Monday, July 20, 2009

A Message from a Sponsor

Here are 10 things I've learned so far from sponsoring three really large infrastructure projects this year...
  1. Infrastructure is only exciting to IT people unless it reduces cost or downtime.
  2. A well planned change that is executed nearly flawlessly is almost like poetry OR when it goes well it goes really well.
  3. The curve balls at the beginning of a project are nothing like the ones that you get towards the end.
  4. If testing is running behind then you have more risk then you actually know.
  5. Vendor's are best motivated by clear messages about what's in it (or NOT in it) for them.
  6. Project coordination is critical when you're ripping out and reinstalling huge chunks of your business engine.
  7. There is no adequate way to thank everyone who puts their blood sweat and tears into the projects.
  8. There comes a point in the project where the illusion of control is no longer an illusion. This statement is intentionally ambiguous.
  9. A decision to delay is difficult but sometimes the right thing to do.
  10. Project accounting is best left to accounting experts.

In the wake of delays, resource constraints, financial challenges and some big wins I still enjoy this role and would do it all over again. I'll probably even feel that way after these programs are done!

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