Why companies are seeing red on their projects

AccTech Systems recently facilitated an executive roundtable discussion where CFOs, CIOs and financial directors from some of South Africa's top companies discussed the various problems faced in the implementation of projects.

Microsoft Business Solutions Manager at AccTech, Aldo van Tonder, facilitated the discussion.

"The companies represented at the roundtable came from various industry sectors, including veterinarian, pharmaceutical, financial services and construction," says Van Tonder.

"One might think that having representation from such a wide audience would result in a diverse set of responses, and yet the problems faced in project management seems to run like a golden thread through every single organisation."

The panel agreed that discipline, the enforcement of rules and corporate governance, actively managing projects, reporting on projects, communications within project teams, effective planning, and a having a bird's eye-view on the entire project, were the eight major factors contributing to the success or lack of success of a project.

Says Van Tonder: "Without wanting to single out any specific factors, discipline and the enforcement of rules seemed to take much of the flack for project failure. One can never rule out the human factor, and employees not following structured project disciplines and methodologies such as PMBOK (Project Management Book of Knowledge) often drive project deadlines and budgets into the proverbial red. The forced legislative adherence to corporate governance such as Basel II and Sarbanes-Oxley adds more pressure to the already stressed executive and project manager."

Participating in the roundtable discussion was Dharini Raidoo, Director of Services at AccTech Systems. "Actively managing a project for the ever-changing business environment with pre-emptive scenarios could eliminate many project headaches," says Raidoo. "From a services-project delivery viewpoint, we are often faced with project managers giving us their personal opinion on the progress of a project and these opinions are not based on predefined project formulas, which if properly adhered to, would allow for consistent reporting across various projects. What every single executive requires is a bird's eye-view on all aspects of the project, and the IT industry has a major role to play in achieving this view."

Van Tonder agrees: "The IT industry could probably be singled out as an industry where organisations were forced to turn the management of IT projects into a science. Not delivering on project deadlines during an IT development often has dramatic effects, and this has taken IT project management to a next level. Modern technology vendors have adapted the principles applied during IT projects into solutions now available to all industries and business divisions. The answers are out there and the adoption of these solutions should see a dramatic improvement in not only project management, but service delivery in general."

Executives wanting to participate in future roundtable discussion can send their details and fields of interest to microsoft@acctech.biz.