With limited personnel and reduced priority, IT projects usually don’t get the attention they deserve. You wouldn’t roll out a new marketing plan or product launch without a plan, would you? Your IT projects, no matter how small, should be treated with the same consideration to avoid delays, cost overruns, and mistakes that can cost thousands. Here are 3 best practices for IT project management.
First, the most efficient way to deal with an IT project is to set “SMART goals.” This acronym refers to a working definition of the project that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (or Time-Based.) Once the project has been brought into focus this way, it becomes a much less daunting process to begin assigning resources to the end goal you are trying to achieve.
Second, even if you are working with limited IT resources, you should assign a single person as the point of contact for the project. Having a single person coordinate the project allows a single point of contact for questions about the current status of the project, as well as the ability to direct all personnel and resources to that one person. Nothing contributes to project creep more than having too many chefs in the kitchen.
Last, once this person is selected, take your SMART goals and develop your timeline. Be sure to incorporate deliverables, dates, and regular meetings on status so that issues that arise—and issues will come up—are identified and dealt with promptly. This prevents failures in communication that may give a false impression as to the current status of your project.
NSC Information Technology Group knows all the ins and outs of IT projects, including developing goals and meeting deliverables. If your business does not have the time or employee capacity to run an IT project, you can contact NSC today to discuss your IT project needs and place your rollout in the hands of the professionals.