IT importance in strategic planning
A project basically refers to a short term undertaking taken on in order to come up with unique service, outcome, or product. Projects mainly involve a series of tasks that are arranged from the start to the end and are constrained by resources, needed outcome, and time. On top of projects being distinct and short term, other features that define projects include that they are brought into being by use of progressive elaboration, involve uncertainty, need resources from different sectors, and are supposed to have a main client or sponsor. Projects differ from daily operations, mainly due to the fact that the involved focused objectives/goals and well-defined schedule (start and end dates). A project should offer a valuable result to the individual or company who will be the owners it after its completion. For instance, various groups might battle over who owns particular elements of an IT project, such as the data, system, support, as well as the ultimate cost of executing and maintaining the network. Furthermore, a project also requires different professionals with varying skill sets in order to achieve its goals. The triple constraint is applied in the management of time, cost, and scope goals. For instance, the scope in a project is directly defined by its goals (Pearlson, Saunders & Galletta, 2019).
In a project, top management’s commitment is very crucial since it enables worker empowerment and enhanced job fulfillment levels through leadership as well as devotion to TQM (total quality management) goal of client fulfillment. This is possible through the creation of an environment that stresses total quality and consumer fulfillment. The support of top management is one of the most crucial success factors in project management. Effective executive engagement can remarkably boost success in a project (Zwikael, 2008). For instance, in IT projects, the commitment of top management is very vital in ensuring the achievement of project goals. With my experience in projects, I have come to appreciate the role of senior management. This is because, in projects where top management was committed to the project goals, I was able to observe tremendous success, unlike in projects where top management’s commitment was missing. IT projects experience challenges such as poor communication among participants, absence of project management practices, mid-project changes, as well as questionable delivery models. Overcoming these challenges gives IT specialists the capacity they require to attain project goals (Amoako-Gyampah, Meredith & Loyd, 2018).