I have just been contracted as Project Manager (PM) for a Project that is substantially finished and I can see I'm going to have a little challenge with my first meeting with the Project Owner (PO), from both a lack of understanding and on a political front. I'm looking for advice on how to handle the situation. . .
The Project is an upgrade to a new version of the company's accounting software. The upgrades/customisations have been complete (18 months work), but now they need it implemented. The implementation is initially for one city (estimated 2 months), but eventually across Canada (in a phased approach). The company has just been bought by a substantially "Larger Company". The "Larger Company" also has some requirements of this accounting software, though not yet fully specified (here comes Project Creep . . .).
The PO is the Controller for the "Larger Company" and is not familiar with this accounting software and has taken over the budget responsibility of the software implementation. I have spoken with the PO twice on the phone (the Phase 1 project team are in 5 different cities) and spoken also with people involved in the project for the past 18 months. I get the vibe she does not feel there is a need for a PM and she feels the decision for a PM "was thrust upon her by the original company".
There was discussion at one stage of writing off the $500,000 plus work on the accounting software and just using the "Larger Company's" substantially less sophisticated software ('cause it was the easy option). In addition the boss of the "Larger Company" may have put pressure on the PO to go with the project.
So as I said lack of understanding of software, or of the advantage of using a PM for the Implementation; and Politics in the "Larger Company".
