Danielle SmithenDirector of Operations Systems| C.R. EnglandWest Valley City, Ut, United States
In our current climate at my company (which is that of strict cost management, because of the industry we are in and what we're currently experiencing) all projects coming in need to be pre-approved by the VP over that department before any scoping or work is done. Lately, again due to cost savings, NO projects are being approved. That's fine from the VP level, but at the lower levels where the project requests are coming in, the message prevailing is of "Well, we'll just deal with it because IT doesn't want to work on anything right now". How do you overcome this narrative in a rigid, cost-conscious environment? Saving Changes...
I'd hope that the leaders of each functional area would be communicating the need for fiscal restraint appropriately so that such bad press wouldn't emerge.
And while larger projects might not be possible, ongoing continuous improvement might be doable, especially if it is happening within operational teams.
I'd also argue that I've rarely seen "no projects" fly as that implies stagnation which leads to obsolescence...
Kiron
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1 reply by Danielle Smithen
May 25, 2023 2:12 PM
Danielle Smithen
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Thank you. There is certainly not stagnation, as there are several tech debt and application improvement projects still going on. We have internally-developed applications that we're continuing to enhance and maintain, and just last year, I took on an ERP-level project to replace the technology in all 4300 trucks on the road, which was completed in 5.5 months. But that project request obviously came from the top down, which is not the level of projects being referred to in the question of course.
The only thing I'm trying to do is overcome the stereotype or misnomer that IT does not want to work with the business to solve problems and issues, which is not the case at all. It's just that the final decision for projects that solve these problems come from VPs in those departments, who aren't currently approving any of them.
Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Danielle,
looks like a vicious slope. Maybe start looking for a new job (and you might not be the only one).
Cost pressure comes often as the last resort, when VPs have individual targets but not the capability to reach them going forward. Any suggestion you can make is probably seen as inappropriate.
There should be a strategy that recognises current challenges, implemented thru a project portfolio and investing resources to build the future. And staff should be aware of it and engaged to support. Saving Changes...
Patrice BlanchardExpert in transferring his expertise| Museum Box srlBraine L'Alleud, Brabant Wallon, Belgium
Danielle, you mention that there is a strict cost management because of the industry you are in.
When I read your post, It gives me the feeling that the IT department is not working at all.
I am pretty sure I am wrong. I guess the IT department could be working on the existing projects but would be reluctant to starting new projects that would require additional resources.
Projects are probably being developped and it is important to complete them before starting new ones.
In a nutshell, they are probably working on completing projects that you have requested in the past.
Am I wrong in my understanding?
Do you want to cancel old projects to start new ones? This could be a choice. Everything is pretty much related to choices and prioritisation. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Trying to move from cost focused to benefit focused. I worked a lot on this things and the key is "demonstrate that all people will be more reach with the solution than without it, where rich does not mean more money only". It is not easy but it worked for me. There are some methods that could help on that like Solution Selling (or SPIN selling) for example. Saving Changes...
I agree with Kiron. If it isn't possible to develop any project right now, continuous improvement of existing products, processes, and services must be done, to stay in movement with the work, otherwise, personnel will be static and paralyzed. Saving Changes...
I have certainly been in the situation where due to cost concerns, only absolutely essential projects get worked and all discretionary ones are paused until the cost environment improves. A lot of businesses saw that during COVID where revenue plunged and resources became scarce.
When IT becomes the bottleneck for teams outside of IT, that's when you need to look for alternate solutions. Inventing solutions from the bottom up may be more time consuming but it may be your only path forward. Having people on your team who have enough IT skills to develop some home grown tools is always a big help and internal staffing may be something you can influence. Sometimes those very tools become the standard for excellence.
If you are proposing projects that require changing tools that only IT can work, (often tools that span multiple organizations) you need to be very clear about what problem you are trying to fix. The cost of the Do Nothing option can often far exceed targeted improvements and they would be better served shifting budget to IT than spending it in another organization on wasteful processes. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Like Keith, I suggest you look at other alternatives to get your projects delivered. One option is to simply outsource the work. Another option is to use citizen development with low-code/no-code tools. Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
It looks like that there is a big wall between IT department and business departments in your company. In addition, it seems to be no clear process of taking a project request to feasibility study to get approval. In my opinion, for each project request, simple or complex, you should build a team with members from IT department and requesting departments and also include VP as the project sponsor. With that in hand, you will never worry about the blame from requesting departments when your proposal for a new project is not approved. All members already know WHY. Saving Changes...
Prioritization is important. You can focus on quick fixes as well as CI. However, communicating the values of the new projects and needs are a very important key. Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
