If you having trouble with a technology project it might be worth taking some time out, looking at it from a different perspective, and going back to basics to asses the project using PPT (no, not PowerPoint) – that is People, Process, and Technology.

Considering these aspects is vital to a successful project, and working with them out of order can introduce added complexities (and difficulties!) further down the line.

People

Has the project arisen out of a request for change or is it being pushed onto people? Are the key people involved at the grass roots level – the people who will be directly affected on a day to day basis? Who owns the project and who are the project drivers? Upon whom does the project depend? Are the people who started out on the project still the appropriate people or has there been business changes?

One of the key stumbling blocks of any project is forgetting about people.

Process

Is there an existing process in place? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Can the existing process be visualised on paper (or a whiteboard with sticky notes). Do the processes make sense and has the scope of the project changed since the project started? Have you considered the data impact – does the information already exist elsewhere and are you simply duplicating information?

Is someone trouble spotting? When implementing a system it can be tempting to push aside minor issues and problems, but these can soon mount up and could indicate a more serious underlying issue.

It can be very difficult trying to implement a system that has no manual alternative. 

Technology

What system are you trying to automate? Is the current system the same as it was at the outset of the project? What are the key benefits of implementing the technology? Is it cost saving, time saving, or some other tangible benefit? Take a fresh look at the technology – has it changed or moved on?

Technology should be implemented to support a process – not implemented for the sake of technology itself.

Perhaps the project is getting too involved or unwieldly. If necessary, break down the project into a number of smaller steps, or iterations, with smaller milestones, this will help people see the benefits sooner.