How is your IT strategy developed? Most companies work tirelessly to make sure it directly aligns to the business strategy, but it's still a waterfall process: Decide on a business strategy, and then build a technology strategy to support it. In fact, according to Forrester data, more than two-thirds of IT leaders wait for business leaders to finalize their strategy before IT formulates its own.
Global pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca, headquartered in London, is set to break off its IT outsourcing relationship with IBM, Computer Sweden and sister publication IT24 have learned.
Oakton (ASX:OKN) has reduced travel costs and improved communication across its Australian and Indian offices through the deployment of video conferencing.
Close your eyes and picture this. You have been set a challenge to trek through one of the great deserts of the globe, perhaps the Great Sandy Desert of Australia, the Mohave of North America, or the Sahara of Africa. As you prepare for your challenge, you calculate the distance, temperatures, walking speed, amounts of water to take and other critical factors that will undoubtedly influence and determine the success or failure of your challenge. You also begin to assess the skills required; survival skills, endurance, how to identify poisonous creatures, and the like. In your planning for this feat of endurance, you must prudently consider every detail and balance the risks and rewards associated with the items you pack for the trip. Due to the limits on the tools and rations you can select, only essential, value-added items will be taken. Several items are sure to make it into your pack: A knife, a map, a GPS, a compass and water to name a few. We’re not really going to trek through the desert. But what if we apply the same approach to project management? If we are planning to embark on the journey of the project and create successful outcomes for all involved, what essential skills or tools should we ensure are in our proverbial survival toolkit?
Sunsuper has upgraded its dual core switches in move aimed at achieving ease of management and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
There are many aspects involved in successful project and program management: Hard work, experience, good teamwork, solid processes and work practices, having good tools with which to work, adopting and displaying the right behaviours… the list could go on. This article focuses on two aspects of project/program management – the processes and the tools we use as program and project managers –- and asks: What comes first –- the process or the tool?
CIO of BT Financial Group, Tony Forward, is one of a handful of local technology leaders to investigate the new IT Capability Maturity Framework (IT-CMF) launched in Sydney today.
As we weigh the value of the credential, let's first consider the PgMP credential itself. Per PMI, the PgMP credential is intended to “recognise advanced experience, skill and performance in the oversight of multiple related projects and their resources, aligned with an organisational objective.” We won’t be going into the formal details and process steps to obtain the credential; that information is readily available through the PMI. However, the PgMP credential process can be broken down to three main areas or steps:
The survival of the National Broadband Network (NBN) hinges on the sector maintaining debate and competition during the project, Optus chief executive, Paul O’Sullivan, has warned.
CIOs should look to placing themselves into a more business-orientated role to gain a different perspective and better understand their organisation.
It is generally accepted that communication is 90 per cent of a project manager’s job.
Industry analyst firm Gartner has allayed fears Intel's recall of Sandy Bridge processors will have a long term impact on the industry.
Various frameworks can help change how an organisation perceives — and more importantly, measures — value. Change, however, is the key word.
Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. This statement can be applied to the way in which we approach projects. If we do not take the time to learn from the previous experiences of both ourselves and others, capture what we learn as we go, and sum it up when we finish, how can we expect to assimilate and pass on the lessons we all learn? This article does not cover in detail the processes involved in effectively learning lessons. A large amount of material and advice from specialists already exists on the subject; rather, we put forward just a few “pointers to consider” for your latest project – whether it is getting ready to start or already underway.
The ongoing issue with the value debate is its subjectivity; value is a perceptive judgement that must, by necessity of a business case, be quantified, particularly when each project must be signed off by the chief financial officer. And therein lies the problem, says Capability Management partner, Vince Gill.
To some extent, organisations are being held back from realising the value of IT projects by the very way in which they measure success. Too often, it is based solely on the business case.
What to do - and what not to do - when defining outsourcing relationships, negotiating new terms and setting KPIs and SLAs.
The digital education revolution of 2007 has posed management challenges, but has had an overall positive impact on schools, two IT managers have claimed.
India remains the jewel in the outsourcing crown but CIOs are beginning to look to other destinations in a bid to ensure competitive pricing and service.
Bankwest has praised the use of project managers after revealing one of its key projects relied heavily on project management skills.
