ITC493 Assignment 1 Task 2 Chapter 2

Q2: Write a one- to two-page summary of an article about the importance of top management support for successful information technology projects. (Chapter 2, Exercise 5, page 66)

A:
Almost all key stakeholders or sponsors in information technology projects are in top management positions. And if the project manager could gain enough top management support, the success rate of this project will be high. Therefore top management support is one of important factors of project success.

In the project development process, there will be many changes. Some of them will be controlled by project manager, but unfortunately some of them will out of control. Then the project manager will need stakeholders’ or sponsors’ help. So actually, top management support will be necessary when changes come. Schwable (2006, p.51) indicated some reasons that why top management support is very important to project managers:
1. Project managers need adequate resources.
2. Project managers often require approval for unique project needs in a timely manner.
3. Project managers must have cooperation from people in other parts of the organization.
4. Project managers often need someone to mentor and coach them to leadership issues.

As Goldenberg (2001) said, “True support is not about getting a signature on the check. That's one key point, but it's not enough. Sponsors need to round up the troops, get the word out that the project is important to the company and protect people when difficulty happens.”

So, when the project managers need sufficient resources such as money, human resources and other materials for the project, with top management support, they could get what they need easily, and then it won’t influence the project development. Top management should understand that the project development is uncertain, changes cannot be avoided. In different time, the develop team will have different specific needs for the project, top management should meet them. Nowadays, many information technology projects are across different functional areas. Therefore, project managers sometimes will need cooperation from other departments. Top management should help project managers to deal with this. Top management also should teach new project managers who just come from technical positions how to be good managers and leaders. Top management should pass on their experiences to new project managers.

In conclusion, although with top management support doesn’t mean the project will succeed, but without top management support the project will fail.

Reference
Schwalbe, Kathy, 2006, “Information technology project management 4th”, Thomson Course Technology, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.

Goldenberg, Barton, “Getting and Keeping Top Management Support”, CRM Magazine November 2001, http://www.destinationcrm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=1219, 08/25/2007