Dear {!firstname},

In this issue, you'll find information on Four Challenges and Solutions to SMB Project Management. We explore some key ways to keep your projects on track in the challenging environments particular to smaller organizations.

While we're at it, we share a few quick tips on IT Budgeting.

Feel free to forward this to others who may find this newsletter helpful.

Sincerely,

Laura Pettit Rusick
OPT Solutions, Inc.
www.optsolutionsinc.com

If you are like many organizations, the budget process has room for improvement. Here are a few suggestions to minimize surprises next year:

• Centralize all technology costs, including outsourcers, software and hardware acquisition and support, telecommunications and personnel costs. This allows comparison as a percent of revenue and points out areas for volume purchasing.
  
• If costs should apply to a particular business unit, allocate those costs.
  
• Include all components of projects, including purchases, implementation, training and ongoing support and license fees.
  
• Make a list of maintenance, necessary upgrades, web-based subscriptions, and other expense-related items. They have a tendency to add up. Don't forget about cell phones and copiers.
  

Small to mid-sized businesses have unique challenges when it comes to managing projects. SMB’s often don’t have the processes or systems in place to efficiently support the current size of the organization or its future growth, so projects are critical to future success. At the same time, SMB’s have limited resources and small training budgets which can adversely affect projects. SMB project failure can result in investment dollars and staff time down the drain, not to mention disruption in your organization. Don’t jeopardize your operations and profitability.

What is the best approach? Consider these four challenges and solutions:

1. Lack of full-time resources. Resources in SMB’s often have multiple responsibilities. It’s rare you have extra people that can be reassigned full-time to a special project. When not carefully managed, projects without adequate resources can lack buy-in and fail to meet business requirements.
   
   Solution: Obtain commitment from managers on what percent of an employee’s time can be used on the project. Create a schedule and assign resources. Share the project plan with all participants, and make sure managers know when their resources will be needed on the project. Don’t miss key input due to availability issues.
2. Lack of project management expertise on staff. Projects often go without a project manager or have a project manager with limited experience. Projects go over budget, aren’t finished on time, don’t produce the expected benefits, or in the worst case, are canceled.
   
   Solution: Project management expertise is critical. If an existing staff member will be managing the project, make sure he has the experience and time available. If not, a project manager who can organize and keep the project on target can be brought on as a consultant. As a side benefit, an outside consultant may have an easier time questioning current practices and raising issues than an employee would.
3. Unpredictable scheduling. In small and mid-sized businesses, a serious production problem may require an all-hands-on-deck approach to solve the issue. A new customer may require extra time from multiple departments during implementation. An employee’s illness can require backfilling by the management team. Business events often pull employee time from projects, threatening dates that have been previously set.
   
   Solution: Set dates based on the best information available. If business priorities get in the way, be flexible. Do have an approval... Read More >>>

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