Large software deployments don't have to imperil the business or overwhelm the IT team. Management based on discipline and common sense are the keys to a successful implementation, and smart companies make sure the CIO is in charge.

Ignorance and/or incompetence tend to be at the root of software project failures, said Pete Janak, who previously was CIO of TRW and Delphi, and now is principal at PHJ Associates, in an interview with InformationWeek. Janak offered seven steps for avoiding the common traps that doom large software deployments.

1. Stay on schedule and put an end to adding requirements when you don't need to.

2. Maintain the configuration under formal control with a strong authority in charge of change.

3. Make sure the best functional individuals are on the project full-time. This step requires the company's top managers to be 100 percent behind the CIO and project manager, and if this step is omitted, the rest of the project will fail, Janak warns.

4. Make data cleansing a priority.

5. Be sure that all users are adequately trained and tested, and then put them through a trial run.

6. Test every single module and string, as well as the entire system.

7. Put in place a detailed plan for cutting over to the new software and conduct a thorough dress rehearsal.

For more:
- see Rob Preston's article at InformationWeek

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