Tips for Software Migrations: Part 2 - Execution and Management

Project management methodology

The most simplistic way of looking at a project is as a series of tasks that need to be accomplished in a certain order, you can try using different techniques and ways to make this more efficient, but it always comes down to the basics:

• have a clear plan up front which is agreed by all key stakeholders. If the plan changes at any point, ensure all stakeholders are aware of this.
• communicate early and often – the good and the bad. Well defined steering committees and weekly/fortnightly status reporting are non-negotiable.
• plan your tasks carefully and be militant about maintaining an accurate and up to date plan.
• don't be afraid to adapt to changing circumstances, be open and honest when challenges arise and work through them as a collective to define an appropriate path forward.
• remember the triangle of balance – scope, time, budget. There is no silver bullet no matter how hard you try and find one.
• sometimes the right thing to do is to stop the project and re-evaluate. Hard decisions are hard for a reason and underlying problems don't magically get better with time.

It's not the software's fault! ... ## Change management

The always ignored but perhaps most important element of any successful project. Overcommunication shouldn't be frowned upon, in fact it should be embraced if the information is clear, tangible, and effective. Place a focus on the recipient question 'what's in it for me?' when crafting the communications.

This article was crafted exclusively by human expertise, without the use of artificial intelligence.

Part 3 coming soon...