On Resources

“What obstacles do project managers face to successful completion of an Information Technology project?”

Executive Team Member; Large International Non-For Profit

I feel the points are
* Attrition
* Wrong estimates due to lack of clarity on requirement part
* Change of requirements after RR (requirement review or at later stages)
* Talent crunch/Talent availability
* Usage of bad project management tool / Not using them at all

MüTō Observation:

We can group your responses into some basic categories.

First if we look at the causes of Attrition, you'll see that 'employees leave their management' not their jobs. A given technology project may take 9-15 months. Job rotation in corporate america averages 18-27 months. If we look at any given project we are sure to see critical associates leave the project. This attrition can be planned for through constant/clear communication, and if the PM can properly motivate their team, it could even be lessened!

The same skill of clear communication can be attributed to the clarity of requirements. We often times believe its the teller's responsibility. In fact, its a two way street. Both the teller, and the listener has a role to play. Its a project manager's responsibility to make certain that the sponsor/beneficiaries have clearely expressed the project's requirements, and that the suppliers have understood them exactly as they were represented. (neat trick!)