stakeholders is vital and eliminates negativity during the duration of the project. This avoids suspicion of hidden agendas and encourages transparency.
"To build trust you need honesty, reinforced by repeated delivery of success and the guarantee of good business value," says Press.
Good lines of communication need to be incorporated into the project plan. Regular meetings with the client should be diarised in advance to update key users on project progress and ensure they feel involved as active participants in the rollout process.
"Buy-in from the users is one of the cornerstones of project success. Mutual commitment can only be achieved if the users feel they`re involved with and benefiting from the project. Introducing new systems can often make users feel their job security is threatened, resulting in negativity and resentment. Without buy-in the project will be a failure. Even though the technology may be in place as planned, successful delivery is reliant on the proper usage of the solution," says Press.
Successful projects are achieved by successful teams working together to achieve a common goal. Ongoing communication, trust, flexibility and buy-in are pivotal for both parties to achieve success and build a strong relationship on which further business can be built.
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