Too Many IT Projects? Set Some Priorities! - TEM and Call Accounting Technology Blog - TeleManagement Technologies, Inc.

Anyone who has run an IT department knows that every day something new seems to crop up to take attention away from important projects and initiatives. That’s because it’s on you to make sure everyone has the tools and technologies to do their jobs. But it’s also on you to inspire your team and company to invest in innovation and the future. 

You can’t do everything.

And you certainly can’t do everything at the same time. As soon as you have more than one project (which is all the time) you need to set priorities. And it isn’t easy, as anyone in IT will tell you.

CIO Magazine recently interviewed IT leaders across the country on how they have been able to move key initiatives along without getting bottlenecked or derailed completely by other pressing issues. Being able to prioritize is a key asset for IT managers and, if you’re not exactly great at it, now is the time to brush up and get better.

Here are a few things to look at before you greenlight your next project:

Business value versus cost

What resources are needed? Will you need to outsource some of the work? Will you need additional funding? What will the ROI look like? We’ve seen many IT managers end up way over budget on projects that don’t pay for themselves in the long run. Don’t let that happen to you.

Short-term or long-term value

Too many projects in one category can have a negative impact on your department. A mix is needed to balance your projects effectively. Sort them out. Find a balance that will allow you to continue to do the day-to-day work, while making progress on special projects.

Who supports it and why

Every project needs champions. When they come from up at the top, all the better. Make sure you understand the value of the project to the champions. How will it improve their value to the organization? Will they help you get the resources you need?

Remember, too, that there will be times when you’ll have to just say “no” to a project.

There are a lot of shiny objects out there and it takes leadership to separate out those which are more fun and exciting than useful from those that demonstrate authentic value.

While we’re talking value …

What tools are you using to save money for your next project? Is your telecom/technology expense management (TEM) system up to date? It’s a must-have tool to help keep you from overspending on invoices, equipment, contracts, and vendors.

So, while you’re deciding whether to greenlight or redlight your next project, be sure you’re running as tight a ship as possible and using tools like our WinBill® TEM to help you do it.