Project Management

IT professionals know that large implementations are at high risk of failure. Forks in the road are inappropriately navigated and risks aren't mitigated until it is too late. This type of phenomena has been happening for many decades and has caused organizations billions of wasted dollars. The negative impact of a failed IT project to an organization is very high. Not only are careers on the line, but intangibles like the companies brand reputation are also negatively impacted in the marketplace.

The fact of the matter is that most IT projects that fail can be traced back to a single root cause: poor project management.

But how do you define poor project management? Even more, how do you define a poor project manager? Every organization kicks off an IT project with the best of intentions: detailed project plans, a master test strategy, the implementation of standardized processes and test management tools, formation of a change control board (CCB), and much more. Yet time and again, the same IT projects that started with the best of intentions end up late, over budget, chalk full of production defects, cancelled, or even worse: fail to deliver on business objectives.

Deploy Specialized Project Managers

Not all project managers are created equal. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Further, project managers are shepherds of both people and processes. Conflict occurs if a project manager cannot balance the needs of the people on the project with the processes needed to produce a deliverable. Successful project managers are masters of balancing competing priorities. What's more is that successful IT project managers possess personality characteristics that improve the likelihood of success.

VerticalCloud employs PMP certified project managers with specialized experience in the technology you're implementing. Beyond technology specialization, our project managers possess the "right mix" in the ability to manage people and processes. We attract world-class project managers who thrive managing high-performance teams. At VerticalCloud, we believe that the 4 critical characteristics of a successful IT project manager are:

1. Communication is Key - Effective project managers have the soft skills to communicate with all members of the implementation team. Oral communication in the form of status updates, risks, issues, and coaching project resources are all key characteristics of a high-performing project manager. Even more is the ability for the project manager to communicate ideas through the written word. Statistics show that humans forget about 80% of the information conveyed to them orally without solid reinforcement directly after the conversation. High-performing project managers understand this softer element of human interaction and provide detailed follow-up communication via e-mail after communication with their team. A documentation trail allows team members the ability to easily refer back to directive provided from project managers, test managers, and team leads. Our PMP certified project managers are effective at both oral and written communication.
2. Leadership Drives Productivity - Leaders bring out the best qualities of their team members. They are able to quickly spot opportunities for improvement and coach team members. Moreover, IT projects require leaders that know how to manage and inspire people to achieve results. The project leader must understand the business objectives clearly and continually remind their team of the whys to maintain momentum and motivation.
3. Flexibility to Achieve Results - Once the project plan is completed, resources are identified, and the project is started -- obstacles appear. Having a project manager who is inherently flexible in their approach will ensure that your organization achieves the results it set out to accomplish.
4. The Ability to Obviate - Successful project managers understand the importance of contingency planning. The expected outcomes of an IT project are the business objectives. Achieving those business objectives can be accomplished several different ways with a master contingency plan. Our PMP certified project managers develop master contingency plans that help identify risks, threats, and potential road blocks that are on the horizon.