Support, Consulting and Project Management in Digital Transformation.
If project management isn't your thing, don't let your strategic initiatives fall behind schedule right from the ideation stage, or get out of hand in terms of scope, schedule and budget. Mitigate your risks and entrust them to a qualified expert!
Technology projects represent a major strategic lever, but they often pose complex challenges. In many small and medium-sized companies, executives often have to improvise as project managers in addition to their strategic and operational responsibilities.
However, a digital transformation project is much more than just introducing a new technology. It's also about managing the resulting change, anticipating risks and ensuring rigorous governance. An adapted approach from the outset is essential to guarantee lasting success.
IT Pre-Project: Why is a Business Case essential?
A well-structured business case can answer key questions such as, but not limited to, the following:
- What problem(s) are we trying to solve? What gain(s) do we want to achieve?
- Why should we invest in THIS project rather than another?
- Will we develop internally or externally? What resources will we need?
- What risks do we envisage?
- What financing program(s) should we consider?
- What impact will this change have?
Without these answers, a project can quickly become a money pit. This is particularly true of digital transformation projects, where the illusion of progress can also mask a lack of governance...
IT Project: Why the illusion of control can cost you?
When a manager lacks strategic clarity and believes that a project can be managed on an ad hoc basis, the consequences can be disastrous:
- Poorly controlled risk Erratic or improvised planning, lack of a risk management framework.
- Poor supplier governance Excessive dependence on a service provider with no established governance mechanisms.
- Long delays A poorly framed project means constant adjustments.
- Cost overrun Lack of budgetary control and realistic forecasts.
- Unsatisfactory results A final product that does not meet requirements (" NO Fit-for-Use/ NO Fit-for-Purpose ")
Risk management in an IT project is a discipline in itself. Identifying potential threats at the outset, assessing their impact and planning mitigation strategies enables you to better plan and prepare a response strategy to unforeseen events, and therefore to be proactive rather than reactive.
Similarly, procurement management is critical to ensuring the performance level of adequate results and the quality of deliverables from external suppliers.
Project management with an external supplier What is your role?
A Digital Transformation Project requires a lot of energy...! How many hours a week are you available to make sure it doesn't fall apart?
An integrator or an external supplier masters the solution it sells, but what about the potential involvement on the customer's side? Managers need to be aware that their role is crucial at every stage of the project:
- Initiation : Development of business case, business requirements, assessment & change management strategy, preliminary high-level project plan, budget envelope, etc.
- Definition: Scope, approval preliminary designs of solution architecture ("On-Prem" or "Cloud"?), Co-creation of SOW (specifications), Roles & responsibilities (RACI), etc.
- Construction : Stakeholder engagement, review of deliverables, acceptance testing, monitoring & control of contractual obligations, invoicing, etc.
- Transition : Production start-ups, training, support, solution and architecture upgrades, etc.
If you neglect these aspects, you leave your project in the hands of the supplier alone... What about your strategic and operational challenges?
Risk and supply management become critical to avoid major drifts,
some food for thought for you :
- Do you have a strategy for identifying and mitigating risks from the outset?
- How do you address coordination and communication between each stakeholder?
- Do you have the necessary transparency with your supplier? How will you ensure this?
- How do you ensure effective management of governance and contractual obligations?
- Do you have contingency plans in case of supplier failure?
- Do your procurement processes guarantee the quality and conformity of deliverables?
- Is the change well understood? Is the change management strategy clearly defined?
- Are internal stakeholders mobilized and aligned with project objectives?
- Are roles and responsibilities documented and understood by all?
- How do you monitor and control supplier deliverables?
- Do you have the resources to monitor and control project costs?
- Do you have a clear plan for the transition from project to operations (MEPs)?
- What is your strategy for upgrading the solution after implementation?
A well-defined project is a winning project
SMEs face a number of challenges: lack of qualified resources, overworked managers, risks associated with poor governance, and underestimated change management.
A well-managed IT project starts with :
✅ A rigorous business case
✅ Proper planning
✅ Proactive management
Don't let your project drift... Make sure you have a solid structure to turn your ambitions into lasting success.
👉Contact me today for personalized support and start your projects on the road to success!
About the author
With over 20 years of experience management Information Technology, Éric Auger helps companies accelerate their value delivery and optimize their organizational performance. IT consultant specializing in project management, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Practitioner, Kanban management expert and Agility coachI combine strategy, tactics and operations to maximize your competitiveness in the digital age.
Passionate about digital transformationI work with organizations to optimize their value flowguaranteeing sustainable competitive advantage. I also like share my expertise and help professionals strengthen their skills in project management and agility.
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