With the growing importance of the information technology field, it's not that hard to find cases in which projects aren't successfully completed. In some situations, challenges can lead to failures that can delay the roadmap or even prevent the planned delivery.
However, it's possible to anticipate and understand the potential blockers that teams may face, mitigating risks and achieving the expected results.
In this article, we'll explore the main obstacles that can haunt IT teams and what can be done to overcome them. In many cases, simple and straightforward measures can change the course of the project, helping the team avoid failures and achieve the company's expected results with efficiency and productivity.
Let's dive in!
What is an IT project?
Before delving into the field of information technology and the possible blockers to the success of initiatives, let's take a step back and define the concept of a project.
According to the 6th edition of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, a project is "a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result." However, the "temporary" nature doesn't necessarily mean that all projects are done in a short period of time.
Whether in the IT field or any other industry, projects can be aimed at creating something new or improving something that already exists. Given our focus on technology, projects can involve the development of applications, e-commerce platforms, cybersecurity initiatives, cloud infrastructure migration, or process automation, for example.
A project can be considered done in positive or negative scenarios: when the planned objectives are achieved, when there are no more resources available for allocation, when there's no longer a need to fulfill the objectives, or even when there's closure due to legal or convenience reasons.
Why do some IT projects go wrong?
As the IT sector grows in terms of importance, it's normal for challenges to increase as well. Despite the team's efforts, there are cases where IT projects may not achieve the expected results, and several factors can contribute to these initiatives falling short of their goals. Let's understand some of the causes:
1. Undefined scope
One of the most common problems is the lack of a clear and well-defined scope. Without a comprehensive understanding of what the project should achieve, it's easy to lose focus and end up with imprecise results. To avoid this problem, it's important to identify and involve relevant stakeholders in the project, as well as to clearly define and understand delivery expectations.
2. Lack of communication and alignment
This is an obstacle that applies to any professional sector, but in the IT field, a lack of alignment can lead to tasks being developed incorrectly, resulting in time and resource loss, as well as potential conflicts between stakeholders. Establishing communication channels, defining expectations, and keeping project documentation up-to-date are simple but effective actions that can have a positive impact on the team.
3. Absence of a risk management plan
Without an estimation of possible risks that could affect an IT project, the chances of success become increasingly distant, and unforeseen issues can jeopardize the roadmap and even the completion of the initiative, not to mention the financial impact on the company. Considering what could go wrong during the project's stages and what to do if these errors become a reality is not related to pessimism but rather with organization.
4. Lack of testing
When developing IT projects, it's crucial to consider testing (quality assurance) in the roadmap. In addition to increasing the chances of finding bugs and errors, a lack of testing compromises security and, consequently, jeopardizes the reputation of the company.
5. Lack of monitoring
Regardless of the project's size, it's important to monitor it in all stages to ensure that execution, resources (both human and financial), and the roadmap are adequate and that unforeseen events can be properly managed. This is when workflow orchestration software like Qntrl can assist teams by providing task status visibility to all stakeholders.
Whether for technical or strategic reasons, IT project failures are common, but technology itself offers resources that can minimize these setbacks and bring teams closer to positive results. Let's explore one of these practices that can boost company performance:
BPM: A valuable tool for IT projects
In some companies, it's common to have multiple IT projects running simultaneously. We've seen that there are many variables to keep an eye on to prevent failures, and with multiple projects, it may seem even more challenging to prevent issues from affecting product delivery.
However, there are tools and strategies that aim to manage processes and ensure that work is executed smoothly. One of them is business process management (BPM), a set of practices that aim to optimize activities and increase the team's productivity.
BPM can be implemented by companies in various industries, and technology is essential for its execution. The use of workflow orchestration software, as mentioned earlier, makes implementing this management approach even easier, as it reduces the chances of human error and streamlines execution.
In the IT sector, automation can be a significant optimization for teams, as it can reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks and keep the team focused on more complex tasks.
Implementing BPM
Mapping out tasks to be executed is the first step in implementing BPM. With the identification and planning of activities, it's possible to pinpoint where there's a higher chance of finding bottlenecks and, at the same time, opportunities for improvement.
Next, it's time to standardize processes by creating a model that will serve as a guide for current and future projects. Finally, the optimization stage reinforces the improvements made in previous steps.
Through this implementation, companies can achieve benefits, such as increased productivity, cost reduction, and greater agility in delivering results. Security and control over activities are also advantages resulting from this implementation.
With information technology playing a central role in our lives, the success of IT projects is crucial in the market. That's why the ability to prevent significant failures, coupled with continuous learning and improvement, is essential to pave the path to success for organizations and professionals in the field.
GUEST WRITER: Marina Meireles
