Given that Information Technology departments work in a very “project-centric” world, it should come as no surprise that the IT Project Management team plays a critical role in the success of an organization. Whether it is a large scale infrastructure upgrade, moving to a Cloud solution, or you are implementing a new application for your office, a well-established project management team can reduce risk, improve project flow, and help ensure that the project meets deadlines and expectations.
While generally associated with hitting deadlines and scheduling meetings, The IT Project Management Team, or Project Management Office (PMO), is responsible for much more than that. The PMO, and the IT Weapons Project Management Team in particular, is responsible for the following key elements of an IT project:
Initiation and Project Kickoff: Project Kickoff meetings are essential for the future success of a project. During project kickoff, the project sponsor and the IT team involved in the project meet to discuss requirements, potential hurdles, expectations, and deadlines. This is documented by the Project Manager and disseminated to all required parties, ensuring that everyone understands the importance of the project and the desired outcome. Often, an IT project can fail without properly communicating goals and requirements, and this step is designed to keep that from happening.
Planning and Execution: IT Projects often have a lot of steps and stages. From assessing the current environment, to end user testing, a lot of separate tasks need to be properly completed. An IT Project Manager will create a detailed project plan, which will help all parties visualize the project in its entirety. This will make sure important steps are not skipped, and everything is being completed properly and efficiently.
Monitoring and Communication: IT Project Management continues to play a vital role throughout the life cycle of the project. Project managers keep a close eye on scope, budget, time, and risk during the project, and take appropriate action when necessary. Communication is another key role, as the Project Manager makes sure that all parties are informed of any changes or potential restraints so that there are no surprises. When working with a large team on an IT Project, the Project Manager acts a single point of contact, allowing for quicker delivery of information for everyone involved.
Project Closing: Project Managers make sure that each phase of a project is properly closed, as well as the entire project once it has been completed. This step is required so that all parties can agree that the work has been completed, and that the ownership of the project is properly transferred from the project team to the team who will be managing the new technology.
The IT Weapons Project Management Team:
The IT Weapons Project Management Team manages all project work for IT Weapons, including for our managed clients and internal projects. Our team has a wide range of experience and focuses on assessing and eliminating risk during a project. Another key benefit of our internal IT Project Management Team is that it takes pressure away from our technical consultants, who can focus on the technical aspects of the project, knowing that the Project Manager owns communication, scope control, and the execution of the Project Plan.
What to know more about our PMO? Reach out to us to learn how Project Management can work for you.
