ARCHIVED - Guide to successful IT Projects

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The Project Completion and Review Phase

This questionnaire is a tool or checklist to evaluate the success of a completed IT project and to ensure that all the factors have been evaluated and that any lessons learned are documented and fed to the continuous learning loop. It can provide valuable information during the project wrap-up session

Section I

Intuitively, how do I feel about how this project completed?

Bombed

Moderate success

Great success

Why?

Section III - Support for the Business

Ask yourself:	Yes	No	Not sure
TOTALS	____	____	____
1. Were the clients involved throughout the project from evaluation and acceptance of deliverables, product and integration testing to final acceptance and sign-off?
2. Were all types of clients represented in the project?
3. Did the clients carry through on their commitment to the level of effort required of them?
4. Was the client satisfied with the final deliverable?
5. Was the final product aligned with the goals of the organization?
6. Did the project remain within the predefined scope?
7. Were any changes to project specifications documented and approved by stakeholders?
8. Was the project consistent and compatible with the department's information and technology direction, strategies, architectures and infrastructures?
9. Was the business case reviewed and revalidated at each scheduled gate?
10. Was the business case reviewed and whenever there was significant change to the project or business function?

Section III - Accountability

Ask yourself:	Yes	No	Not sure
TOTALS	____	____	____
1. Were all issues resolved in a timely fashion and to everyone's satisfaction?
2. Did the project finish on time and within budget?
3. Was the project adequately staffed during all phases?
4. Were issues with respect to weak or poorly performing personnel quickly and adequately addressed?
5. Was a project wrap-up session held to document 'lessons learned'?
6. Did the project sponsor assume the responsibility for realizing the benefits predicted for the project?
7. Did the project leader assume the responsibility and accountability for all aspects of the project (internal and external)?
8. Did the project achieve all its defined objectives?

Section IV - Corporate Project Manager Discipline

Ask yourself:	Yes	No	Not sure
TOTALS	____	____	____
1. In the event there were serious problems, was the necessary information available to support decisive action?
2. Were required decisions taken promptly?
3. Did the project maintain a positive image throughout?
4. Did project managers avoid premature, inordinate and inappropriate use of contingency funding?
5. Did the project manager maintain sufficient control over project resources?
6. Did the department make use of an apprenticeship program to provide valuable experience to junior project managers?

Section V - Risk Management

Ask yourself:	Yes	No	Not sure
TOTALS	____	____	____
1. Were all risks identified and managed properly?
2. Were the mechanisms and tools used to monitor the project schedule adequate?
3. Were team leaders held to budgetary constraints?
4. Was there adequate communication to all involved personnel throughout the project?
5. Did the contractor provide necessary information on project performance and progress?
6. Did the project reviews (including internal/external peer reviews) occur as scheduled?
7. Was there enough time, money and resources to get the job done right?
8. Were there adequate contingency plans for potential problems (i.e., no problems arose for which there were no contingency plans)?
9. Had the project complexity been accurately determined before start-up?
10. Were all changes analyzed quickly and brought to management's attention in a timely fashion?

Section VI

Totals Calculation	Green	Red	Yellow
Colour Totals	____	____	____
Totals from Section II:	____	____	____
Totals from Section III:	____	____	____
Totals from Section IV:	____	____	____
Totals from Section V:	____	____	____

Project total

Green total _____ x 15 = ______ ______

+ Red Total ______ x (-10) = ______ ______

+ Yellow Total _____ x (-5) = ______

PROJECT TOTAL = ______

Plot the project total on the success scale:

Red Zone

Yellow Zone

Green Zone

|--------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|--------|---------|--------|--------|

-400                          0                            300                                600

Bombed

Moderate success

Great success

How does this rating compare to the one from Section I based strictly on your gut?

What does this tell you?

Recommendations for Similar Future Projects

(based on lessons learned from current project)

1.

2.

3.

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