Why Checking on Your IT Project Regularly is Important

Technology plays a vital role in today’s business world. It automates processes, improves efficiency, and enables businesses to reach customers globally. It’s no surprise that many organizations are investing heavily in IT projects to improve their operations.

However, IT projects are not immune to failure. In fact, research shows that about 75% of IT projects either fail to deliver on time, within budget, or meet end-users’ needs. No business wants a failed IT project, which can harm your company’s reputation and cost you money.

To prevent project failures, businesses can conduct an IT project review. But what is an IT project review? An IT project review is a thorough evaluation of an IT project from start to finish. It’s a proactive approach to detect and fix issues before they become major roadblocks.

Conducting an IT project review comes with several benefits. It ensures that the project is aligning with the expected outcome from the beginning. Through constant evaluation, businesses can spot any deviations early and make necessary adjustments. This approach helps keep the project on track, on budget, and on time.

An IT project review is also essential in identifying risks in the project’s lifecycle. Once risks are identified, solutions can be implemented ahead of time, avoiding costly delays, and saving money that would have been spent in reactively mitigating these risks. Regular reviews ensure that all aspects of the project are evaluated, which also helps in identifying improvements that could be made.

Furthermore, an IT project review provides clarity on how communication is flowing between project teams. This evaluation provides management with a birds-eye view of the project’s status and enables them to spot any communication lapses.

Communication also leads us to the question, Who should conduct the review? In many cases, project stakeholders bring in external consultants to conduct the review, which provides an unbiased assessment of the project’s progress. The consultant must meet key criteria, such as deep project management knowledge and experience relevant to your organization, specific technology expertise, and excellent communication skills.

Conversely, the review can be done internally. For example, forming an internal project review committee or assigning an independent person to assess the project’s status. If the organization has long-term plans, skills to conduct an IT project review can be developed internally, saving costs associated with bringing in external consultants.

No business wants a failed IT project, so it’s essential to evaluate the project regularly. Conducting an IT project review will help identify issues early, mitigate risks, improve communication, and align the project to the ultimate goal. So, whether you opt for an independent consultant or an internal review team, ensure that your IT project review is part of your project management process. It’s an approach that will go a long way in helping your business succeed.