I attended a very informative workshop at #18NTC called “The Lemonade Stand Approach: Planning and Executing Effective Technology Projects” facilitated by Henry Hernandez, CIO at WSCUC and Sara Chieco, Director of Technology at Presence.

Here are 5 things I learned about planning and executing a technology project on time, within budget, and to spec:

1. It can be helpful to create a project charter. Get curious. Ask questions. What problem are we solving? Why are we trying to solve it? Does the proposed plan align with the org’s mission? With long term org goals? What are our priorities? Who are our stakeholders, and what are their needs and wants? How will we know if the project is a success?
2. Define roles and responsibilities. One formula to follow is RACI: Who is Responsible? Who is Accountable? Who needs to be Consulted? Who needs to be kept Informed?
3. When creating the budget take into consideration how much staff time the project will take and how much that will cost. What are the software costs? What are the hardware costs? How much is training? What will it cost to maintain? Will we be using a consultant? Will there be subscription fees? Get a three year total cost of ownership estimate.
4. When choosing a vendor request a demo that you and your users can work with hands-on, and make sure it does what you need it to do. If you have a complex situation get a prototype, so stakeholders can determine if the software really meets their needs.
5. Communicate communicate communicate. Create a communication plan. The way you communicate affects your relationship with the vendor and staff. Keep your vendor and stakeholders informed about any changes. Make sure that the vendor and staff understand the timeline and the impact if there are delays. Solicit input from your stakeholders throughout the entire process.

There was so much fantastic information covered during this session; these are just five of the many things I learned. Feel free to share your favorite tips and tricks for planning and executing tech projects in the comments.