Delivering More for Less

How many times have you been asked to 'deliver more for less'? Plenty, I would guess. For many of us, given the current economic conditions, we are being asked to do this yet again.

Reviewing and optimising the cost base continues to make good sense, but is that enough? Are we sure that is what we're really being asked for?

In my experience, one of the key areas where IT can demonstrably make a difference is on project delivery. Completing a project late, over budget and with reduced scope can be the norm for some organisations. Even failing on only one of these factors can result in IT being given a black mark. The better we are at producing the right solution, at the right time, for the right cost, then the more likely we are to be deemed successful and, compared to our previous track record, seen to be delivering more for less.

Some areas where hidden costs can start to occur include:

• Having bottlenecks in the development process
• Working around architectural constraints
• Misunderstanding requirements and/or their business value
• Delivering a poor quality solution into test
• Adding too many 'bells & whistles'

Tackling these issues, perhaps as part of a broader transformation programme, will ultimately improve your delivery capability, your track record and your contribution to the bottom line.