Checklist: Suggestions for a Successful IT System Project

The checklist describes why the IT system project is a victim and how to turn around a failing project. Experience shows that most of the system projects become victims of failure for the following reasons:

• The system development team did not understand the requirements of the customers, stakeholders, and users.
• The scope of the project is not well defined.
• The chosen software and hardware technology changes.
• The project lacks senior management support and commitment.
• The return on investment (ROI) is not realistic.
• The schedule for completing the project is not real.
• The users are resistant because of proprietorship of assets.
• The project lacks professionals with appropriate skills.
• The project lacks cooperation and enthusiasm among the practitioners.
• Fear exists that the success of the project is going to hurt the future business.
• Industry best practices and lessons learned are ignored.
• The project has frequent changes in manpower and management.
• Self-egotism and self-pride play a major part in hurting the project.
• The project was incorrectly presented to senior management.
• Management has a prejudice to dogmatic views.
• Customers, stakeholders, and users are not involved in the progress of the project, creating a vacuum and resistance.
• Professionals are not paid for completing the project; rather, they are compensated for the number of hours billed.
• A nonseasonal manager is assigned to manage a highly visible project.
• The project team has communication problems.
• Miscommunication exists among the key players, management, customers, stakeholders, and users.
• Reuse benefits are not properly communicated among the practitioners.
• The budget dries out.
• Milestones are not achieved on schedule.
• The project is not advertised properly.
• The testers are not involved in the beginning of the project.
• The systems QA and CM sections are not established early enough and involved in the beginning of the project.
• The IT system is not tested well.

[IT Project Management Handbook]