Revitalized IT project management is well within your grasp. Though this approach will change your organization (it’s supposed to!), this change needn’t inspire fear. Your organization is not the only one out there considering how to do IT project management in a new, better way. That is evidenced by the organizations and groups who have been through this process successfully already.

Seeing how others have done it, and done it well, is a great way to encourage your organization, its stakeholders, and its staff. Examples show that revitalization is reachable and that you will not be the first putting yourselves out there with a new approach. Read on to get a good idea of those who have been down this road before. Picture your organization as another successful case study.

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration

In 2010, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), which operates within the Department of Energy, reorganized. And it discovered a need for better project coordination. The organization considered establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) to develop, implement, and enforce a more rigorous project management governance framework. While this initial attempt was unsuccessful, it’s an excellent example of learning from missteps. The EIA learned that change management was also a critical part of their internal project management needs.

When a later review showed shortfalls in IT projects specifically, EIA went ahead with the PMO. It developed a model for how it would be implemented alongside corporate culture changes. And it introduced a benchmarking tool to measure progress. 

Now the organization is more confident in undertaking complex projects. It operates under better-defined guidelines. According to PMO leader Robert McManmon, it is “building a healthier organization with better processes.”

Transformative Leadership for Financial Services Enterprise

In this case study, a large financial services organization needed a way to improve the execution and delivery of its strategic plan. It needed to align projects and strategy and revitalize project management with a more consistent, planned approach. Like EIA, this organization first began with an attempt at building a PMO but faltered. With help from an expert, the organization then moved toward creating structure and processes before filling a PMO with project managers. Together they created a roadmap, coached and mentored the new PMO team, audited the organization to uncover gaps, and filled the gaps based on the previous roadmap. 

Ultimately, the organization enjoyed:

• the development of a company-wide project management culture
• project prioritization, and 
• a 40 percent improvement in closing projects during the first six months of the PMO. 

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)

DEWA found itself needing to meet the growth and complexity of providing water and electricity services in Dubai as the city itself grew and became more complex. Standard project management practices weren’t being observed throughout DEWA, however. This made for a very inefficient organization. 

In response, DEWA revitalized with a dedicated team focused on implementing new software. DEWA’s team also held educational sessions to help employees use the new software system. 

Now, the organization boasts greater efficiency, the replacement of more than ten legacy systems, and better customer service. 

NiteRest Hotels Management System

This was a project undertaken by NiteRest Hotels, which was using decade-old computing facilities. These facilities differed throughout each of its 20 properties. Every hotel operated individually, necessitating manual data reconciliation for the overarching company. The hotel chain was dealing with rising costs, overextended efforts, and dropping customer satisfaction.

To better manage their data, NiteRest implemented a hotel management software system. This involved configuring and customizing a cloud-based system, installing on-premise infrastructure, and training users. By taking a step toward modernized, cloud-based technology, and putting it in place with a careful approach and clearly defined organizational structure, the company met every best practice of IT project management. They revitalized not only their IT infrastructure and the service they provide using it, but also their internal processes, training, and relationships.

Revitalized IT Project Management: The Next Steps

Now that you have seen how this concept works in real life, you can move on to realizing its benefits. Next in our Revitalized IT Project Management series, watch for the Relying on Old Dogs – or on New Tricks? article, with a focus on how revitalized IT project management offers a new perspective, adjusted metrics, and the potential for new tools to regenerate enthusiasm and vision.As you explore and consider revitalizing IT project management, reach out to us with any questions or concerns. You can also email us at info@grouplink.net or give us a call at 801.742.8386.