Become an IT project management pro in 7 steps

With the accelerating development of information and communication technologies, the growing and ever more demanding needs of users, and a constantly changing economic context, IT projects are becoming increasingly complex.

As a result, IT project management is becoming a delicate issue for any company; mastering it and ensuring its success are essential, regardless of the size or type of project. ☝️

And, to give your IT project management the best possible chance of success, some basic principles apply.

But what are these principles? What are the best practices to implement?

Zoom in on how to manage an IT project in just a few steps, with our selection of software to make the task easier! 🔍

See all software Project Management

The basics of IT project management

What exactly is IT project management?

Simple project management...

A project, in the common sense of the term, is a set of coordinated activities and actions, which mobilize resources within a precise time interval, with a beginning and an end, in order to meet a clearly identified need.

👉 Every project is unique and one-off.

... or IT project management?

In this sense, an IT project can refer, for example, to the development of new software, or the implementation of an information system solution, such as a technical enhancement to improve an organization's processes. ☝️

This may involve the installation of a new ERP ( Enterprise Resource Planning ) or CRM (Customer Relationship Management ) software package.

In all cases, the IT project is complex, and its management must take account of its specific features. As a result, the approach to be adopted is not a conventional one, and requires rigor, flexibility and a certain amount of creativity.

Who's involved in an IT project?

Various players are involved in any IT project:

• the project owner (MOA): this is the "client" of the project, i.e. the person who expects concrete results from it. It is up to this party to define the objectives, budget and deadlines;
• the prime contractor (MOE): this is the "supplier" of the project, i.e. the person who carries out the actual work. It is up to this player to design and propose solutions, carry out tests before delivery, and keep to costs and deadlines;
• the project manager: this is the "pilot" of the project, who assumes responsibility for it; his role is detailed below.

IT project priorities

To steer an IT or information system project, the project manager relies on qualitative and quantitative data, in order to meet expectations in a number of areas:

• costs: any action undertaken must respect the budget defined at the start of the project. Cost control means anticipating risks of deviation, and taking corrective measures to avoid exceeding the allocated budget;
• deadlines: project management must meet the deadlines announced to the customer, by following intermediate milestones. Respecting deadlines involves identifying potential slippage in relation to the initial schedule and implementing corrective actions;
• quality: project execution also involves validation phases with the various parties involved. Quality is guaranteed by verifying compliance with agreed requirements:
  • analysis → compliance with request specifications,
  • design → compliance with customer requirements,
  • final product → compliance with specifications established upstream.

What are the 7 stages of IT project management?

In practice, a method will guide you through the various phases of project management, from defining objectives to achieving deliverables, including resource allocation and schedule management.

Step 1: Functional analysis and definition of objectives

In this phase, prior to the start of the project, the stakeholders work together to define :

• project objectives and scope,
• expected deliverables
• desired deadlines,
• the allocated budget,
• the degree of flexibility to be allowed.

A project cannot be launched without taking into account its broader scope, such as the organization's global strategy . With this in mind, an opportunity study can be carried out to clarify the project's stakes.

👉 This involves demonstrating the raison d'être of the technical solution to be introduced, and the future benefits it could bring.

In addition, a feasibility study can be carried out to identify the constraints likely to weigh on the implementation of this solution.

The next step is to formalize in writing the needs expressed by the customer, following a detailed analysis.

Project documentation, such as specifications, is essential to keep a written record of all project specifications, to avoid any disappointment for the client.

Stage 2: Detailed design

Once the general structure of the project has been specified, we move on to the detailed design of the project, which is divided into several sub-steps.

• Breakdown and costing: To assess the overall cost of the project, you need to draw up a list of tasks, associating the corresponding needs and costs, and aiming for completeness (i.e., including all the work involved).(i.e. including sub-tasks and tasks induced by the completion of another task), so that the project can be costed as accurately as possible. This estimate is presented to the customer, who gives the go-ahead before launching the project.
  
  
• Planning : with a breakdown that generally follows the project's development cycle, planning aims to order tasks and indicate their logical sequence, taking into account available resources and their maximum workload. By meticulously planning your project, you can ensure that it stays on time, on budget and delivers the required quality of deliverables.
  
  
• Setting up the project team : project resources (human, material, technical and financial) are identified and assigned to tasks (meshing). To form the project team, the selection of each member is important; for the implementation of a technological product, they must have specialized but complementary skills.

Stage 3: Project development

Realization is the very heart of the project, following rigorous design in line with the specifications.

👉 The coding phase, also known as programming, involves translating the functionalities and other technical requirements defined during the design phase into a programming language.

Step 4: testing and integration

The execution of unit tests ensures that the programming is of high quality, by checking that each module, or subset, of the IT solution conforms to the specifications.

Several types of tests can be carried out:

• MOA tests: the product meets the needs of the contracting authority;
• user tests: the product delivers the expected results to users;
• non-regression tests: the installation of an individually tested functionality does not prevent another part of the solution from functioning correctly.

Lastly, integration is used to verify the interfacing of all project modules. To achieve this, further technical tests are carried out (integration tests), the results of which are indexed in a document.

All these stages require rigorous supervision and monitoring by the project manager.

Step 5: Acceptance

The tests carried out will enable us to develop a solution corresponding to the needs expressed at the start of the project. Acceptance is the process by which the user validates the conformity of the deliverables with the initial specifications.

At the end of the acceptance phase, project documentation is produced to gather all the information needed to use the IT solution, and for subsequent developments.

Stage 6: Production launch

Once the project has been qualified, the IT solution can be deployed: the final product is delivered and put into service.

It is essential to train users in the new functionalities offered by the solution.

Step 7: Maintenance

Once the IT product is in production, the project implementation is not over: an organization undergoes changes, and the solution must support the processes that continue to evolve. After commissioning, the IT product requires adjustments, which include both corrective and evolutionary actions:

• correction of technical malfunctions and bugs,
• improvements to be made, for example in terms of user experience (UX).

Production therefore does not mark the end of the project, and requires follow-up and maintenance to accompany the installation and perfecting of the solution, in order to guarantee its effectiveness and usability for its users.

Our tips and tools for successfully managing your IT projects

🎯 To make it easier to manage an IT project and ensure its success, let's now take a look at what can be put in place, bearing in mind that every project is unique; any steps to be taken must be adapted to the specifics of your project.

Build your project team with care

A project generally brings together several stakeholders, who have different roles:

• decision-making
• monitoring,
• expression of needs,
• assistance,
• and project implementation.

The project team is multidisciplinary, and may include :

• information systems designers,
• coordinators
• web designers,
• developers,
• analysts, etc.

Each member is assigned tasks according to his or her expertise, availability and ability to work as part of a team.

Last but not least, many expectations rest on the shoulders of the project manager. He or she needs to have several strings to his or her bow, including skills in :

• communication,
• management,
• animation,
• production, with some technical grounding.

🛠️ The tool

Abraxio is a 100% CIO-oriented, easy-to-use software solution that enables you to reconcile the needs of all your IT project stakeholders and get them to collaborate effectively in a single tool.

From portfolio planning to project management, the solution offers a 360° view of the business:

• It provides project managers and PMOs with a flexible framework for operational project tracking (Gantt, budget, staffing, weather, reporting, etc.).
• It automatically feeds a portfolio view in real time , enabling activity to be steered reliably, and any deviations to be identified at a glance. A godsend for IT Departments, who can arbitrate, control the ongoing commitment of new projects and communicate progress.

Ensure good communication between stakeholders

☝️ Team coordination, both internally and with external parties, is essential throughout the project.

From the initial stage, and throughout the process, regular, participative communication must be established to maintain a common focus and ensure that objectives are met or even exceeded.

In this way, we also guarantee a high rate of adoption of the final product.

🛠️ Tools

• monday.com is an intuitive platform designed to foster collaboration in the workplace. Fully customizable, it adapts to your organization and working methods. More concretely, the tool works on the principle of visual tables, bringing together information relating to your teams and your work. Add to this the ability to share notes and documents, and you have seamless, fluid communication.
  
  
• The Planzone software features a range of collaborative functions that support successful communication between stakeholders. These include features such as note, notification and document sharing. The tool also provides a social network between project members, to open discussion around project issues, leave comments, centralize actions and move the project forward.

Examine reporting

In order to assess whether the project's implementation and expected results are effective, it is essential to evaluate a certain amount of data and keep an eye on the key performance indicators (KPIs):

• schedule follow-up,
• activity monitoring,
• forecasts,
• reports, etc.

These are all parameters to be taken into account when monitoring the project, so that appropriate measures can be taken if necessary.

🛠️ The tool

To keep a close eye on your indicators, it's ideal to include a project management software package with such features, such as Planview. This software solution integrates a dedicated analysis portal where in-depth reports and dashboards can be consulted, providing a comprehensive view of work progress and resource utilization.

Creativity and flexibility

Despite every effort to plan a project realistically, deviations (from schedule, budget, original specifications) are bound to occur.

☝️ All project management involves dealing with unforeseen events, and therefore requires a high degree of flexibility.

Program changes can also open the door to new ideas, leaving room for innovation.

Indeed, no matter how precise the design, it's difficult to integrate all aspects of the project before it's even launched.

Each chosen method or guideline serves as a framework, to guarantee the coherence of the whole, but it must not be so rigid as to paralyze actions and stifle all creativity.

🛠️ The tool

By using a project management tool such as Planisware Orchestra, you can be sure of bouncing back flexibly from any potential drift. The tool enables you to master the constraints of project management, with its cost management features, real-time resource availability tracking, resource reallocation assistance and much more. What's more, this solution can be adapted to any project, whatever your processes, approach or methods.

Choosing an effective methodology

There are many different project management methodologies, such as :

• traditional methods: waterfall, critical path, etc;
• Agile methods: Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming;
• Adaptive methods: Event Chain methodology, Extreme Project Management.

Certain methods are often used in IT project management, such as the Agile Scrum method, which offers high visibility and enables the team to be more reactive. Agile Scrum is well known to developers, and applies very well to the development cycle of an IT solution.

🛠️ Tools

• FoxPlan: a complete French software package for managing projects, programs and resources, FoxPlan is unique in that it enables portfolios to be managed in hybrid mode, with traditional projects (Waterfall, V-cycle, etc.) and agile projects (Scrum and Kanban). The latter is made possible by FoxPlan's integration with Jira, a dominant tool in IT organizations, as it combines code and ticket management. So, thanks to the cohabitation of the two methodologies, teams gain in agility while maintaining a focus on the roadmap vision, for better resource and budget management.
  
  
• iceScrum: iceScrum is the ideal solution for managing projects using the Scrum framework. It provides a playful, structured framework to facilitate adoption of this methodology, while fostering collaboration and communication between teams. You'll gain in efficiency in managing user stories and features, planning sprints and prioritizing the backlog.
  
  
• Sciforma: Sciforma adapts easily to the methodology you use, and supports you in the work processes and particularities of your project. The tool is compatible with Agile, critical chain, Prince 2, Phase-gate, PMBok and other methods. It is particularly suitable for IT companies, R&D environments, service companies and public administrations.

Consider training

To meet the most demanding requirements and master the most complex elements of project management, you can plan to acquire the key skills of the IT project manager in a more formalized way. 🤔

👉 The Orsys organization, for example, offers training courses to manage your IT projects, from the thematic module to the most comprehensive certifying cycle, with different levels of certification offered at the end of the courses. The investment is substantial, but can pay off.

Equip yourself with the right tools

Finally, by equipping your team with the right tools, you can optimize the management of your IT projects.

The online project management software presented above, offering a rich array of features, are well worth discovering and testing. 👇

⚒️ The tool

It's a good idea to opt for fully customizable software, capable of blending perfectly with your work processes and project methodologies.

That's why Project Monitor project and portfolio management software is so adaptable and, thanks to its customizable parameters, can be easily integrated into your information system.

What's more, Project Monitor promotes group work through its collaboration and communication functions. Whatever your chosen project methodology, this tool offers a library of project templates to harmonize practices when several projects are being implemented simultaneously in your organization.

Balancing risks and opportunities!

For any type of IT project, hazards can arise and external factors can come into play.

👉 It's therefore crucial to measure risks upstream, even if it's difficult to anticipate everything, which is all the more true in a restrictive environment.

These risks, likely to threaten the project's progress, can become opportunities, thanks in particular to agility: agile methods encourage change and at the same time offer the structure to respond to it, in order to adapt to an unstable context.

See all software Project Management

IT project management at a glance

The complexity of projects stems not least from the ever-changing needs of users.

With this in mind, a successful project will be one that encourages innovation and puts user needs at the heart of the process.

The software presented in this article is designed to give you personalized support in managing your projects, while optimizing your work through process automation.

Ready to take the plunge? 😌