Who decides which IT projects get the green light?

How are you ensuring the right transformation projects in your organisation are being funded? Who has the power to give these projects the go-ahead or stop an ineffective project in its tracks?  

Governance is a key part of any organisational strategy. Particularly in larger organisations, this is controlled and monitored by a Steering Group or Governance Board. Their role is to ensure resources are focused on projects that align with the organisation’s overall strategy. 

Without a Governance Board, you end up with an organisation that makes tactical, short-term improvements but, in the long run, wastes resources duplicating effort and creating confusing systems and processes. 

Inadequate project governance is easy to recognise when you know what you’re looking for. Do you see any of these symptoms in your organisation? 

1. Projects are implemented to solve a specific problem, but end up creating new problems that somebody outside the consultation could have predicted.
   
   
2. There’s a lack of communication between teams or departments, resulting in duplication of effort. For example, the IT department has implemented Microsoft Teams, while HR uses Zoom, resulting in increased costs and data sprawl.
    
   
3. Projects keep being closed down without feedback being given to the person who submitted them. Subsequently, people keep submitting similar proposals because the problems they are struggling with are not being addressed.
   
   
4. When new systems are brought in, stakeholders are reluctant to adopt them because they do not understand the purpose or value of the improvement. 
   
   

What does great project governance look like? 

When an organisation has strong project governance, every project is aligned with its overall strategy. Every project supports every other project. Every project delivers ROI, and there is no unnecessary crossover between projects. 

Good project governance provides a clear set of criteria against which all projects are assessed. The roadmap for change within the organisation is clear and structured to enable better planning and more effective, efficient decision-making. 

We’ve worked with many clients to undertake digital transformations, including establishing project governance processes and procedures. The first step is always to conduct an in-depth analysis of your current systems and processes to establish a baseline for change, including your business users, so they can share the value they get from using technology today . 

If you need help getting started with an IT transformation, please give us a call.