Why is the success rate of projects so dismal? There are several reasons, the top of which are:

1. Lack of user involvement.
2. Improper or changing requirements and specifications.
3. Lack of resources.

I’ve written before on how you can improve the success rates of your IT projects by engaging your end users. Now, I’ll speak about a foundational aspect that can address all areas of IT project challenges.

Many projects are often implemented ad-hoc, except within organisations with a dedicated project office that oversees major projects.

However, any organisations can benefit from similar processes, even if they lack the project management expertise or credentials.

All IT projects can be defined in clear processes that you can map inputs, activities, and deliverables to.

An IT project will have the four basic stages:

1. Plan – At this stage, the project is initiated, and requirements are analysed and documented. A scope of work and/or a high-level design is created on what is to be implemented.

2. Design – The requirements and high-level design are used to create lower level technical design documents that detail the hardware, software, and configuration changes required. Implementation and test plans are also created to ensure quality.

3. Implement – Low-level designs and implementation plans are then used to install the new hardware, software, and configuration changes required in the environment. The test plans are used to ensure quality. Documentation is created, along with training if necessary, to use the new systems implemented.

4. Deliver or Operate – The documentation and training is used to continue to operate and maintain the new infrastructure. The project is then closed.

There is an overarching phase of management of both project activities and quality assurance.

The system has been used by many companies, all calling it something different and even splitting out parts to create many parts.

Many software and hardware vendors use a derivation of this in their “infrastructure lifecycle” methodologies, such as the Cisco PPDIOO Network Lifecycle and the Microsoft Operations Framework. These are all similar, with phases either split off or joined and each with its own special flavours, but the activities are pretty much the same.

I refuse to call it a lifecycle, which gives the idea that these projects go on in perpetuity. Instead, I leave it linear and at the end say that there is some sort of “continuous improvement” taking place, which may then spawn other projects.

This is shown diagrammatically in the figure below along with the associated inputs, activities, and outputs of each phase.

The benefits of using such a structure in your projects are many:

• It gives tangible deliverables at the end of each stage so that everyone knows what to expect.
• It develops a deliberative style to thinking about the designs and the possible challenges they will face.
• It determines the resources required for each stage as you progress.
• It reduces failure of parts, as each proceeding phase develops from the preceding phase.
• It allows a process of deeper thinking as you progress through the project.
• It allows division of labour, so you can hire people with certain skills to handle specific parts where you lack the expertise.
• Teams are a part of the process and share in the learning.
• End-users play their part in the process and can be updated on the progress.
• It makes financing easier since you can determine costs as you progress through each stage, helping you to manage cash flow.
• Quality assurance is built in, helping a project to meet its objectives and reduce risks.
• Project management methodologies can be easily integrated with the process.

Can you see how using such a process will help address those top issues that cause failures of IT projects?

Using an implementation methodology will allow any IT project to be implemented with greater success and bring greater returns to any business. This is the same process that I use to successfully deliver all of my projects, and it will work for you too.

If you would like to know more about how you can use this methodology in your business, please contact me.

Original article: Improve the outcomes of your IT projects by using a design and implementation methodology

©2025 Interxect Services Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Some business leaders are okay with that, like my current customers, others, not so much so, as they consider it a risk, in that I can’t provide additional support. But, I don’t resell any hardware or software (at least not yet, and don’t so that happening in the foreseeable future), so there is little to support. What I do instead is evaluate and recommend hardware or software for purchase, and work to ensure that it’s implemented to meet the objectives, whether I do the implementation, or work with other vendors.

Because I work alone, I cannot provide extended support beyond the project life. But what I do is work closely with the in-house team to pass on the knowledge of how the systems work, and how to maintain and operate them. I do this using a combination of hands on training during the implementation, and documentation when the project is completed. Sometimes there are a few calls afterwards, but it dies down soon enough once the team is comfortable with the new systems.

In my experience, my clients, and their team, love this approach, as they get to learn new technologies, and new ways of doing things. And what’s more, is that the business benefits, because as they staff learns, the business itself grows, as the staff is more capable than before.

Many consultants don’t like this approach as they believe that it gives away their intellectual property, and prefer to have support contracts instead. I like to think that I’m expanding my expertise. If my clients know as much as I do, then I better keep learning to keep providing value. Keeping a client ignorant is not providing value, and instead diminishes the relationship that you may have.

Some businesses want to have consultants that they can call at any time and get support, and that’s fine, but that’s not what I do. I often take calls from my current clients in cases of emergency or when they are looking for some advice, as I know how difficult working within IT can be sometimes; however, I cannot guarantee that that can always happen. And if a prospect can’t accept that, then it means that we can’t do business together; there are many other consultants out there who can service you.

However, if you want expert advice, quality work, and staff that will develop to support your growing business, then give me a call and let’s talk.

Original article: And what works instead.'">Why I don’t do support contracts And what works instead.

©2025 Interxect Services Limited. All Rights Reserved.

These same reports put lack of user involvement and stakeholder engagement as one of the top obstacles that these IT projects face.

I think that IT departments sometimes forget that they’re there to help end-users do their job; IT is a tool for the business, but users are treated as secondary to the operations. This is particularly so with IT projects. I suppose it’s because it’s easy for IT teams to get absorbed and giddy with new technologies.

Users are consulted, but at the beginning of the project, and only to get the “user requirements”. The IT department then goes off to work to create the next big thing. They return later with the finished product and the users hate it. Tony Collins once said, “Users are likely to reject any system that gives them what they asked for. Better… to understand what users do rather than what they say they do.”

You can increase the chances of success of IT projects by collaborating and getting buy-in from users. Even projects that are on the brink of failure can be recovered and go on to be successful, as the PM Solutions report shows.

Here are some ways to work with your users to increase project success rates.

• Truly engage your users. Don’t just put them in a meeting and tell them what you are doing, but listen to them. Ask about their thoughts; tell them your difficulties and ask for their input on how you may solve them. You might be amazed at what you may get.
• Start training them from the start. If you have an exam in the next couple of months, you don’t wait until the last minute to study (ok, maybe some of you do, but you don’t do that well, and you forget everything by the next day); instead you study and practice a bit before the exam so you can ace it. So why does the IT department expect users to suddenly adopt the new IT system when it goes live with little or no training? Instead start training them once you have a minimum viable product. The feedback you get would also be very valuable.
• Be consistent. Have you ever gone on a diet and achieved your target weight? If you’re like most people, a few months later you’ve gained it all back, or at least a few pounds (sometimes a few more than when you started). People have a tendency to go back to the status quo if you have not put systems in place to keep the change effective. Keep on top of the users, getting their feedback, and incorporating it into continuous improvement.

Original article: Your users hold the key!'">Improve the Success Rates of your IT Projects with these Simple Ideas Your users hold the key!

©2025 Interxect Services Limited. All Rights Reserved.