IT project managers help companies achieve their strategic goals and objectives through technology. They often know IT in depth, but they are also creative and critical thinkers who can solve problems, quickly.
As an IT project manager, you will have to plan, execute and manage technology-centric projects. This includes things like resource allocation, communicating with teams and stakeholders, and delivering projects and implementations on time, and on budget.
Manage software and hardware integrations- Measure the results and impacts of the technological solutions in use
- Protect against security breaches and data risks
- Monitor network updates
IT projects tend to be large and span multiple departments within an organization, so there are unique challenges and responsibilities.
In today’s technology-driven professional landscape, IT project management is closely related to other departments in the organization, and this can lead to several challenges.
What are the challenges of IT project management?
Technology is often expensive: McKinsey found that nearly half of IT projects exceed budget limits .
Because of this, you will need to research, manage, and project future costs related to your IT projects.
Other challenges IT project managers face include the following:
- Ever-changing technology makes existing IT projects obsolete.
- Lack of communication and shared vision between company management and IT.
- Unexpected setbacks and sharp learning curves as team members learn to use new technology.
Additionally, IT projects tend to have more dependencies than other projects within a company. They are more complex and difficult to track, and one mishap could bring the entire project to a halt.
Now the good news. Success rates have improved in recent times. Waste of money dropped an incredible 20% as companies began to manage IT projects differently from other business operations.
How should IT projects be planned and executed?
Creating a solid IT management plan is not much different from plans for other projects. They both follow similar planning steps:
- Identify and connect with stakeholders, including customers and end users
- Determine the objectives
- Specify the items to deliver and the steps necessary to achieve your IT goals
- Design a schedule and identify dependencies
- Carry out a risk assessment and anticipate potential problems
- Present the project plan to stakeholders
IT projects are divided into five processes known as the IT Project Management Lifecycle :
- Initiation: Once the IT objectives are decided, the budget, scope and project manager are assigned.
- Planning: The project manager defines milestones or responsibilities.
- Execution: Teams complete tasks based on the determined methodology.
- Monitoring and control: Elements such as schedule, risk and budget are evaluated and managed through support structures, such as meetings and communication between the team.
- Closing: The elements to be delivered are accepted and the teams analyze the lessons learned from the project.
See for yourself how effective monday.com can be in helping you improve your IT project management skills.