Who Can Benefit from This Handbook

CHAPTER 1

Differentiating Enterprise IT Projects

This chapter provides an overview of IT projects, contrasting enterprise IT projects with smaller-scale initiatives like enhancements, production support, and business projects. By identifying unique challenges and human resource requirements, the chapter helps readers understand the strategies and skills necessary for successful IT project execution. It also discusses the importance of tailored technology solutions and how an organisation's unique strategic objectives and operational needs influence technology solutions.

Additionally, the chapter explores the role of process specialists, illustrating how their responsibilities differ between enterprise IT projects and process-focused projects. It demonstrates that the same project can result in different outcomes depending on whether it is approached from an IT or process perspective.

Chapter 2

The Human Element in IT Projects

This chapter examines the human element in enterprise IT projects, focusing on how individual expertise influences project delivery. It differentiates between pure science, applied science, and artistic approaches, demonstrating their impact on project success.

It also explores the risks of rigidly adhering to standards, the importance of aligning skills with project needs, and the pitfalls of underqualified participants resorting to improvisation instead of structured approaches and best practices.

Chapter 3

IT Service Management and Project Delivery

This chapter examines the role of IT Service Management (ITSM) in the ITIL Service Lifecycle. It focuses on the Service Transition stage and explains how embedding the project lifecycle within ITIL principles improves service delivery. The Extended Service Transition Model is introduced, emphasising the importance of thorough planning and execution during the transition of new services. This model links project activities with ITIL's Service Transition processes for a seamless handover from projects to service management, promoting a disciplined and unified approach to delivering IT services. Finally, the refined interaction of ITIL Service Lifecycle and project phases is discussed, illustrating the dynamic interplay between ITIL processes and project management.

The chapter highlights that enterprise IT projects extend beyond delivering a system and must focus on providing a service. ITIL principles are essential for ensuring that the systems implemented during projects are sustainable and effective over time.

Chapter 4

Project Delivery Models

This chapter explores the Waterfall, Scrum, Scaled Agile Framework, and Hybrid delivery models within the project lifecycle phases ('project phases'), demonstrating how each aligns with the Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing stages. A comparative analysis highlights the differences in approach, helping readers make informed decisions about the most suitable model for their projects.

The chapter compares these models, emphasising the importance of selecting the suitable delivery method based on project needs and providing insight into how each model’s activities are structured across the phases.

Chapter 5

Project Disciplines and Roles

This chapter examines the essential roles and skills needed for enterprise IT project delivery across various methodologies, including Waterfall, Scrum, Scaled Agile Framework, and Hybrid. It highlights the importance of collaborative specialist roles, which consistently demand the same core competencies despite variations in titles and team structures across different delivery models.

The chapter also introduces the Project Skills Matrix, a tool used to identify the skills required for a project and match them with individuals who closely align with these needs. While participants may be recruited based on their perceived qualifications, this tool also evaluates their performance, ensuring that the knowledge and skills demonstrated on paper and in interviews effectively translate into meaningful contributions to the project.

Chapter 6

Project Deliverables

This chapter explores project deliverables across Waterfall, Scrum, SAFe, and Hybrid models. Project deliverables are tangible products essential for executing enterprise IT projects, with critical documents clarifying responsibilities and accountability. It identifies how deliverables vary depending on the delivery model used.

The chapter also introduces tools for tracking deliverables, such as the Project Deliverables Inventory and the Project Deliverables Roadmap. These tools facilitate progress monitoring and timely delivery, ensuring all deliverables are identified and managed throughout the project lifecycle.

Chapter 7

Project Participants

This chapter outlines the roles and responsibilities of project participants in enterprise IT projects, emphasising how clearly defined roles promote accountability and lead to smoother collaboration within teams. It presents tools for assessing participant traits by engagement type based on general observation to help project leaders effectively plan for sourcing participants.

Additionally, the chapter calls for raising standards by defining entry criteria for participation in enterprise IT projects, including the need for relevant professional certifications and extensive experience in smaller-scale IT projects as foundational prerequisites.

Chapter 8

Project Assurance

This chapter begins by addressing poor practices in enterprise IT projects that have led to the necessity for project assurance, offering a more structured approach to ensure alignment with project objectives and quality standards. It discusses how responsibilities currently managed by the PMO and Project Manager can limit effective quality oversight and proposes a shift of these responsibilities to the Project Assurance Manager.

The chapter defines the Project Assurance Manager role, outlining essential qualifications and responsibilities. It also explains how project assurance can be practically integrated across each phase of the project lifecycle, from initiation through to closing, ensuring continuous quality management and improvement.

Checklists are a supplementary resource that enhances the principles found in Enterprise IT Projects: Messing Up Optional. These actionable, step-by-step guides empower you to confidently navigate the complexities inherent in large and multifaceted IT projects. Each checklist targets common challenges, simplifies processes, and drives successful outcomes

New checklists will be added, so check back for updates.

Quick Takes on Enterprise IT Projects

Snippets is a collection of articles and blogs written over the past ten years, covering various aspects of enterprise IT projects. These concise insights, practical advice, and thought-provoking reflections are designed to help business leaders and IT professionals navigate the complexities of project delivery. Explore these bite-sized pieces to gain valuable perspectives on enterprise IT project delivery.