Alignment and Transparency Key to Info Tech Success

Marketing success stories, open dialogue about IT opportunities, and investment portfolio management techniques are some of the ways to raise the profile of the information technology organization to business leaders in the organization. ...

... "As a result of all these factors, senior executives at most companies have little desire to deal with IT and its role in their business and relegate this function to the CIO. In addition, many CEOs find the financial and business returns on their IT investments obscure and difficult to quantify ... " ...

Via Wall Street Journal: Hidden Potential of IT

Business Plan Sets Agenda With Stakeholders

Insights on using the business plan (or case) to get stakeholders aligned on measureable objectives and keeping dynamic story updated. ...

... "A business plan is a way to coordinate, communicate, and collaborate with accountability and tracking. It should get all the key people on the same page. Nobody can execute a plan they don’t know about. " ...

Via How to Change the World: How to Write a Business Plan

Don't Do This

Don't shred your project documentation, unless it has expired based on your enterprise's retention policy. Be as transparent as possible with your project status, especially with the steering team. Be the source of the truth. ...

... "It is hardly surprising that the Treasury wants to hide from the public the details of their badly mishandled computer projects and it seems that Gordon Brown's tendency towards obsessive secrecy ... " ...

Via ITPro: Shredding of IT project reports

Project Visibility and Transparency

Don't let doomed projects proceed in secrecy. Make the truth transparent and visible. Identify an action list to deal with the issues or prepare recommendation for cancellation. ...

... "The sad part is that often the people working on these projects know that they will fail, and yet, they are afraid to voice their opinion to the people in charge. " ...

Via Tom Peters: Doomed Projects