Ever wanted a short list of items to keep “under control” as the project management? This list contains key measures which, if kept under control and balance, to reach the project’s success? Sure, it’s important to follow the guidelines of the industry project the Project Management Institute and the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, but it is important to keep these at the forefront of my mind all the way to the project – from start to completion. Sometimes these factors can be overlooked or forgotten, or thought that it was “not necessary” in the race to achieve an ongoing project. Get up and stop the madness, make sure you have a clear path before trying to reach your destination …. O are lost along the way.

Key measures:
1. Even before looking at business requirements or spending much time on a project, be sure you know:
a. Who is the executive sponsor and obtain the following information from this author:
i. Intent and scope of the project
ii. What the project is or is not what is out of range
iii. That the “clients” are for the project. (often internal clients of the organization)
iv. If a ROI has been created and what is expected of an ROI document. What areas of the business are expected returns?
c. The project budget and how expenses are approved
vi. Success factors of the project is expected
vii. Who want this project moving in today, if not, when is it to start
viii. Schedule for completion of the project
ix. According to the companies to resources in the project to do
x. Requires the project status and reporting
xi. Agreement on a communication plan for the sponsors, customers and other stakeholders
xii. Agree on the assigned project manager and the support of the sponsors, if there are problems with the final design that require the attention of sponsors, the sponsor will extend support to achieve the resolution
b. Then put all that information in writing, usually in some sort of document the start of the project, and all project leaders, sponsors and customers and CIO sign the document. I can not stress how important this part. I can not stress how many times we’ve reached the end of a project and at least one of these parties (sponsors, customers or CIO) never agree on some
part of the information documented in the project initiation document. This is especially important for system implementation projects as a lot of time can pass between the time the project started and when the final product is delivered.

2. Business requirements
a. It is of vital importance, before speaking to no IT staff (if the project involves internal – that is if the system is more than likely) or vendors of products that you take the time to properly document all the needs of all customers. Documenting business requirements should, at least, participation goes through the following steps:
i. Identification of subject matter experts and representatives of each project from the company to serve its customers for the final outcome of the project.
1. Identify the problem or need
2. Document current processes
3. Discuss what is not working on the process
4. Review results they would like to see support for the company and analysis they need to perform to manage the business
ii. Documentation requirements in the business, not spend time discussing what the systems or the technology allows them to. Discuss what is needed for the business. Do not let your customers try to define a process on the systems or technology. The technology is there to support the business, not to dictate how a company should be run. Do not worry, all the technical parts will meet later.
iii. Document all business requirements as discussed with all customer groups and experts. Be sure to specify the problems and needs, how it is hurting the company, what is needed, and how they help the company. Be specific. This information will help you assemble the document, the return on investment to ensure that the costs and benefits are in line with what the project sponsor (s) pending. Some project directors agreed here could indicate that the return on investment must be made before reaching the stage of business requirements. However, I have always found new areas of investment (cost) and return on investment when you are going through the process of discovery of business requirements.
iv. Always be sure to think about how a product is used and how they require reporting. This can really get in the end if you do not pay much attention during the advance of requirements.
c. Then match the requirements on the scope you created in the project initiation document, or change the scope, which would require an amendment to the project initiation document requiring new signatures.
vi. Once the right set of requirements is documented and behaves with the scope of the project, and then make sure you have once again the project sponsors, customers (remember, customers can be internal or external) and CIO recognizes these are business requirements that the project is active and sponsored, and who agree to move forward with the next phase of the project. This piece is especially important because people tend to forget or say things like “I never said that” as later in the project. You can always return to the original documents and signatures. If you do not get the signature, you’re a sitting duck.

3. Now is the time to figure out how to meet these business requirements. This usually leads to a decision to buy or build. Ie buy a software provider that specializes in the type of product they need, or build with internal IT staff. The document on the needs of your business is the basis for evaluating the decision to buy or build. Do not leave, not expand the scope or budget, without going back through the sign-off process. If you are “buying” a product from a vendor, make the first “Paring down” process of identifying software products that match the above requirements.

4. Now that is top of the list of software contestants, there have been demonstrations by the vendors for their client group (s). They can help to cast the vote for the selected product. It is essential to get buy-in customers every step of the way.

5. If possible, it’sa good idea to conduct a phase 2 trial with top vendors to see how they match the needs of the product.

6. After the trial phase, again with clients to demonstrate products needs. Then their customers do their final selection. At that time, be sure a technical specification document states that the matches against business requirements. The objective of the technical specification document is to demonstrate the product, how it will demand that business requirements are not met or can only be met in part, and requirements for IT products. Be sure that, before starting an important phase of development, which have returned to their sponsors, customers and CIO or other representative IT parties for agreement on the specifications and agreement to move forward. This phase will also require an updated project schedule outlining the program of development, resource requirements, and the parties involved.

7. Be sure to make a “pulse check” with their clients and sponsors at many points along the development cycle. This will ensure that their customers are not surprised by the outcome or have not gone completely down a path that did not want or developed something incorrectly. It is much better to catch these things while development is still going on – your time online will probably be much less affected and thus the perception of project success from customers and sponsors will be much higher this way. Ultimately, it is better not to have this kind of “hang-ups” during the development process. However, it is probably unrealistic to expect that you do not have any. That is the work of the project – through these issues and still complete the project on time.

8. When the development phase is completed, it is important that you have documented not only how to use the product, but how it impacts business processes. Will require discussion with representatives of groups of customers about what the system do now, and what the new process should be similar. It is important to have this document and agree with representatives of groups of customers of any product prior to implantation occurs. If you do this, you can expect a much smoother and training phase of the product if you just try to throw the product out there. If you do not have a carefully planned and initial training phase, all your work to go down the drain, and the project will most likely not seen as a great success.

9. During the implementation phase and training is very important to communicate what users need to do if you need help with your product. What kind of support for the product is available? A good project manager and that is in place and ready to support the process of launching during the deployment and training. It is also important that you get the agreement of the customer groups in the support process and that they think it will work for your group.

10. Finally, be sure to follow up with customer groups ensuring things are running smoothly and to see what problems or issues that need to be corrected. Keep doing it until your customers are happy with the product.

Remember, there are levels of success. Or was a great success, or was not.