When IT Projects begin, all looks well. Timelines typically have been well thought out and plans have been put in place to ensure that things move smoothly and according to plan especially according to specific timelines and goals. However, the reality is always different, and this can cause a strain on the project and resources allocated for successful delivery within the previously determined timeline.
An effective way to approach this is to filter every task and goal through the strategy of timely delivery.
Typically, an IT project’s success is mostly dependent on the delivery of specific goals. This approach in itself is not bad, in many cases it is very effective. However, this approach alone does not determine timely delivery especially in time sensitive projects – it will not guarantee success.
Think about this for a moment: If you had 30 minutes, and ONLY 30 minutes to convince your board members to take a risky decision you knew without a shadow of doubt would double the profits of the business over a period of 2 years, what would you do?
The issue is you have just 30 minutes and ONLY 30 minutes to convince – not to pitch your idea but to CONVINCE your board members to go with you on this.
You had all the numbers, and solid evidence to back up your ‘discovery’. You tested it out, hypothetically and had gone through all the possible scenarios. You’ve cross-checked with experts and had gone through thousands of pages of documents to come to this conclusion – that this idea would work, even though never done before. You certainly know it would work; it is risky but done right it will definitely work.
Would you attempt to put in all your findings into the presentation? Would you have all the experts you consulted call into the meeting and give their findings? Would you go through all the steps you went through, explaining each one to prove your point? Would you go into the meeting with all the books you’ve read and the documents you researched?
No! You would not do any of these. You would take your time and carefully distill to perfection or near perfection the absolute vital things required to effectively convey your certainty within the specified time of 30 minutes.
No matter the time it takes you to put the presentation together, you would put in your very best to get this one shot right. You would be passing everything you do, every decision you make, all the preparations for the meeting through the prism of time (your allotted 30 minutes)!
TIME in this case, becomes a key deciding factor regardless of the goal! The goal would mean absolutely nothing if you ran out of time. The goal would also mean absolutely everything within the timeframe if you got it right.
Some IT projects are only valuable if delivered within certain timeframes. Sometimes, it may not be the entire project, it may be certain tasks within the project. Whether one realizes this or not, certain project value can only be delivered within a certain amount of time.
“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” John F. Kennedy
It is therefore important to place time on the same pedestal as the project goals. And where one must take priority over the other, think well before deciding.
