In 2017, is your company sticking to the way things have always been by just piecing random technology together? Do you have an old IT network that you hope will carry you another year? If this is your company, it’s time for a resolution involving your IT project management.
Establishing a plan will save money and time – two things any good new year’s goal includes. If you don’t know where to start, no problem. Here are three tips for project management that will help you make 2017 your most productive year yet:
You Can’t Conduct IT Project Management
If You Have No Plan To Manage.
During this phase, your company should identify its IT needs and goals, then establish a timeline.
Has your mortgage company discovered new accounting software that will save time and money by streamlining multiple applications into one? Without creating a plan, you might just purchase the software, install it, and expect your employees to adapt. If the software is much newer than your computer systems and its user interface isn’t initially intuitive, you might experience decreased productivity.
With a plan in place and proper project management, these situations are completely avoidable. A properly managed project would call for research on the new software first, followed by purchasing and installing new equipment. Training and quality assurance would take place before closing the project.
Don’t Go IT Alone
Project management can be done as a learn-as-you-go process, or by hiring a knowledgeable professional. Too many companies recognize the need to update technology while failing to understand the value of getting it right the first time.
A manufacturing company could have a brilliant plan to install Wave 2 wireless technology, but if the project ends with blazing fast internet for employees and no connection for expensive manufacturing equipment, money and time will dwindle until the problem is solved.
Hiring an IT engineer to oversee a facility’s wireless upgrades drastically minimizes the chance for critical, last-minute fixes. No plans are flawless. But project management done right involves monitoring and adjusting as needed to meet deadlines.
Don’t Wait On Project Management
Every moment your employees spend shouting at their computer because of crashing, their productivity decreases. Each time your Wi-Fi goes down, you lose access to your valuable data on the Cloud. Every time your old hard drives fail, you must find your spare backups and hope they are up to date.
The number of IT problems your office is facing won’t decrease until you start making plans for improvement. Ignoring problems might seem like a good way to save money, but what if these problems are the reason your company doesn’t have money to spare on IT upgrades?
If your 2016 plans for project management consisted of half-measures and quick fixes, but you’re tired of hindered productivity, turn things around in 2017.
Our team at IT Authorities can make your dreams a reality.
Let’s get planning.