project management office

How to manage a successful project

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

It takes teamwork and great management skills to make sure a project is a success. And sometimes it takes much more than your regular team to make sure a major project succeeds. The project manager must be accountable for delivery and what methods and tools are needed and can always turn to the Project Management Office (PMO) where there is a pool of experts ready to make sure the job is done right.

For more on project management success:
- See this CIO Magazine article

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Keeping IT expenditures under control

Tue, 08 May 2007 20:01:36 -0400

To keep your company's IT expenditures under control, know how much you're spending and what you're spending it on. That might seem like simple advice, but it's not: it means having detailed conversations with your business counterparts so that you have a chance of adjusting the inputs when costs are an issue. Secondly, standardize your processes through the use of a standard framework like ITIL. Third, use a project management office staffed by independent analysts and managers whose major goal is business success. Fourth, use virtualization software to save some serious money. Finally, use sound business judgment; not every cost-control tactic results from using a specific technology or adhering to some arcane discipline.

Read more about effective cost containment:
- read the article at Baseline

Succeeding with project management

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Succeeding with project management means developing an effective project management office and using the right tools. To make a project management office work, start by having clear objectives and a reliable way of measuring ROI. The payoff includes money saved from eliminating the development of redundant applications and time saved on completing projects more quickly, due to better oversight and coordination. Picking the right project management tools is also important. One option is using tools delivered through a software-as-a-service model, available from vendors like eProject, 37signal, Vertabase and Intuit. Another option is traditional project management software, from vendors like Planview, Primavera and Microsoft.

Learn more about effective project management:
- read the article at Baseline

How to painlessly reduce costs

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:01:36 -0500

Despite recent reports that IT spend is expected to increase, companies are still going to expect some serious cost reductions and improvements in efficiency. As one IT research analyst explains, it doesn't necessarily have to be a painful process and taking certain actions will not only save money but can boost productivity and results. Creating a project management office is one example of how it can be done, says Tina Nunno, a Gartner research director. And she outlines several more techniques that could prove worthwhile.

For more on good cost-reduction strategies:
- read the Q&A at Optimize

Related Article: Making IT leaner and stronger. 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