Managing expectations is crucial to delivering systems that perform
to everyone's satisfaction. But it's equally important to nurture
the appropriate success culture in the IT department, writes John
Handby
Technology gets a bad press. We tend not to hear about the success
stories - it's the failures that make the headlines.
Any of us trying to deliver major systems and platforms in this
environment finds the going tough - and it
is a risky
business. Often the technology is the least of our problems as we
seek to alter the way people work and encounter all the issues of
cultural change.
For those at the leading edge, a 100% project success rate is an
unrealistic aspiration. Similarly delivering services at reasonable
cost with no downtime is unattainable. Everybody is familiar with
the time, cost and quality trade-off and the pressures on them to
deliver more with less.
Managing expectations is crucial in ensuring that business
colleagues have a realistic understanding of what can be achieved
within any given timescale and cost. Fortunately there is increased
recognition that the world of technology is complex and those that
manage it face a difficult challenge.
The days when the IT function was bullied into deadlines it did not
believe in are over and the chief information officer is now in a
key position to influence company decisions and ensure realistic
approaches to project and service delivery.
But against this background the CIO is rightly expected to perform
and lead successful investments rather than costly failures. What
can they do to ensure this expectation is met?
Culture within the IT department is crucial - a success
 | | "The days when the IT function
was bullied into deadlines it did not believe in are over and the
CIO is now in a key position to influence company decisions." | | | | | |
| | John Handby | | |
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culture based on good planning, openness, honesty, realism and
personal responsibility/accountability. It is the job of the CIO to
engender this culture and provide the leadership to ensure it
becomes the norm.
The performance of project and service managers is key to this.
Investment in them as individuals is important - listening to what
they have to say and how they recommend going forward.
For new projects, the line I have always adopted is to ensure a
thorough process at the start of the project leading to a
commitment by those involved to deliver to a plan they have
developed. That is the opportunity they have to influence the
various factors and this I have made clear to them.
After that I have left them in no doubt that I have an absolute
expectation that they will deliver against what they have committed
to. Simple but effective. I have rarely been disappointed and
instead pleasantly surprised on many occasions by what people are
capable of.
Service delivery is all about effective management coupled with
educating business colleagues on service level agreements (SLAs)
and the cost implications of different service levels. In these
times of cost containment, it is worth remembering how much money
can be saved by regular reviews of the continuing requirement for a
particular service and the level of provision.
I have found it very effective to sit down with fellow directors
every so often and remind them how much specific services cost - it
is not unusual for someone in their division to be seeking to
perpetuate something that senior managers no longer see the need
for.
Whatever approach works for you, apply it as a real priority to
underpin project and service delivery. Unless you are seen as
successful in delivering what the company needs nobody is going to
listen to you at the strategic level - why should they?
There are some things business colleagues just expect of you. You
must get it right to achieve a wider credibility in their
eyes.
John Handby is chief executiveof CIO Connect, the
UK forum for senior IT executives. He has held a succession of CIO
positions for major organisations including Glaxo Wellcome,
National Power, Consignia (formerly the Post Office) and in central
government.