Developers are constantly under pressure to meet deadlines with a polished product ready to launch. However, as most developers can attest, projects often fail to launch as planned. They may end up released with fewer features or be delayed altogether. What causes this problem, and how can you solve it? Better technical project management is key. However, it’s not the technical side that you should be worried about. Learn what really makes your projects struggle to meet deadlines.

Technical Project Management FAQs: Is Your Project Struggling With Unrealistic Deadlines?

The Most Common Cause of Delayed Projects

Delayed launches not only increase the cost of a project, but they can even lead to cancellation entirely. Almost one-third of projects die before launch due to repeated delays. What causes this problem? A UK study surveyed and interviewed 40 software-developing companies to identify the most common causes of delays. The study found that poor coordination and unrealistic expectations were among the highest-ranked reasons. Interestingly, technical difficulties were rarely the reason.

Respondents also cited conflict between members, which stemmed from the aforementioned planning problems. Clearly, managerial issues have the most potential to disrupt a project’s success. When there’s a disconnect between management’s expectations and a team’s capacity to deliver, problems will arise, and delays become more common. If you’ve been struggling to meet deadlines, it could be a sign that your expectations are off the mark. It may be beneficial to bring in a third-party consultant to review your project.

How Do You Know If Your Deadlines Are Unrealistic?

Several signs point to a problem with your deadlines. First, if your team regularly needs to go into crunch time to meet deadlines, they’re probably unrealistic. Crunch time not only exhausts your team, but it also costs more in overtime and turnover as employees often leave after finishing highly stressful projects. Another red flag is when your deadlines haven’t changed despite making significant changes to the project’s scope or features. Changes take time to implement; your deadlines must change, too.

Nevertheless, some factors don’t neatly align with deadline viability. For example, you might be tempted to hire additional staff to accelerate project development. However, without a clear need and assignment for new hires, you may end up creating more conflict or disconnect with your team. The same UK study noted that “more is less” in many cases, and additional hires usually failed to make deadlines more realistic. Adding another wheel to a car doesn’t improve velocity; it just adds friction.

How to Meet Your Deadlines Consistently

If you regularly have to push back your deadlines, the most likely culprit is management. Communication is vital to ensuring accurate, viable deadlines. If you don’t discuss the scope of a project with your team and get their input, you may overpromise to a client and underdeliver. However, you may be able to optimize your staff’s performance and improve your delivery times with better strategies and organizational tools.

At Project Genetics, we specialize in getting projects back on track. Contact Project Genetics to speak to one of our representatives.  

We’ve all been there before. A project is going south, fast. The client is unhappy, the team is demoralized, and you’re staring down an ever-growing list of tasks with no end in sight. Project Genetics can help you turn things around and get your project back on track. Whether you’re facing scope creep, unanticipated challenges, or simply need a fresh perspective, we can help with project recovery.

When Is It Too Late to Recover a Struggling Project?

With Project Genetics, it’s never too late to recover a struggling project. Red flags that indicate you should contact us include missed deadlines, lack of communication between stakeholders and team members, cost overruns, or insufficient resources allocated for the completion of a task.

In order to recover from a struggling project, the right support mechanisms need to be put in place. This can include providing additional resources, mitigating risk factors, and ensuring that all goals are achievable within budget constraints.

Identifying Risk Factors

There are many potential risk factors that can contribute to project failure, but some of the most common include:

Scope Creep

Scope creep is an insidious risk that occurs when the scope of the project expands beyond its original bounds. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but often it is the result of poor planning or changes in stakeholder expectations. Scope creep can quickly lead to cost overruns and schedule delays, so it is important to be vigilant about identifying and addressing it early on.

Unrealistic Deadlines

In many cases, deadlines are set without adequate consideration for the resources available or the complexity of the task at hand. As a result, projects often fall behind schedule, leading to frustration and wasted effort. To avoid this pitfall, it is crucial to take a realistic assessment of what can be accomplished within the available timeframe.

Inadequate Resources

Without the right people, materials, and equipment, it can be impossible to meet deadlines, stay within budget, or achieve the desired results. If a project is already failing due to insufficient resources, there are a few things that can be done to try and recover.

First, assess the situation and determine exactly what resources are needed. Then, reach out to stakeholders and other interested parties to see if additional resources can be obtained. Finally, it may be necessary to revise the project plan in order to account for the lack of resources.

Implementing Digital Solutions for Project Recovery

Digital tools can help with recovery in a number of ways. First, they can provide visibility into what’s going wrong and where corrective action is needed. They can also help to streamline communication and collaboration among team members, which is essential for getting a project back on the rails. Additionally, digital solutions can help to automate tasks and processes, making it easier to get things done quickly and efficiently.

With our industry knowledge and extensive network of contacts throughout many different fields, we’re able to effectively leverage resources and expertise to offer practical solutions to recover a failing project. Contact Project Genetics today for more information on how we can help bring your struggling project back from the brink!

Recently, it was estimated that 36% of business projects fail. Trillions of dollars are invested into projects every year, so that’s a lot of money being wasted. Most projects run into trouble towards the end of the project and it becomes challenging to right the ship. When it’s realized that a project is going off track, how do you recover it? Read on to learn the important steps for project recovery!

Back on Track: 4 Steps to Project Recovery

1. Create a Special Team

The first step is to create a special team tasked with recovery. This is a team composed of folks outside of the current project. Think of this team as an internal audit. Their goal is to do an independent evaluation of the project, conduct critical assessments, and execute the recovery process. As they will be stepping on toes, it’s important to have a good mix of personalities to minimize personnel issues. Buy-in from the current project team is key.

2. Start From the Top

Projects that follow the methodologies outlined by the Project Management Institute generally have a project charter with an outlined mission, objectives, and success criteria. These project artifacts must be reviewed and validated. It’s expected that some elements may need to evolve to match any new learnings since the project started. It’s also anticipated that any modifications will require approval.

3. Perform a Critical Assessment

A well-thought-out assessment is efficient, accurate, and minimizes project distractions. During the assessment, all critical project artifacts will need to be reviewed and project team members will need to be interviewed. Project artifacts in this step usually include the project plan, budget and associated metrics, estimate and pricing details, contract, and project organization chart.

The employees critical to the interviews include the project manager, sponsor, stakeholders, members of the project management office (if applicable), contractors, vendors, customers, and project team members. The goal of these interviews is to determine the exact status of the project, as well as any risks, issues, and opportunities. Interviews should emphasize confidentiality and open-ended questions.

Once the assessment is complete, the data should be analyzed and a list of findings and action items must be created. Then answer the most important question: is recovery possible? If so, move on to the next step.

4. Plan and Recover the Project

Once recovery is deemed possible, an extended team will need to be curated and the recovery process will start. It’s expected the focus now is on not failing. In addition, the recovery process will be subject to intense scrutiny, tight controls, and higher frequencies of communication and monitoring. The recovery plan must also take into consideration employee morale, personnel problems, and leadership issues. Patience, constant monitoring, and regular feedback are significant events during recovery.

Failing projects are recoverable. However, experience is necessary to turn them around. Do you need assistance in getting your project back on track? Check out Project Genetics today and meet with seasoned experts who can recover your troubled project! We help customers every day with project delivery. We are 100% committed to project success and can help you get your project back in line with your organization’s goals.

With the increasing use of cloud-based technologies, there has been a heightened focus on data security, and Project Genetics helps organizations understand and mitigate any potential risks associated with implementation of digital solutions. Consider taking these steps in order to protect data security during ERP implementation.

Protecting Data Security During ERP Implementation

Risks can come from internal or external sources, ranging from malicious actors looking to gain unauthorized access to confidential information to mistakes made by personnel within the organization who do not have sufficient knowledge about data privacy laws and regulations.

To ensure proper protection of this sensitive information, organizations should conduct a security audit of their current system before embarking on any new implementations. This audit should include identifying existing weaknesses and vulnerabilities as well as assessing whether existing IT infrastructure can handle the new requirements adequately.

Plan and Implement Appropriate Data Security Measures

Once any potential risks have been identified, organizations need to plan and implement appropriate data security measures for their specific needs. Such measures could include two-factor authentication for all users accessing critical resources, using strong passwords that are regularly changed, and creating encryption algorithms for stored data.

Businesses should ensure that only authorized personnel have access to confidential documents. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing an identity management system that allows them to easily control user access levels and track user activities on a granular level.

Train Employees on Data Security Best Practices

As part of the training process, there should be an emphasis on topics such as understanding data privacy laws and regulations, recognizing common social engineering tactics used by malicious actors, and avoiding suspicious links or emails.

Employees should also be enlightened on the importance of backing up files regularly, properly disposing of confidential documents, avoiding writing down passwords, and never leaving computers unlocked or unattended. Additionally, they should be taught how to respond when confronted with a data breach so that they can take necessary precautions in order to minimize any losses incurred from it.

Regularly Test Data Security Measures to Ensure They Are Effective

Organizations also need to keep checking if their implemented data security measures are effective enough by regularly testing them against different attacker scenarios and evaluating their results accordingly. By doing this, organizations will reduce the chance of becoming the victim of sophisticated cyberattacks, thus ensuring that all confidential, business-related information remains secure at all times regardless if deployed on-premise or hosted remotely over cloud platforms.

Additionally, keeping hardware and software updated is another key component in reducing the risk of cyberattacks. These updates usually contain critical patches which address known vulnerabilities in systems or applications that malicious actors could exploit otherwise.

By taking steps to harden endpoints and ensuring that technology infrastructure is secure, you can help protect your business from potential attacks. At Project Genetics, we help businesses integrate technology solutions with best practices to streamline their digital transformation implementation. Contact Project Genetics today to learn more about how we can help keep your data safe during and after software implementation.

With the pace of technological growth rapidly increasing, businesses need to be agile. However, traditional project management approaches often put projects on rigid rails that don’t allow for flexibility. The solution is to integrate modern technology into your project management office. Enterprise Project Management systems make it easier for your team to collaborate on projects while helping upper management measure progress and address obstacles. EPM also boosts your data analytics capabilities. To implement EPM, you’ll first need a roadmap.

Enterprise Project Management: Determining Your EPM Roadmap

Start With Pain Points and Goals

Before you rush to buy a license for the top-rated EPM software, pause to consider what you’re trying to accomplish. A roadmap is not only meant to plan out the steps to deployment. Roadmaps include objectives and measurables so that you can determine if you’re on your way to a successful deployment. So consider your pain points when it comes to project management and execution. What obstacles do you routinely face?

Then, set goals that will help you determine whether your EPM implementation is actually benefiting the company. We recommend targeting specific KPIs so that you can measure performance using data. You may also set some larger goals, like increasing the number of projects successfully executed or reducing the overall time it takes for projects to reach completion.

Choose the Right Tools

Knowing what you want to accomplish with your EPM system is vital since it will guide your next and most important decision. What EPM tools should you acquire for your company? There are many options on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. They also vary wildly in terms of pricing. Some operate on a per-user subscription basis, while others may charge based on the volume of activity on the platform or the specific features you select.

Choosing the right tools for your specific needs and goals will help you keep your implementation from going over budget. In addition, your staff will have an easier time using a system that was acquired with their specific needs in mind. Furthermore, the time it takes to implement an EPM system also varies from one product to the next.

Set Deadlines and Start Implementation

The next step is to focus on deadlines. Implementations take time, so don’t try to rush. However, you still need to have reasonable deadlines to ensure the deployment arrives on schedule. Systems engineers will be most involved in the early stages. Set a date for when the first working version will be ready so that you can then start testing the software with key team members. Expect changes during testing. Set another deadline for the final release.

Pilot and Perfect

Once your EPM system is ready for use, have your PMO draft a pilot project using the system. This first project will help you find possible problems that can be fixed before asking everyone to use the platform. The pilot group can also put together a list of best practices to help their colleagues adapt faster.  

An EPM implementation can be a complex process. At Project Genetics, we make it simple by providing expert assistance every step of the way. Book an intro call with Project Genetics to meet with one of our representatives face-to-face.

Customer relationship management (CRM) refers to the process companies use to administer interactions and relationships they have with customers. There are many CRM software and hardware options available today, and among these options, there is an ongoing debate about whether to implement cloud-based or on-premise systems. Let’s take a deeper look at whether cloud or on-premise CRM implementation is better for your company.

Cloud vs. On-Premise CRM Implementation: Which Is Best for Your Organization?

Cloud CRM System Characteristics

Cloud-based CRM systems typically use the software as a service (SaaS) model, where a company pays a subscription fee to a software provider for access to its CRM software. This means your company data is stored online rather than using an on-site server, and users access the data they need through the internet. Cloud-based solutions are often designed with integration features that make them easy to blend with existing software and platforms.

Cloud CRM is typically less expensive as the provider manages all updates, backups, and maintenance. You won’t have to pay for expensive equipment, and plans can be scaled according to your budget. Another benefit is your team members can work from any location with an internet connection, providing great flexibility for today’s mobile workforce. Since everything is online, you’ll always be working with the most current versions of all documents.

On-Premise CRM System Characteristics

On-premise CRM requires on-site hardware and servers to store and provide access to company data. Software is installed either on the servers or on individual user machines, meaning the system can function without an internet connection. With the on-premise model, companies typically purchase a license that gives them ownership of the CRM software. This means it can be customized to suit the unique operational needs of each business.    

Since on-premise CRM is completely contained offline, there are some inherent security advantages. This is particularly true when it comes to system updates and maintenance, as performing these offline avoids the threat of bugs and cyber attacks. On-premise CRM does, however, require a company to perform frequent backups to a physical server to avoid potential data loss.

Comparing Cloud vs. CRM

When it comes to deciding between cloud-based and on-premise CRM, it mostly comes down to three factors: cost, customization, and security. Other key variables include the size of your organization, whether or not you have remote employees, and how vulnerable your company is to cyber threats. Large companies, for instance, are sometimes more concerned with maintaining internal control of potentially sensitive data, which favors on-premise CRM.

Purely on a cost basis, Cloud CRM systems are typically less expensive, as they charge on a per-user basis that can be scaled up or down as your company evolves. You’ll also avoid the personnel costs associated with maintaining IT personnel to manage servers and system infrastructure.

These are some of the factors that will help determine whether cloud-based or on-site CRM is a better fit for your organization. Contact Project Genetics to learn how we can help implement CRM and other solutions to help maximize your company’s potential.