Information technology, and the projects that incorporated or supported it, were once the exclusive responsibility of IT-specific industries and companies. Today, the modern business landscape is prioritizing digital transformation, and that means technology-based projects and programs are no longer relegated to just IT departments. The business transformation office for example (which is outside of the traditional IT infrastructure) is responsible for many IT-focused projects and programs. As such, organizations and departments of all kinds include at least some form of information technology component.
IT project management goes beyond standard project management. It must be capable of handling large, complex IT projects spanning a range of goals, fields, technologies, and more.
IT project management is guided by the IT project management office (PMO) and IT project managers. These managers are responsible for conceptualizing, organizing, budgeting, assigning, and carrying out tasks designed to help accomplish their company’s specific IT goals. Within this mandate are several key responsibilities. These include the following:
Before any of the associated tasks or deliverables can be addressed, the IT PMO or project manager must first create a strategy for the project, including budget, scope, tools, resources, and timeline.
IT project managers do not work alone; they rely on IT teams to ensure successful project completion. The IT project manager will need to assemble the right specialists, subject matter experts, and auxiliary personnel capable of meeting the needs of the IT initiative.
It is the responsibility of the IT project manager to assign tasks to team members, provide clear direction related to scope and objectives, work with team members to establish realistic schedules and deadlines, and help facilitate collaboration between internal teams and stakeholders where necessary.
While the IT project manager will likely not be the one delivering on specific tasks within the project, it is their responsibility to ensure that the tasks are being completed effectively. This includes identifying and eliminating obstructions, analyzing risk, mitigating issues, collecting reports, providing training, and more.
IT project managers need to set clear, realistic budgets for their projects. This includes creating informed estimates about expenses and adjusting plans when needed to ensure budgetary adherence.
Managing multiple team members with various objectives, IT project managers are responsible for setting and communicating schedules and managing timelines throughout the project's life.
Although the project manager takes most of the responsibility in leading the project, they are likely not the only ones invested in it. IT project managers must also act as the liaison between their teams and other leaders, decision makers, sponsors, and stakeholders. The project manager is responsible for sending out status reports to show progress, identify issues, and address concerns throughout the project lifecycle.
Documenting the project's progress and identifying any unexpected issues and other lessons learned can help ensure that future projects are more likely to achieve their objectives. IT project managers should keep a detailed record of any hurdles, challenges, shortcuts, or other insights they have gained throughout the project.
Every IT project is unique. That said, most follow a similar lifecycle. IT project management breaks IT projects down into five distinct stages:
The first stage of project management focuses on defining the project and getting the necessary approvals to make it a reality. During this phase, the IT project manager should create a clear business case for the project, establish goals and objectives, identify stakeholders, and outline risks and requirements.
Incorporating the goals and other details from the initiation stage, the planning stage is where the IT project manager creates a roadmap for their teams to follow through the course of the project. The planning stage involves identifying objectives, establishing deliverables, assigning responsibilities and tasks, creating a project outline, determining important success metrics, scheduling progress reports, establishing communication channels and criteria, choosing methodologies, and ensuring team access to necessary resources and tools.
The execution phase is likely the longest duration stage, and is where the majority of the work on the project occurs. The execution stage begins with a kickoff meeting with all team members and relevant stakeholders. The meeting should introduce individuals, roles, responsibilities, scope, and the overall project plan. It should also establish how communication and reporting will be handled, which tools will be used, and what immediate next steps need to occur to get everything started.
Although it is listed as a separate stage monitoring occurs concurrently with execution, allowing the IT project manager to constantly review and assess project direction. When issues arise, ongoing monitoring allows project managers to make corrections to keep the project on track in terms of scope, budgets, deadlines, or objectives. This phase may include managing resources, identifying and mitigating risks, updating budgets and schedules, modifying plans, holding meetings, collecting reports, and more. At the conclusion of this and the execution stage, all project deliverables should be complete.
Once the project has been completed and deliverables are in the hands of the customer or client, it is time to review the overall success of the project and planning to improve similar projects in the future. This includes identifying and discussing lessons learned, taking inventory of deliverables, organizing documents and making them accessible, relaying project success to relevant stakeholders, and recognizing the contributions of team members.
IT project management is not a single, simple solution to IT success; it’s a range of different strategies designed to meet the specific organizational and departmental objectives. The following are tips and best practices for IT project management:
Before taking any other official steps, assess the project to determine whether its goals are in line with organizational goals and strategy. Likewise, weigh the potential benefits against possible risk, and determine whether the project is an effective use of available resources.
IT projects demand detailed documentation. Before executing on the project, determine what documents you need, and create a central location where these electronic documents can be stored and accessed by authorized stakeholders and team members.
When team members work in isolation, projects quickly lose direction. Err on the side of caution and establish daily meetings to help keep everyone on track and fully engaged. Overcommunicating may be the single-most effective approach to identifying and resolving project blockers before they cause damage.
A Gantt chart is a widely-used tool for establishing tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines for a project. Using a Gantt chart can help provide team members and stakeholders with a clear overview of the project's status, required tasks to complete, and important deadlines.
Modern digital workflows are capable of incorporating advanced automation technologies to ensure that the right steps are being followed and that projects aren’t being slowed down by manual processes. Automated workflows can drastically streamline and simplify tasks, such as filling out forms, requesting approvals, taking actions, etc.
Effective IT project management software and tools will make it easier to communicate directly with relevant team members, monitor project progress in real time, and access relevant documents and other resources in a single location.
At the conclusion of the project, take the time to review what aspects were effective, what challenges were encountered, what unexpected occurrences or variables may need to be planned for in the future, and any additional insights that may impact how the team approaches similar projects in the future.
IT project management presents certain unique challenges. These include the following:
IT projects often include stakeholders from across the entire organization. Getting buy-in from these stakeholders, meeting their needs, and keeping them informed about project progress can be difficult, particularly when these stakeholders may not be IT experts. Counter this by establishing clear governance and stakeholder engagement plans, using tools like RACI charts to define roles and ensure consistent communication throughout the project.
Communicating relevant information to those who need it, when they need it, and in the terms and language they understand takes advanced communication skills. It is important to use tools and strategies that make it possible toshare essential data and insights in a way that is easily accessible. A possible solution to this challenge is to centralize communication through a project management platform, tailoring updates to the audience and ensuring regular check-ins for alignment.
Complex IT projects depend on every team member understanding the entire scope of the project, including its current status, required tasks to be completed, and assigned responsibilities. Use project management tools like Gantt charts or Kanban boards to clearly assign tasks, track deadlines, and maintain visibility on project progress.
There are nearly infinite ways to complete a project. Left to their own devices, team members may use conflicting methodologies, reducing efficiency and creating bottlenecks. This can be addressed by standardizing a single project management methodology, providing team training, and ensuring all team members follow consistent processes to help avoid conflicting approaches.
IT project management software is designed to provide support and resources to help facilitate accurate and data-focused project management. The end goal, of course, is to make the job of the IT project manager easier, to keep stakeholders and team members on the same page, to improve communication and accuracy for all involved, and to address the challenges mentioned above.
Benefits of IT project management software include the following:
Visualization tools, such as Gantt charts and work breakdown structures, allow teams to see the entire project at a glance. These features make it easier to understand task dependencies, deadlines, and progress across separate phases of the project. By visually mapping out tasks, timelines, and resources, project managers can identify potential roadblocks and make sure that all team members are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
Real-time dashboards offer up-to-the-minute insights into the status of IT projects. These dashboards aggregate key data points (such as task completion rates, resource allocation, and budget adherence) allowing project managers and stakeholders to monitor progress as it happens. This immediate visibility reduces the risk of delays or overlooked issues, enabling faster decision-making and more effective management throughout the project's lifecycle.
IT project management software is often designed to integrate data with other essential business systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM), customer service management (CSM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and development tools. Integration allows relevant data to flow seamlessly between systems, reducing manual data entry and eliminating obstructive silos.
Targeted alerts help keep individual team members on track by notifying them when key tasks need attention or when deadlines are approaching. These automated notifications prevent critical tasks from being overlooked. By focusing attention on high-priority issues, alerts can reduce delays and improve accountability, helping project managers stay on top of every phase of the project.
Detailed analytics and reporting features provide project managers with data-driven insights into the performance of their projects. Reports can be generated quickly to assess timelines, budget usage, and team productivity. These reports are essential for identifying trends, assessing project risks, and making informed decisions. They also allow project managers to demonstrate project progress to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and keeping leadership informed at every stage.
Tracking and monitoring tools allow IT project managers to follow the progress of individual tasks, team performance, and overall project health. These resources help highlight where resources are being overused, where timelines are slipping, or where specific tasks are facing challenges.
Customizable workflows empower project managers with the ability to tailor their project management software to fit the specific needs and processes of their teams. Custom workflows can automate routine tasks, streamline approvals, and ensure that every team member knows exactly what their next step is.
Effective IT project management requires the use of specialized tools to keep tasks organized, teams aligned, and progress visible. These tools help manage the complexities of various IT projects—from assigning responsibilities to tracking task dependencies and managing workflows. Below are examples of key tools that can support IT project managers in maintaining clarity and efficiency throughout a project's lifecycle.
A RACI chart helps project managers define the roles and responsibilities of team members. RACI stands for ‘responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed,’ and the chart ensures that everyone involved in a project understands their specific role. This clarity is essential when multiple stakeholders are involved, as it prevents confusion and miscommunication. By outlining who is responsible for completing tasks, who makes key decisions, and who needs to be kept in the loop, RACI charts improve accountability and streamline collaboration across the team.
A Gantt chart provides a visual depiction of a project timeline, making it easier to track tasks and deadlines. Each bar in a Gantt chart represents a task, and its length reflects the time needed to complete it. This tool is valuable for IT projects with task dependencies, where certain tasks rely on the completion of others before they can begin. Gantt charts help teams stay on schedule and quickly spot potential bottlenecks.
A Kanban board is a versatile tool that breaks down work into manageable pieces, showing what tasks are in progress, completed, or awaiting action. For IT projects that require incremental changes, such as software updates or system tweaks, Kanban boards provide a visual overview of each task’s status. This helps teams balance workloads, prioritize tasks, and maintain an efficient workflow.
IT project management methodologies provide structured approaches for leading IT projects. Depending on factors like complexity, flexibility, and the nature of the deliverables, different methodologies will work best for specific types of projects. The most common IT project management methodologies include:
The waterfall methodology is a traditional, linear approach where the project progresses through sequential phases. These phases include (but may not be limited to) requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, installation, and maintenance. Waterfall is particularly effective for projects with clear, fixed requirements and where each phase depends on the successful completion of the previous one. This method is widely used in large, formal IT projects where detailed planning and documentation are essential.
However, the rigidity of waterfall can be a drawback in projects where requirements may change or where new challenges emerge after a phase has been completed. Once a phase is finished, it is difficult to revisit and make adjustments without causing delays.
The Agile methodology is an iterative, flexible approach that divides the project into short sprints. Each sprint focuses on delivering a functional portion of the project, with constant feedback loops allowing for ongoing adjustments. Agile is especially popular in software development and IT environments where requirements can change quickly and teams need to adapt in real time. It promotes continuous collaboration with stakeholders, ensuring that the product evolves based on user needs.
While Agile’s flexibility is its strength, it can also lead to scope creep if additional requirements are introduced without careful control. Additionally, Agile requires constant communication and alignment among team members (which may not be feasible in all organizations), and the lack of a long-term, detailed roadmap can sometimes make managing more complex projects challenging. Agile works best in dynamic environments where rapid changes are expected, and where delivering incremental value is a priority.
A hybrid methodology combines elements of both waterfall and agile approaches. It offers the structured phases of waterfall for planning and long-term tasks, while incorporating Agile’s iterative flexibility within those phases. This method gives teams the freedom to create a comprehensive project plan while remaining adaptable to changes that arise during execution. It’s often used in IT projects where certain aspects, like infrastructure, need a formal approach, but where software components can benefit from Agile’s responsiveness.
The hybrid approach is effective for balancing the need for both structure and flexibility, but managing both methodologies can add complexity. Project managers must carefully coordinate how and when to apply waterfall’s rigidity and Agile’s adaptability. This method is ideal for teams that are comfortable with both approaches and for projects where flexibility is necessary but where clear milestones and documentation are still critical.
Beyond those mentioned above, there are less-common methodologies that can be effective in specific IT projects. The critical path method (CPM) and critical chain project management (CCPM) are two examples:
- Critical path method (CPM)
This focuses on identifying essential tasks using a work breakdown structure (WBS). It maps out tasks based on their dependencies and duration to determine the minimum time required to complete the project. This helps project managers prioritize critical tasks and manage timelines effectively, which is especially useful for large, complex projects with tight schedules. However, CPM can become overwhelming for projects with many dependencies and may not handle unexpected changes well.
- Critical chain project management (CCPM)
CCPM optimizes resource allocation and works backward from the project’s end goal. This methodology is resource-driven, emphasizing efficiency and managing uncertainties that could impact the project. It is particularly useful when resources are limited or stretched across multiple projects. However, CCPM may not be as suitable for managing a portfolio of projects or in environments with frequent changes to project scope.
IT project lifecycle are the series of stages that an IT project moves through, from initiation to completion, guiding the project to its goals. Different types of lifecycles are used to address specific project needs, whether minimizing risks, adapting to changing technology, or managing evolving requirements. Below are three main IT project lifecycles, each suited to different project management approaches.
The predictive lifecycle follows a linear and structured path. In this model, the project scope, schedule, and costs are determined before execution begins. The project moves through clearly defined phases—such as planning, design, implementation, and testing—that must be completed in sequence. This method is another way to describe the ‘waterfall’ methodology and is ideal for projects with well-defined goals and little expected change.
The predictive lifecycle works well in environments where project requirements are stable and each phase can be planned in detail. However, its rigidity can be a limitation in cases where requirements shift or when unforeseen issues arise, as changes become more difficult to accommodate once phases are completed.
The iterative lifecycle is designed to accommodate evolving requirements by allowing multiple cycles of planning, execution, and evaluation. Although the overall project plan is outlined early, detailed planning for specific tasks is done progressively, focusing on the most immediate work.
This approach is common in software development, where new versions of a product can be released with incremental improvements. Iterative planning allows teams to refine and enhance the project deliverables with each iteration, offering greater flexibility than the predictive model. While this approach can better manage changes, it requires close monitoring of costs and timelines to avoid project overruns.
The adaptive lifecycle is built for maximum flexibility, with planning and execution happening in short, iterative cycles (often lasting only two to four weeks). This approach, seen in Agile frameworks like Scrum, embraces change and allows the project to evolve as new requirements or issues emerge. Teams plan in short bursts, execute quickly, and adjust course based on feedback or shifting needs.
This lifecycle is ideal for projects where requirements are uncertain or where rapid delivery of working features is critical, such as software development. While the adaptive lifecycle excels in flexibility, it requires effective communication and collaboration to manage frequent changes and maintain focus on overall project goals.
Further support IT project management with advanced analytics, granular project details, built-in Gantt charts, resource plans, in-depth financials, and automated status reports.
Get unparalleled insight and control over your essential IT projects; demo Strategic Portfolio Management from ServiceNow.