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PROJECT MANAGEMENT Making sure that the groundwork is done thoroughly before an IT project begins will reduce the risk of cost or time overruns undermining its value
IT projects have a poor record for remaining within budget, despite signs of a recent improvement in the management of UK projects.
Confusion about the total cost of the national programme for NHS IT - Computer Weekly revealed that it could rise to more than £18bn, three times more than originally stated - is just the latest example of budget confusion or overrun.
Recommendations from experts on improving project management may appear common sense, but can be forgotten amid time constraints and budget cuts.
Often, problems with a budget can be traced back to before the project began.
"You need an understanding of what will be the business benefits," said Martin Heath, partner in the information and communications advisory group, KPMG. "There are two types of benefit from IT: to increase revenues or reduce costs or both. There must be an agreement which it is and a very clear business case to support it. If the costs outweigh the benefits, do not do the project."
It is also important to involve all parts of an organisation that will be affected by a project from the outset. "A key factor is the scale of the project," said Ashley Braganza, a senior lecturer in information systems at Cranfield School of Management.
"Any large IT project will affect a significant part of the organisation. The problem is ensuring that all the affected parts are included in the project [from its inception]. Often the project team scopes the project against deliverables and objectives only to discover that a part...