Steering and governance of an IT project: which profiles should be involved?

More and more projects are done using agile or iterative methods from the development phase. Teams communicate regularly with each other and it is not uncommon to work simultaneously. This method is part of a logic of continuous improvement. The steering committee, like other committees, plays a key role in the governance of an IT project and in monitoring the progress of the project. As with any project, IT project management involves both the provider and the client. The service provider includes project teams that participate in each phase of the deployment.

IT Strategy

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How is an IT project organized?

An IT project involves a number of technical experts who will intervene throughout the implementation stages. Project management or project portfolio management implies a certain organization, all the more so if the nature of the project is complex and if the number of actors is important. The project manager will thus have to set a framework from the start in order to gain efficiency and flexibility. A management method such as project governance must meet these requirements.

An IT project is generally articulated in 5 stages, whatever the method (V-cycle, etc.),
Agile
etc.):

  • the definition of the customer’s need,
  • architecture and design,
  • development,
  • testing or acceptance
  • production start-up.

Definition of governance

Project governance refers to a management method that determines the role and responsibilities of each member of a project team. More globally, this notion refers to project management, at the strategic and operational levels. The better this governance mode is defined in advance, the more successful the project will be.

What are the profiles of the project teams?

Throughout the stages, specialists in their respective fields come into play: management, development, information system administration, computer network security, etc.

The technical-functional project manager

Project managers are the keystone of project management, which includes defining customer needs, making adjustments, managing teams, etc. Project managers are involved in the management of resources and must have a knowledge of governance.

Moreover, they are the ones who choose to set up a project governance type of management. This requires a clear definition of roles upstream. This way, project teams are aligned with the repository and fixes are easier to apply.

Project managers have a broad IT culture, both in terms of technical skills (programming, coding, applications) and the market. With their broad IT knowledge, they bring a useful vision to the project. Throughout the process, they ensure that the project teams remain motivated and, therefore, efficient.

The technical architect (or IT architect)

The technical or IT architect is the designer of the interface (application, site, etc.). He imagines what tools will be used to deploy the platform (cloud, azure, aws). With the help of the project manager, he validates the most suitable solution for the client according to performance and practicality criteria and according to the budget.

The developers

The developers’ mission is to create optimal interfaces for the client’s users. A seasoned developer (2 to 3 years experience) usually coordinates the development stage. He can be accompanied by junior developers who will do the coding to show their technical abilities. The more complex the project is, the more it is essential to call upon experienced developers. More and more, IT projects are part of a dynamic of continuous improvement, so developers propose simplified models to validate their work more quickly with the customer.

Performance testers

The performance testers bring a useful outside perspective to the project. This is why they can be found both at the customer’s and the provider’s premises.

Security engineers

Security engineers will test the platform’s resistance by performing penetration tests. Having hacker profiles, they thwart potential cyberattacks and prevent security breaches for organizations. They are also a source of proposals concerning the security tools to be used and accompany their deployment.

DevOps

DevOps (a contraction of the terms “development” and “operations”), intervenes in each phase of the project. In concrete terms, he sets up and configures the platform. To do this, he has a double competence in development and system administration. This versatile profile is perfect for agile projects because it saves valuable time.

DevOps touches on several businesses:

  • It provisions and configures the environments and platforms.
  • It performs upstream platform tests.
  • It controls the conformity of the production.
  • It deploys the application.
  • It sets up continuous integration factories or chains (Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery)

As a true “five-legged sheep”, DevOps is legitimate for making strategic decisions.

Conclusion

For complex projects that require a quick response, the agile method – called iterative – simplifies the steps. Indeed, the teams work together and the deadlines are shortened. By gaining in pragmatism, the service provider is also closer to the needs of the client. Making decisions becomes easier for the project manager. As for project governance, it is completely complementary to the agile method. By using these two methods, the project manager gains agility when making decisions.

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Also read in our “project governance” file:

 

  • Project comitology: the governance bodies of an IT project and their roles
  • Steering and governance of an HR project: which profiles should be involved?
  • Steering and governance of a Finance IS project: which profiles should be involved?
  • Steering and governance of an IT project: which profiles should be involved?
  • Project governance: what role for the steering committee?
  • The actors of a project team: organisation, role and skills
  • The IS manager at the heart of the development and evolution of systems
  • HRIS Manager: what role in the evolution of HR Information Systems?
  • IS project manager : what role and responsibility in an IS project?
  • Functional consultant: a role close to the business processes
  • Technical consultant: a profession at the heart of technological development
  • Solution architect : a profession that manages development and deployment
  • DevOps Consultant: role, missions and development skills
  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): what roles and missions?
  • CISO: a key job within the business for system security
  • The service delivery manager at the heart of team management
  • Scrum master, a key profession for Scrum project management
  • Data scientist: a strategic profession at the service of management
  • MOA / MOE: how are the roles divided on an information system implementation project?
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