Does it matter whether an IT project leader is technical or not?

Delivering IT projects on time, to budget and getting them to realise their projected benefits, is a real challenge for any project lead, especially as nine out of ten projects fail*. But does it make a difference to the success of a project if the person leading it comes from a technical background?

We’ve worked with hundreds of organisations to help them deliver IT projects and worked with some fantastic project leads, many of which were not technically trained. But what we found is that whilst many might excel in leadership or strategic business management, their lack of IT knowledge could sometimes impact their effectiveness.

In fact, our very own Financial Director encountered this issue when her role grew in responsibility and she took the helm of our sister company, miso. When it came to choosing a bit of software or kicking off a development project she found it a daunting task. She knew there was a correct process they needed to follow but wasn’t sure whether her staff were heading in the right direction.

In today’s digital society, IT is becoming an increasingly integral part of an organisation’s operations and its reach is extending far beyond the confines of the traditional IT department. Whether that’s helping marketing to advertise more cost effectively, finance to work more efficiently or sales to increase revenue. In the coming years more and more people will become involved in IT projects who have never done so before.

But if you find yourself responsible for leading an IT project where do you go for training? This is the problem our clients encountered. And it led us to identify a unique gap in the market for a workshop that caters specifically for non-technical directors and leaders.

Our new workshop provides them with an overview of the key principles of IT project engagement so that they can make a real impact on the success of their projects. For example, it gives them a greater understanding of the key processes and methodologies their IT staff follow, including the terminology they use. The interactive format is designed to teach them techniques that will help them direct their workforce and suppliers more effectively as well as provide them with greater control over their IT projects.

To find out more about our workshop, click here.

* Odds of delivering an IT project successfully are 1 in 10 – Boston Consulting Group Report, June 2015