I am currently in the process of working on the business side of a large technology platform implementation across many operation departments.
I am looking for criteria that separates the business status from the IT status, providing a definition of RYG that is different than what is used on our IT side.
I am also looking for some kind of SLA that outlines timelines for escalation to resolution, for people to respond, etc.. Saving Changes...
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John DuncanRetired| RetiredLebanon, Tn, United States
Hello Anonymous. :-)
Some of the general categories for Red/Yellow/Green can be used for business or I.T., such as Scope, Timeline, Resources, Budget, Metrics. To represent the status of each of those aspects of the project.
Another approach could be denoting the status of key departments, or milestones. Creation/delivery of end user training for example.
About the SLA question - is this for internal support, or external, or both?
Is it related to staffing levels/funding/budget? (lightly staffed may respond more slowly) Saving Changes...
Katherine FitzsimmonsPMI Certified Project Manager| ConsultingApple Valley, Mn, United States
I agree with John, the general categories could be used. If the current definition is IT specific, you can take that definition and morph it a little bit to fit the business need. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
The SLA would exist if I escalate to the project sponsor. we don't get results, then I call in the leader of the PMO, who brings it to the executive council OR I am not receiving a timely response to project needs from the business side OR IT department has a server down, each week we keep hearing the expectation is it be up next week (for 2-3 weeks in a row).
The SLA answers the question ; How much time is "reasonable" to get a response. It could be related to resources needed, information needed and less about budget or funding. So I am either escalating up the project to program chain, or across from project to it chain. Saving Changes...
Not sure I like having different status representations as that encourages silo-thinking (e.g. IT thinks all is well but the "business" which is paying for service isn't happy). I'd want to ensure there is alignment in the criteria and health status to avoid a finger pointing situation...
Kiron Saving Changes...
John DuncanRetired| RetiredLebanon, Tn, United States
I understand more what you're asking regarding SLA now.
My experience with SLA (service level agreement) has been a mutual agreement (sometimes based on how much you pay for a given service). So if you're looking to mandate a reasonable response time, it may be difficult to come up with it, and more difficult to "enforce" it.
As a project manager, you can definitely bring delays to light, but it may be up to the sponsor, steering committee, etc. to act on those delays (fix them, let the project timing be affected, etc.)
If the business side agreed to timing (in your schedule) to respond within a given time, as the schedule was being put together, you can bring that up. If they didn't previously agree, and you're already underway, it gets a little trickier.
Sounds like a documented escalation process is definitely needed. :-)
And possibly an issue log, which could contain items like "server is down, with no firm projected resolution date". Nobody wants to see their name on an issue like that for many iterations... Saving Changes...
