IDM Projects don't always have to succeed right ?

Projects, projects and more projects :)

My recent endeavours in some of them highlighted the need to express myself and address few points and observations.
Contrary to common beliefs that the end goal of every project is successful implementation of the client requirements I do believe that in reality it’s a bit different.
First of all every project is an accounting exercise and if we look closely it’s about money distribution. Client has allocated a pool of money from its IT budget to address certain issues in its current IT landscape. Client via tender or other selection process hires consulting company to engage with the proposed scope of work.
High level agreement is signed between the Client and Consultancy.
Good we on the way :)
Second step is Client appoints its own PM to oversee and supervise the execution of the project. Consultancy is also selects its own PM from the pool of available PM’s to supervise the project and project team.
So far so good :)
Consultancy selects the project team members from available pool of resources and submits them to the client for approval. This sometimes is not required and sometimes is quite rigorous. Now pay attention here I said ‘available’ resources. They may be well suited or not so well suited for the project. The candidates’ profiles sometimes are airbrushed by Consultancy to suit its needs.
We hit the first hurdle :(
Project kickoffs and business requirements get translated into functional, technical and high level design. Consultants allocated tasks and duties. PM collects weekly reports etc.
Now from here it’s all depends on skill of consultants and PM. Right? Wrong :)
It’s all depends whether project is Time and Materials (T&M) or Fixed price. Hmm…. We are back to accounting. If it’s T&M when Consultancy is not constrained by time and therefore interested in taking its time to the fullest. This is where client PM needs to be really experienced and monitor project progress and scrutinise work done by consultants.
Easier said than done. Some projects are geographically dispersed and client PM maybe even in the other country or state. Client PM most likely will lack experience in the products being used and will be ill equipped to question time spent on certain tasks.
We hit the second hurdle :(
While looking at Identity Management projects they are notoriously political and sensitive in its nature. Identity Management cuts across organisational and political boundaries within each company. They sometimes generate a lot of resistance and politics within organisations themselves.
We hit the third hurdle :(
And finally the last nail in the coffin – politics within project team itself.
Not everyone on the project team maybe interested in the project to succeed. Wow how can you say this? Well the reality is that since each project is about money distribution jealousy play some part as well. People as I have mentioned before on the project team is not equally skilled in the product, sometimes don’t understand overall project objectives, lack in communication skills or other soft areas. Often consultants pursue their own agendas and use their precious project time to learn new skills or prepare for certification exam to stay ahead of the competition. Some are ‘been there done that’ – bored and disinterested etc. etc.
And we are arrived at why projects don’t have to succeed or why they fail whichever way you would like to put it.
So where from here? Well my strategy is quite simple:

1.     Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Establish solid Project Plan before anything else.

Get the Project Plan to be signed off by the client.

Have an internal copy of the Project Plan and incorporate penalties in it for resources who will fail to deliver their allocated tasks.

Don’t trust the consultants – check and recheck what have been accomplished every 2 days.

2 Days will provide good safety for entire week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

2.      Communicate clearly all milestones and their corresponding dates to all project team members not just resources that are responsible for them. This will create a team climate there people will be aware of who is doing what and create necessary cross checks.

3.     Place incentives into place to reward team members showing good performance and above average results. Show appreciation if work is done to good quality and timeframe.

4.     Try to unite the team with the simple message – ‘project success depends on you’

Reward high achievers and try to get rid of slackers and politicians on the team.

5.     Communicate with client regularly and establish good working relationships with all silos within the client organisation touched one way or the other by the project.

My 5 rules or my 5cents :) in project terms