Revive That Derailed Development Project (continued)
Faced with a large monthly fine or loss of their authorization to take credit card payments, the retailer made the project the company's top priority. Benz insisted that management put together a team of dedicated gurus in a "war room" with food delivered. "We created a visual chart of the 100 things that needed to be done and we assigned each of those specifics tasks to the gurus," he says. "Every time someone got something done we marked it off and we all took tremendous pride in our accomplishment. We made tremendous progress in a short period of time and we were compliant with the PCI standards on deadline."
Such extraordinary efforts derail resources and personnel from day-to-day tasks. Sterpe advises companies with "track wreck" projects to look at whether the salvage is worth it -- or if it will exceed the benefits they will get from project.
Plot Your Path To Success
When a project is in danger, take these steps to get it back on track:
Communicate Identify the root cause of the problems and then have the courage to let everyone know.
Fix it People often will find a "fixer," someone with special skills, knowledge and strong leadership. Sometimes this means hiring a consultant.
Leverage the lessons After the carnage has been swept away, revisit and, if necessary, recreate the plan to conform to the new circumstances.
Know what's going on Chart the progress on a wall where everyone can note their responsibilities, spot incipient problems and check off accomplishments at a glance. "It builds morale and demonstrates progress," says Sterpe.
About the Author
Esther Shein is a freelance writer and editor specializing in technology and business. Her work has appeared in CFO, Smart Enterprise, CIO and The Boston Globe. She is the former editor-in-chief of Datamation, an online technology magazine.
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