Keep your IT project running smoothly by reading our experts' tips and best practices about methodologies, agile, software, collaboration, risk management, and learning from failed projects.
A work breakdown structure is the best way to understand the detailed work of a project when you have to build a schedule from scratch. It lets you break the project down into the major phases, deliverables, and work components that will be built by the project. You can then break down these work components ...
One of the most important functions of an IT department is the ability to successfully implement projects: fixed duration activities with a specific result. Most IT leaders have realized that the commodity functions of IT, like keeping the network up and the servers humming, are now a baseline expectation. Projects are increasingly becoming how they ...
Project management skills are essential elements in a leader’s tool kit, allowing them to coordinate their teams, plan tasks efficiently, and drive successful innovation. This list, created by Madeline Clarke for TechRepublic Premium, provides 10 books that cover efficient approaches to project management, insights into top methodologies, and constructive guidance for overseeing and executing projects. ...
Vendors are key to the success of almost every information technology consultant. Strong vendor relationships help good consultants excel, but a dysfunctional vendor alliance can sink even the most astute of consulting firms. Thus, vendor relationships are critical, yet their importance is often (and easily) overlooked. So what’s a time-pressed consultant to do? This checklist, ...
If your country is in an economic slump, obtaining funding for IT projects will be more difficult than ever. How can you get budget conscious managers to loosen the purse strings and give you the money that you need to complete your pet project? TechRepublic Premium presents five tips that can help. Featured text from ...
Employing project management in the medical area is necessary since it helps healthcare institutions function effectively and deliver top-notch care for consumers while safeguarding them from potential risks. Having the right person capable of effectively managing healthcare projects plays an essential role in contributing to the success of your organization in this complex industry. This ...
Coordinating the smooth execution of large projects that rely on team collaboration requires a well-organized individual who can efficiently navigate the intersection of technical standards and organizational goals. This is the role of a technical project manager. This customizable hiring kit, written by Maria Carrisa Sanchez for TechRepublic Premium, provides a framework your business can ...
You may have heard the phrase “Be proactive, not reactive.” It’s certainly appropriate when discussing how to best deal with mistakes. The idea, of course, is to prevent mistakes before they occur. But how exactly do you do that? In this guide, TechRepublic Premium will detail 10 ways you can pre-empt mistakes during project development. ...
Even though no technology can take the place of talking face to face, the following ideas from TechRepublic Premium can help you better manage a dispersed project team. Featured text from the download: 3: Plan the handoffs Sometimes, multiple people in different locations are working on the same, or related, deliverables. In these cases, the ...
No organization has the resources to do every project that comes along. One of the key functions of corporate leadership is deciding which initiatives are going to move forward and which ones need to be tabled. For an IT department to be successful, an effective approach to prioritization is key. This guide and its accompanying ...
This cheat sheet from TechRepublic Premium is designed to provide a consistent and systematic way to record job candidates’ qualifications, experience, professional goals and temperament. It includes a section for general information followed by position-specific questions. Featured text from the cheat sheet: How have you previously developed a budget for a project with which you ...
As worldwide energy needs and concerns about climate change continue to increase, environmentally responsible business practices are critical for the successful future of a company and the markets in which it operates. This IT Data Center Green Energy Policy, written by Scott Matteson for TechRepublic Premium, is intended to meet green standards for IT data ...
Every discipline has its own vocabulary, and project management is no exception. Part of the process of successfully deploying project management in an organization is to standardize the terminology. That way, when one person talks about risks, scope, issues, requirements and other project management concerns, everyone else knows what they’re referring to. This glossary from ...
Accurately calculating an IT project’s costs and benefits is among the most challenging of professional tasks. The practice requires expertise in planning and executing projects, developing budgets, and understanding how both costs and benefits change over the life of a technical initiative. The accompanying IT Project Cost/Benefit Calculator, from TechRepublic Premium, provides a customizable spreadsheet ...
Projects are typically complex, which is particularly true when software, hardware and information technologies are involved. Hence, there is a need for a thorough written plan, complete with a budget and defined goals, milestones, and a carefully drafted schedule among other elements. For a project to succeed, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of project ...