project success

ALSO NOTED: Survey: Experience most important; Mapping out a data protection plan;

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

> Mapping out a data protection plan. Article

> Where to begin with ITIL and configuration management. Article

> Survey: Experience more important than qualifications for IT management. Article

> New Bluetooth 2.1 spec will fix security flaws. Column

> Executive buy-in and project success. Article

> Blogging for effective marketing. Article

And Finally… The three-minute meeting. Blog

Customer-centric IT

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Instead of thinking of IT as a support for the rest of the enterprise, more and more CIOs are turning their IT shops into mini-businesses of their own, treating internal customers as if they were external customers. By doing so, IT departments become more effective and efficient, able to deliver real value to the company and its users. But moving to an "IT as a service" model is complicated. Some base the move on the tenets of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), adopting best practices for managing service requests, changes and IT assets--but ITIL is only one part of the puzzle. If you can navigate the change--including getting the support of your prospective customers by showing them the benefits--customer-centric IT department can increase productivity, improve project success rates and create a higher profile for technology within an organization.

Read more about how some companies have rolled out IT as a service:
- read the article at BPM Today

ALSO:
- read this about IT as an independent function
- and this on the ROI of ITIL

How to measure project success

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 20:01:37 -0400

When an IT project is completed, the work isn't over because you have to measure the results of all the time and effort. As one expert advises, it isn't just about determining if you hit the timetable and came in or near budget. Project success often can't be assessed until a long time after implementation. Also, measurement requires some specific steps, such as what is the actual use, how and where did it lead to greater efficiencies, and did the project boost user knowledge and put the enterprise in a better position for future challenges.

For more on evaluating true project success:
- read the article at CIO

How to make offshore development pay off

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:01:35 -0400

With the increasing trend to have software developed and built offshore, the burden of managing and overseeing outsourcing projects is becoming increasingly critical. If product creation initiatives end up failing, any money saved goes right out the window. But there are some good best practices that IT leaders can bring into play to ensure that offshore software work pays off in terms of both savings and quality. The first step is mapping out a strong process integration approach, which includes a project plan, monitoring strategy and software development plan. That's just the beginning, as communication and understanding cultural issues are also integral to project success.

For more on making offshore efforts work well:
- check out the top four factors that come into play at Optimize

PLUS: Debating the pros and cons of outsourcing overall. Article
PLUS: How to avoid outsourcing pitfalls. Article

When failure is not an option

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:01:36 -0400

If your IT projects are continually late, over budget and boast a high failure rate, then you might be able to glean some insight on how to turn the tide on such a trend. As A.G. Edwards, a brokerage firm, learned all you need to do is reinvent or rebuilt a project management office, nail in a stable and solid standard framework and get your IT team passionate about making projects hit the success finish line. Once A.G. Edwards got those three element in place, its project success rate of about 50 percent soared to over 80 percent. It's also had a huge impact on the financial side of the business.

For more on revamping project management strategies:
- read this CIO article

SPOTLIGHT: Measuring the true value of an IT project

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 20:01:34 -0400

If you measure IT project success by whether you met the deadline, stayed within budget and dealt with few obstacles, one research firm says you've got it all wrong. Measuring true IT project success requires measuring the value and benefit of the technology effort--even when the project went awry big time and ran way over budget. And keep in mind the true value, and return on investment, may not appear for quite awhile but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. As Cutter Consortium, a research industry firm explains, today's enterprises need IT leaders who serve as "value watchdogs"--tech visionaries who realize that maximizing business value is much more than meeting deadlines and even user expectations. Article

Editor's Corner

Thu, 11 May 2006 20:01:40 -0400

Every now and then I like to take the pulse of Fierce readership for several reasons. One is that I want to make sure I'm pushing out news items that prove valuable to your workday and professional career. Secondly, I'm always looking for feedback, both positive and negative, on what FierceCIO can do to make your tech leadership role easier and more productive. I know everyone's time is tight and jotting down a quick note can be tough while putting out technology fires all day. But if you get a chance in the next week or so, let me know what you like, dislike or would love to see in FierceCIO. And if you've got a great experience to share (project success or lesson-learned), we'd love to profile it in the newsletter. - Judy

C&L: Send in your career tips

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:01:32 -0500

This week I'm not sharing any great article, or industry report news, instead hoping you'll help me put together a valuable editorial piece for next week's career issue. I'm looking for best practices in making strides as a CIO: What's helped you move head, achieve project success and improve your management skills? Just jot down a short sentence or two, email it in, and I'll put all the feedback in a nice handy checklist. I'm happy to give credit so just let me know if I can use your name and title when you submit your valuable advice. Thanks in advance for your help! - Judy

In the meantime, here are some recent career announcements about colleagues taking on new leadership roles and other professional moves:

Bernard Pech, formerly Siebel's CTO, has been tapped CTO at salesforce.com.

James Milde has been named senior VP and CIO at United Rentals.

Angelo Mazzocco is the new CIO at Progressive Medical.

Param Ramakrishnan has been named CIO at AppOne.