A project Management Perspective- by Peter Geach
The purpose of most business projects is to deliver business benefit, either by reducing costs or by increasing revenue. Over the years, we have participated in many projects that completed successfully in terms of cost, time and quality, but the full-anticipated business benefit was not always realised. This concerned us. Why do successful projects not deliver business benefit?
When we started managing projects, our focus was on project management process and the tasks that the project team needed to perform. We had skilled technology implementation specialists and we addressed the system design, architecture and rollout activities. These projects were challenging enough, resolving cost versus quality concerns and the many typical technology problems that projects encounter. We also put emphasis on hands-on training from the implementation team to the operational staff. Our focus was on the technology and the technology training for these initial projects. These technology focussed initiatives completed successfully, but business benefit was not being realised
When we asked ourselves why the companies were not realising business benefit, we found that the staff were not maintaining and using the infrastructure that the project had implemented. The staff was still performing their functions the way they had prior to the projects. Our answer to this was to change the processes as well as implementing the technology. The project teams completed these projects successfully yet again; months after implementation, these technology and process oriented projects were not realising business benefit.
Again looking at what happened, we saw that the staff were not following the new processes. For various reasons, the people involved in performing the operational functions preferred doing things the old way.
We now believe that the People are the most important component of any People, Process or Technology change. If People resist the change, they will be able to find reasons for things NOT to work. If People WANT to embrace the change, they WILL be able to provide business benefit, even if the Process and Technology are flawed. If people WANT to make it work, they WILL.
About Peter Geach- AIF Mentor
Peter is a seasoned entrepreneur and business mentor with a proven track record of success. With over 20 years of experience in ICT management and business development, he has founded and successfully operated six businesses. Peter’s passion lies in supporting small businesses, providing guidance and mentorship in areas such as financial planning, human resources, and strategic development. His empathetic approach and commitment to empowering others have made him a valuable resource for countless entrepreneurs, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their goals.
