On your mark! Get set! Wait! You can’t start with the execution phase
At ArcherPoint, we use an agile approach to project management so we are able to deliver business value throughout the project life cycle. This is contrary to waterfall methodologies where you get the ‘big bang’ delivery of the project scope at the end – if you even make it there. A study done by McKinsey & Company in conjunction with Oxford University found “…on average, large IT projects run 45 percent over budget and 7 percent over time, while delivering 56 percent less value than predicted” (mckinsey.com).
How can you help avoid being part of these statistics? Having a clearly defined scope followed by a thorough planning session should be among your first steps. As exciting as starting new projects can be, you can’t just jump into the execution phase. In fact, whether you are an internal or external customer, the question that always seems to surface is, “When are we going to start the project?” Well, if you are in talks with a project manager, your project has already begun. The difference is what a project manager defines as the project start could be very different from another’s definition. Some feel that the project hasn’t started until the software has been installed, but if you are at that point in the project, you are well into the project life cycle.
The same study by McKinsey & Company highlighted the fact that short delivery cycles are among the ways to improve project success rates. This is a major reason why ArcherPoint follows an agile methodology. We plan first, deliver in 3 week cycles (called “sprints”) and meet daily to stay on course to help deliver your project on time and within budget. So if you’re getting ready to start your implementation, put on your running shoes, line up at the starting line and sprint your way to project completion. But remember, just like you learn to walk before you run, you have to plan before you execute.
Find out how ArcherPoint can help your company manage its next project using agile project methodology.