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Project Management
The role of project management is critical to the success of any venture. At Custom Clouds, we follow our own carefully crafted Process Centric Methodology based on Microsoft’s Sure Step implementation framework and enhanced with our own best practices from years of support and implementation experience.
The statistics on implementation failures are a brutal indication that the importance of project management shouldn’t be taken lightly. Project management keeps your implementation organized and prioritized, minimizes scope creep, keeps the project moving, boosts morale, and identifies and communicates risks. Investing in a partner with a proven track record for project management, and a clear plan for fruition gets you a giant step closer to a successful result.
As veterans of Microsoft support, the Custom Clouds team has seen many projects struggle when the designed solutions would’ve succeeded with proper planning, staffing, and the right implementation approach. We’ve achieved 100% delivery on our customer projects and observed lessons from other failed or unstable implementations. With our breadth of knowledge and depth of experience, Custom Clouds can circumvent common missteps and lead your project through to realization.
Planning is vital in laying the groundwork for your project’s success. We feel strongly about the work that leads up to the Kickoff Meeting, which we’ve termed the Planning Phase. The Stoneridge Planning Phase includes the Project Plan, the Project Charter, and the Kickoff Meeting.
The project charter, a key foundation for any implementation, is a high-level view of the project plan and is the basis for the kickoff meeting.
A Project Charter Has Four Main Sections:
Confident Clouds Software delivers a thoughtful approach using our own Process Centric Methodology and Joint Process Design, to assist with your implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365. We have the expertise and experience to ensure that Dynamics 365 is implemented successfully.
Why?
These are the project's key objectives, business benefits & metrics, and success factors.
What?
It’s important to document not only what the scope “is”, but what is “out” so that the core implementation doesn’t lose focus.
When?
Phases of the project are decided and what will be delivered in each phase, to forecast a go-live date.
How?
This is where it is decided who is serving in the various roles on the project, including the internal project team, the consulting team and any third party vendors or subcontractors.
What is Project Management?
Project management in IT refers to the application of project management principles and practices to the planning, execution, and delivery of technology projects. IT project managers oversee the entire project lifecycle, from initial planning and scoping to project execution, monitoring, and closure.
Overall, IT project management is a critical function for organizations that rely on technology to achieve their business objectives. Effective project management helps ensure that technology projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of stakeholders.
Project Management involves several key activities, including:
1. Defining Project Scope and Objectives:
IT project managers work with stakeholders to determine the goals, deliverables, timelines, and budget for the project.
2. Developing Project Plans:
Project managers create detailed plans that outline the project activities, resource requirements, timelines, and risks.
3. Managing Project Resources:
Project managers coordinate the activities of the project team, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately and that team members have the tools and support they need to complete their tasks.
4. Monitoring Project Progress:
Project managers track project progress against the project plan, identifying and addressing issues and risks.
5. Communicating with Stakeholders:
Project managers keep stakeholders informed about project progress, risks, and issues, and work to ensure that stakeholder expectations are met.
6. Closing out the Project:
IT project managers oversee the closure of the project, including final testing, documentation, and handover to support teams.
Project Recovery
Project recovery refers to the process of restoring a failing or troubled project to a state of health and success. Projects may encounter a variety of challenges and issues that can cause them to fall behind schedule, exceed budget, or fail to meet their objectives. Project recovery is the process of identifying the root causes of these issues, developing a plan to address them, and implementing corrective actions to get the project back on track.
The project recovery process typically involves a comprehensive review of the project’s status and performance, including its objectives, timelines, budget, and resource allocation. This review helps identify areas of weakness and potential roadblocks, such as inadequate planning, poor communication, insufficient resources, or technical issues. Once these issues are identified, the recovery plan can be developed, which typically includes a set of specific actions and timelines to address each issue and get the project back on track.
Project recovery may involve various stakeholders, including project managers, technical experts, executives, and other team members. It requires a collaborative and proactive approach, as well as a willingness to make difficult decisions and take swift action when necessary. Successful project recovery requires strong leadership, effective communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.