Strategic Project Management

Strategic Project Management for corporate initiatives that are deemed mission critical and require expert conception, planning and execution. Many companies lack the internal expertise to execute complex IT projects with their existing staff resources and skills. In addition, it is sometimes difficult for start-ups, joint ventures and mid-market companies to attract and retain Fortune-500 level talent in the context of their current organization for key project assignments. The Pennell Group can solve this problem by providing high caliber talent on an assignment basis to ensure that key projects are successful and deliver the required business results.

Here are some sample situations:

  • Evaluating buy vs. build decisions for enterprise software packages such as SAP, Oracle, and PeopleSoft.
  • Establishing the project management best practices and templates for successful project execution.
  • Evaluating the recommending the most appropriate IT oriented technology partners.
    Completing the business case or business plan for the project with a high degree of quality to ensure rapid approval.
  • Executing on the project using Project Management Institute (PMI) best practices.
  • Implementing the productivity and quality enhancing Agile development practices such as Rational Unified Process(RUP), SCRUM, Iterative Development, User Centric Design (UCD) and eXtreme Programming

Implementing Best Practices

Implementing Best Practices for Production Change Control, Configuration Management, Software Development Lifecycle, Professional Services and Information Security / Business Compliance. Sometimes organizations grow rapidly perhaps through organic growth or mergers and acquisitions. Often their organizations’ processes are inadequate and ineffective. Solving these problems can lower costs and reduce operating risks. Here are some tell tale signs:

  • Operations systems are unstable and service levels are low and inconsistent
  • Different areas of the organization appear to operate differently with inconsistent results
  • There are no enterprise standards or single definitive sources of information
  • External audit and compliance problems (e.g. SAS 70, SARBOX, HIPAA, PCI)
  • Inadequate control of customer data leading to information security vulnerability

IT Organization Assessments

IT Organization Assessments based on the industry standards defined by the ISACA CobiT methodology, customized and enhanced to answer the following questions:

  • Are my IT costs appropriate for my business and aligned with tactical and strategic goals?
  • Are there adequate procedures and controls in place to effectively minimize risk?
  • Could I reduce my IT costs while maintaining existing service levels of project commitments?
  • Are there opportunities to grow the top line through strategic IT investments, and if so how?

In addition IT Organization Assessments play a key role in Merger and Acquisition (M&A) Due Diligence processes, Joint Ventures and Start-Ups. The Pennell Group has experience working with Buyers, Sellers, Consultants and Investments Bankers who are looking for expert advice as part of a transaction.

Rent-a-CTO

The Pennell Group offers this service to companies who need access to experienced CTO talent on a part-time basis for a competitive cost.  This service is typically used for the following initiatives:

  • Analyzing build vs. buy decisions
  • Developing an Enterprise Technology Strategy / Product Strategy Roadmap
  • Validating the current technology and capabilities
  • Resolving chronic, complex system stability and performance problems
  • Identifying high impact technology opportunies to drive growth or reduce costs
  • Team skill augmentation and facilitating change initiatives
  • Understanding how to evaluate and apply Service Oriented Architecture strategies

Reducing IT Labor Costs

Reducing IT Labor Costs through the implementation of Operational Management Tools, Processes and Organizational Changes.

In most cases, IT staffing costs may be reduced by 10-15% without impacting work production or quality through the introduction of metric based tracking and management tools which enable leaders to accurately benchmark and account for all staff IT costs. Once implemented, these tools enable top management to continuously track and manage IT costs that in turn enhances alignment with the corporate objectives. Here are some common signs that your IT staff costs are not in alignment with the business:

  • The top line is growing at 15% a year, but IT costs are growing at 20% year
  • Unable to account for how IT costs are divided between keeping the doors open (K.T.D.O.), customer requests, system enhancements and new strategic initiatives, no benchmarking and no historical data or systematic forecasting capability
  • Unable to quantify what value you get from your IT investment each year