Top things to address in managing an IT Department- Part 3

The next 6 things to address in managing an IT department. We are now at numbers 13-18 and again they are not necessarily in any order of importance. This will be a series of postings until I have completed the total, which stands at about 36 at the moment. Please feed back any comments.

13. Ensure new projects go through an approval process and are tied to business benefits
Usually the demand is greater than the capability so it is important that resources are used wisely to the benefit of the organisation. Create an approval process for new projects where the need is clearly defined, the business benefits, cost and risks are stated plus any return on investment projections. The project should fit into the overall strategy of the business and ideally be in the budget. You may need a senior business executive or committee to review and agree these demands as well as prioritising them.

14. Use project driven methodologies
Consider using dedicated project managers or people trained in a project management methodology to lead the projects. Use a project methodology like Prince2 or PMI but don’t be afraid to adjust them for the size of the organisation, as some can be a bit top heavy. Think the word is Agile. Following this approach will help towards success because they bring some key disciplines to the process.

15. Put projects under a programme plan
With many projects running across an IT department it can be difficult to keep track. Consider using a programme plan approach to ensure visibility of all projects. Use a traffic light (red, amber and green) system to highlight whether the project is under control or not. Depending on size of the organisation consider setting up a project Management office (PMO).

16. Do post project reviews
A lot of the time this is forgotten about. Project delivered so lets move on. However you are missing a trick if you don’t take the time to review the project after completion. Did it complete on time (improved estimating), did we achieve the costs and benefits (improved costing/ budget amendments required etc), What went well/ what didn’t go well (lessons learnt for future projects).

17. Define customer touch points and manage them (don’t be afraid of complaints)IT is a service organisation and your customers are important. Find out who they are. Not just the Department heads but also some of the key people are the next levels down. Set up regular meetings to review IT issues. Don’t be afraid of complaints, tackle then head on. Find out why there was a complaint, sort it out and communicate to the person who complained. They will appreciate that they are being listened to.

18. Put in cost controls
You have a budget but you need to control your costs. Get Finance to send you monthly statements of actual against budget. Drill down to detail if needed. Review the invoice approval process and make sure correct coding and sign off. Get rid of surprises and come in on/under budget.