Project management: Have we applied all that we know?

Thorough application of proper management applied to any project significantly increases the probability of success and provides a quality data base of estimating criteria for a data processing organization.

Abstract

Information systems projects are often successfully justified but fail in their development. This is usually caused by ineffective management of the project during development combined with an overemphasis on coding techniques. A proven management methodology effectively applied to every project addresses the unpredictability of new objectives, personnel re-organizations, and changing priorities. Key management components include: obtaining management commitment, planning the work, organizing the staff, setting project standards, guiding the team, communicating with general management, documenting decisions, motivating staff, negotiating changes, and training the user. Thorough application of these principles during each project, combined with tracking the actual performance versus the schedule, provides a quality data base of estimating criteria for a data processing organization. Experience indicates proper management applied to any project significantly increases the probability of success.