50 Top IT Project Management Challenges

Book description

A summary of the challenges facing today's IT project manager

Discussions on project management forums highlight many of the challenges facing a project manager during the course of a project. Unclear requirements, scope creep and undefined roles are well-trodden issues that can derail a project. Other challenges are less obvious, often more subtle, but equally destructive.

Facing up to the challenges

This book offers a focused and concise summary of 50 challenges facing today's IT project manager. The authors draw on years of practical experience (rather than classroom theory) to outline these challenges and offer useful tips and advice on how to deal with them.

Challenge and response

Readers of this book will be better equipped to respond to key project management challenges, including

  • Building the team – getting the right resources, matching skills/knowledge, defining roles and responsibilities.
  • Project scope – clarifying assumptions, avoiding ambiguity, getting the time/cost estimates right.
  • Politics – communicating with management and stakeholders, dealing with conflict, handling interference and micro-managing.
  • Risk awareness – identifying inside/outside influences, recognising inbound and outbound dependencies.
  • Time management – using the right planning tools, balancing work versus meetings.
  • Failure – handling the blame game, protecting the team, rescuing the project.

This book condenses into a handy summary much of the information and advice that can be found in project management related books and discussion forums. It is an ideal reference for anyone involved in IT project management, from professional service organisations (PSO) and project management offices (PMO), through to active project managers and studying graduates.

Buy this book and deliver your next project on time, on budget and to specification!

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Introduction
  6. Challenge 1: Unclear Requirements
  7. Challenge 2: Missed Requirement
  8. Challenge 3: Delay in Document Approvals
  9. Challenge 4: Scope Creep
  10. Challenge 5: Unclear Risks and Issues
  11. Challenge 6: Project Infrastucture Issues
  12. Challenge 7: Service Introduction Challenges
  13. Challenge 8: Undefined Project Dependencies
  14. Challenge 9: Project Methodology
  15. Challenge 10: Handling Escalation
  16. Challenge 11: Time-driven Projects
  17. Challenge 12: Undefined Roles and Responsibilities
  18. Challenge 13: Post-live Support Uncovered
  19. Challenge 14: Project Infrastructure Delivery Delayed
  20. Challenge 15: Unclear Quality Criteria
  21. Challenge 16: Unstructured Project Costing
  22. Challenge 17: Resource Utilisation
  23. Challenge 18: Revision of Estimates and Timescales
  24. Challenge 19: Vendor Quality Issues
  25. Challenge 20: Wrong Assumptions
  26. Challenge 21: Unclear Business Rollout Approach
  27. Challenge 22: Project Cancellation
  28. Challenge 23: Project Operational Issues
  29. Challenge 24: Undefined Project Critical Path
  30. Challenge 25: Time and Cost Issues
  31. Challenge 26: Overestimation of Projects
  32. Challenge 27: Unmanageable Plan
  33. Challenge 28: Overspent Projects
  34. Challenge 29: Vendor Payment Milestone Issues
  35. Challenge 30: Poor Source Code Quality
  36. Challenge 31: Process Interference
  37. Challenge 32: Project Colour Coding
  38. Challenge 33: Project Go-live Failures
  39. Challenge 34: Project Prototype Failure
  40. Challenge 35: Critical Team Member Absence
  41. Challenge 36: Insufficient Schedule Information
  42. Challenge 37: Insufficient Domain Knowledge
  43. Challenge 38: Insufficient Technical Knowledge
  44. Challenge 39: Delay in Starting Project
  45. Challenge 40: Missing Teamwork
  46. Challenge 41: Performance Appraisal Conflicts
  47. Challenge 42: Project Synergy Missing
  48. Challenge 43: Stakeholder’s Micromanagement
  49. Challenge 44: Project Status Report Issues
  50. Challenge 45: Vendor Contract Confusion
  51. Challenge 46: War with PMO
  52. Challenge 47: Ambiguous statement of Work
  53. Challenge 48: Ambiguous Non-functional Requirements
  54. Challenge 49: Too Many Meetings
  55. Challenge 50: Troubled Project Rescue
  56. ITG Resources

Product information

  • Title: 50 Top IT Project Management Challenges
  • Author(s): Premanand Doraiswamy, Premi Shiv
  • Release date: February 2012
  • Publisher(s): IT Governance Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781849283434