David Cotgreave
Written Articles
Your IT Project is heading off course, out of control and heading at speed to become part of those often-quoted failure statistics … what do you do?Panic? Head to the nearest bar?Do nothing and hope for the best? Or … implement a cunning plan that saves the day (Editor’s Note: Then head to the nearest […]
As an industry, we are using AI more to deliver IT Projects (not just our blogs) and it’s only going to ramp up! That “mainline AI into the veins” announcement by Sir Keir Starmer talked about billions of pounds of private sector investment, government support and that he wants Britain to be “the world leader” in AI.
Of course, a major reason for implementing AI is to save money! Even those that say that it’s about automating the mundane tasks or freeing talent to focus on other more strategic areas concede that, deep down, it’s really about the bottom line.
When the Financial Times asked nearly 100 economists about the UK economy in the year ahead, their responses were mixed – uninspiring even.
There will be growth, albeit fuelled by higher Government and some consumer spending, and the UK will perform better than other European countries where political instability threatens to destabilise their economies.
In the New Year, we’re back on a more serious trajectory with more Straight Talking on IT Project management with the top IT Project Management trends for 2025, and a January blog that will turn you from worrier to warrior!
Right now, though, tis the season for letting your hair down and we’re in full festive mode! Welcome to our party!
There are some brilliant IT project cracker jokes at the end (That’s subjective – Ed) and … as well as laughter … there’s music too!
Did you know that many traditional Christmas songs are IT Project Management anthems? It’s true!!
So … put on your Christmas cracker crown and kick back with some festive favourites.
We invest a lot of time, energy and budget on the “self-care” of our IT projects, in terms of robust governance, strong PMO (Project Management Office) and world-class processes, etc – but do we pay enough attention to our individual or team’s self-care?
Given the anecdotal stress, work-overload and burn-out in our industry, I’m thinking – NO.
How an IT Project Management team handles and learns from mistakes and setbacks can significantly impact success, not just for the current project but across your whole current portfolio – and future projects too.
A Stoneseed BA’s day will vary depending on the client’s requirements and project type. Whether it’s an Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid environment and whether its product, Infrastructure, software or digital transformation project for example. The life of a Stoneseed Ba is very varied, on this particular day, it is a for a client who is delivering an Agile software upgrade and development project.
In IT Project Management we put so much effort into choreographing our deliverables and outcomes, the part of the process that our “audience” sees, but how much thought goes into what happens out of sight, behind the curtain?
When a colleague heard that I was heading to the RHS Tatton Garden Show in July, she said that even I couldn’t find project management teachings in the topsoil. Like most gardeners, I do love a challenge, so the gloves are, well, ON! Years of experience, and countless IT Projects under my belt, and a passion for plants and flowers! How hard can this be?
Sow, here we grow!
There are unexpected parallels even if, at first blush, horse trials and IT Project Management may seem worlds apart – I was struck by many similarities in the principles, the methods and the challenges.
WORLDS APART
Quickly, let’s compare the two.