Obtaining executive-level buy-in. • Correctly estimate how difficult or complex a pro-

3. Obtaining executive-level buy-in. • Correctly estimate how difficult or complex a pro-

4. Setting project timelines based on realistic goals

gram is.

and priorities.

5. Solving project management problems with a tech- Source: A d a p t e d f r o m Charles H. Trepper, "A Project

nology silver bullet or training (software may hel-

Management Primer." Application Development Trends,

puse it).

August 2000, pp. 51-56.

t h a t h e l p e d t h e I T p e o p l e d e v e l o p a b r o a d e r skills set a n d u n d e r s t o o d h o w t h e s o f t - w a r e w a s r e l a t e d t o t h e b u s i n e s s (Fryer, 1997). F o r m o r e o n p r o j e c t m a n a g e m e n t , s e e L i e n t z a n d R e a (2000).

Y o u r d o n (2000) i n d i c a t e s t h a t d e v e l o p e r s o f t e n d o n o t fully u n d e r s t a n d t h e s t a t u s o f t h e i r p r o j e c t deliverables, e v e n a s t h e y n e a r p r o j e c t c o m p l e t i o n . O n e p o s s i b l e r e a s o n the status and deliverables are unknown is that the developers' processes are hidden from the project manager and end users. Developers sometimes feel that they are working in the dark. Again, communication among developers, project manager, end users, a n d m a n a g e r s i s critical f o r i m p l e m e n t a t i o n success. T h e e n t i r e s o f t w a r e p r o c e s s s h o u l d b e c o m p l e t e l y visible t o t h e users.

A g o o d t e a m is e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e success of b u s i n e s s i n t e l l i g e n c e ( B I ) projects. G o o d D S S / B I p r o j e c t s , b y t h e i r n a t u r e , a r e d e s i g n e d t o m e e t s t r a t e g i c busi- ness goals a n d t h e r e f o r e r e q u i r e m u c h m o r e i n v o l v e m e n t a n d i n p u t f r o m p e o p l e o n t h e

b u s i n e s s side o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n . F i n d i n g t h e right p e o p l e f o r y o u r d e v e l o p m e n t t e a m is critical f o r b u s i n e s s i n t e l l i g e n c e p r o j e c t success. T e c h n i c a l skills a r e i m p o r t a n t , b u t

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DSS I N FOCU S 6 .8