Author Archives: Andrew Scott

The Power Duo: IT Project Managers and Product Managers in Action

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The seamless execution of projects and the successful delivery of products are paramount. But who are two of the key players behind these achievements? Enter the IT Project Manager and the Product Manager, two roles that, while distinct, are intricately linked in driving innovation and success.

The Dynamic Duo: IT Project Manager vs. Product Manager

Try to imagine a world where projects run smoothly, on time, and within budget, while products perfectly meet market demands and customer expectations. This is the world that IT Project Managers and Product Managers strive to create. Though their responsibilities differ, their collaboration is sometimes essential in order to turn visions into reality.

Roles and Responsibilities

IT Project Manager:

  • Primary Focus: Ensures projects are executed within a defined scope, timeline, and budget.
  • Responsibilities: Includes planning, scheduling, resource allocation, change and risk management to deliver quality project outcomes.
  • Typical Day: Involves coordinating with team members, tracking progress, managing budgets, and resolving issues to align with project goals.

Product Manager:

  • Primary Focus: Defines the product vision, strategy, and roadmap to meet market needs and business objectives.
  • Responsibilities: Conducts market research, analyzes customer needs, prioritizes features, and manages the product lifecycle.
  • Typical Day: Engages with customers and stakeholders, defines product requirements, collaborates with teams, and monitors product performance.

Background and Experience

IT Project Manager:

  • Experience: Real-world experience is crucial, often gained through roles such as project coordinator or team lead. This hands-on experience allows IT Project Managers to understand the intricacies of project execution, stakeholder management, and risk mitigation. Working on diverse projects enhances their ability to anticipate challenges and devise effective solutions.
  • Certifications: While not mandatory, certifications like Project Management Professional (PMP), Prince2 and Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) can enhance a manager’s credentials and demonstrate a commitment to professional development.

Product Manager:

  • Experience: Product Managers often come from varied backgrounds, including engineering, marketing, or sales, which enriches their perspective on product development. Real-world experience in roles such as Product Owner or Associate Product Manager is invaluable, as it provides insights into customer needs, market dynamics, and product lifecycle management. This experience helps them craft strategies that align with business goals and customer expectations.
  • Certifications: Although not essential, product management certifications can be beneficial in refining skills and understanding industry best practices.

Team Composition and Skillsets

IT Project Manager’s Team:

  • Includes project coordinators, engineers, SME’s and quality assurance testers.
  • Skillsets: Project management, risk assessment, budgeting, and scheduling.

Product Manager’s Team:

  • Comprises designers, developers, marketing professionals, and sales teams.
  • Skillsets: Market analysis, strategic planning, user experience design, and product lifecycle management.

Documentation

IT Project Manager:

  • Utilizes project plans, Gantt charts, risk management plans, and status reports to track and communicate progress.

Product Manager:

  • Employs product roadmaps, market analysis reports, user personas, and feature specifications to guide development.

Desired End Goals and Success Metrics

IT Project Manager:

  • End Goal: Complete projects on time, within budget, and to pre-defined quality standards.
  • Success Metrics: Timeliness, budget adherence, stakeholder satisfaction, and quality of deliverables.

Product Manager:

  • End Goal: Deliver products that meet customer needs and achieve business objectives.
  • Success Metrics: Market share, customer satisfaction, product adoption rates, and revenue generation.

Stakeholder Roles

IT Project Manager:

  • Stakeholders include project sponsors, team members, and external vendors, providing resources and ensuring project alignment.

Product Manager:

  • Stakeholders include customers, marketing teams, sales teams, and executives, offering insights into customer needs and market trends.

Overlap and Collaboration

Overlap:

  • Both roles require strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. They work together to ensure product vision aligns with project execution.

Collaboration:

  • Product Managers set the strategic vision and requirements, while Project Managers translate these into actionable plans and ensure timely delivery.
  • Effective collaboration involves regular sync meetings, shared documentation, and cross-functional team efforts.

Supporting Each Other:

  • Product Managers rely on Project Managers for logistical execution, while Project Managers depend on Product Managers for clear requirements and prioritization.

Bridging Vision and Execution

In summary, IT Project Managers and Product Managers play distinct yet complementary roles in the tech industry. Their collaboration is vital for successful product development and project execution. By supporting each other through clear communication and shared goals, they drive organizational success and innovation.

Tips for a New Manager

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I was approached today by someone that had just been promoted into a new role as a Manager. This person wanted some tips and advice on how to be a good manager and this was the reason for this post.

 

Good Managers have a combination of operational, communication and leadership skills along with a dash of empathy. Managers should not be bullies, they should be enablers and facilitators. As a Manager you need to appreciate that you have to be flexible and will always be learning. Here are some points we covered.

Effective Communication: Always communicate clearly, be an active listener and invite constructive feedback. Encourage one-one meetings and always have an open door. This is a two way street, I take it as a bad sign when team members are not able to speak freely.

Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that expectations are set up front, a bad manager makes it up as they go along. There should be no surprises or feelings of ambush for the team. Now this doesn’t mean expectations cannot be adjusted but it should be obvious to all why tweaks are required.

Don’t make Assumptions: Ask questions, invite feedback so you understand fully before moving forward.

Teamwork: Work to foster collaboration and build trust, as this helps to keep team members motivated which will drive up productivity.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: It is important to really get to know your team, as each person would function differently and have their own drivers and motivators. You need to know when to give advise, when to let them find the solution themselves and when to just listen.

Highlight Achievements: Celebrating successes helps build moral, boosts confidence and is a great motivational team. However this should be positive and Manager’s should try to ensure that this does not drive a wedge between the team as this will have a negative effect.

Network Building: It helps to interact with other new managers. HR may be able to create a program so they can share knowledge and experiences, remembering to maintain privacy where required when discussing their team members.

Continuous Learning: Managers will be learning continuously and need to adapt to new work and people challenges. They should always be looking for new tools to add to their toolbox.

These are some of the items we covered, I hope you find them helpful…

Choosing an ERP System

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I was asked today about what makes one ERP different from the other and what to take into consideration when selecting a system.

 

 

 

Finding the perfect Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can feel overwhelming. This post post breaks down some of the top contenders, focusing on their key features, ease of implementation, and potential challenges.

Top ERP Systems Compared:

  • Oracle Fusion: A powerhouse with features spanning finance, HR, supply chain, and more. It boasts advanced analytics and customization, but be prepared for potentially complex implementation requiring skilled teams.

  • Infor ERP: Industry-specific solutions are their specialty (like manufacturing and healthcare). They offer strong analytics, user-friendly interfaces, and cloud or on-premise options. Implementation ease can vary depending on the level of customization needed.

  • NetSuite: This comprehensive cloud solution offers features for financials, CRM, and e-commerce. Expect real-time data and scalability, but customization and integrations can extend the implementation timeline.

  • Microsoft Dynamics 365: A natural fit for those already using Microsoft products. This modular system allows customization but can get complex. The familiar interface can ease user adoption, but extensive customization can be time-consuming.

  • SAP Business One: Tailored for small to mid-sized businesses, SAP Business One offers a comprehensive suite for financials, sales, and operations. Implementation is generally moderate, but customization can add complexity.

  • Sage Intacct: Cloud-based with robust reporting, Sage Intacct shines in financial management. While scalable, it may require additional systems for full ERP functionality.

  • Epicor: Catering to manufacturing, distribution, and other sectors, Epicor offers industry-specific solutions. While these can streamline some processes, customization can add complexity to implementation.

Finding Your Perfect Fit

  • Oracle Fusion, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite: Powerful with a wide range of features, but implementation can be complex due to customization needs.

  • Infor ERP, Epicor: Industry-specific solutions can simplify implementation, but customization can still be a challenge.

  • SAP Business One, Sage Intacct: Ideal for small to mid-sized businesses with simpler implementations, but may have limitations in scope and integration complexity.

Remember, the ideal ERP system depends on your organizational unique needs. Consider your existing IT infrastructure, the level of customization required, and the system’s flexibility and scalability. With this guide in hand, you can navigate the ERP maze and find the perfect fit for your business!

 

 

Migrating On-Premise Applications to the Cloud

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One of my current projects is to migrate some of our on-site applications to the Cloud. This is a complex process and project that involved technical, strategic and operational considerations.

I will list some steps that were taken as part of the project here as you may find them useful.

Project Scope and Goal

What is your reason for the project, cost reduction, increase in scalability or performance or security improvements?

Assessment:

  • Compile a list of all the on-premise applications.
  • Agree which applications, infrastructure and data will be migrated as part of the project. This information helped identity applications that would fall into the categories listed in the migration strategy section below.
  • Interdependencies between infrastructure and applications need to be clear
  • Consider security, compliance and regulatory factors (data privacy) as some applications may not be suited for the cloud.

Choose the Cloud Provider

We already had the decision on our Cloud provider. I will assume you have also identified your provider, if not contact me and I can provide some information you may find useful.

Migration Strategy:

  • Will your approach be lift & shift (transferring as is), re-platforming, or cloud deployment
  • Will the data need to be adjusted, transformed or cleansed as part of the move
  • How will you migrate. Incremental, real time or bulk transfer
  • How will you ensure data remains secure throughout the process
  • Have clear expectations on phases and timelines.
  • How will you test the applications and validate functionality post migration
  • What is the rollback plan if there are issues

Provision Cloud Systems and Infrastructure

  • Design the architecture, storage, network and security
  • Implement monitoring, logging and troubleshooting tools

Project Team:

  • The team will be made up if IT, any affected or relevant Business areas, Operations and Security
  • Identify all Stakeholders

Training:

  • Identify training requirements for end users and IT operational teams

System Monitoring:

  • Tools for monitoring, performance alerts, security and utilization need to be in place.
  • Operations teams may need to be re-trained.

Communication:

  • All Stakeholders need to have timelines, risks and benefits.
  • They need to be kept informed on progress, challenges and issues.

Cost Review and Management:

  • Keep a close eye on costs, you can right-size resources and manage costs effectively.
  • Cloud Provider tools like Autoscaling will help keep this in check

These are some items to consider if you are plan on moving your services to the Cloud.

How Predictive Analytics is used in Healthcare.

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I am currently working on a Predictive Analytics Project so uncovered some facts that you may find useful.

Let me start by explaining what Predictive Analytics is.

It is a field of data analytics that uses sophisticated algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze vast amounts of data to make predictions about trends or future events.

In a healthcare setting since the institutions have access to and can use data from Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Insurance claims, they can use real-time and historical data to forecast future heath trends and patient needs which would help the organization run more efficiently.

So how exactly does Predictive Analytics benefit the institution.

Prediction or Early Detection

The models can analyze patient data, lab results and risk factors which can help to identify individuals at risk of developing specific diseases. Their providers are notified and can intervene with preventative measures.

Personalization

The models can help develop treatment plans specific to the patients needs based on the medical and genetic data.

Resource Planning

Analytics can help the organizations predict and plan for a surge in demand for specific services and develop plans to resource as required allowing for more efficient resource utilization.

Readmission Reduction

By reviewing patterns, it can be used to identify patients more likely to be readmitted. Clinicians can then intervene and implement programs to avoid this happening.

Operational Benefits

It can be used to predict systems failures, allowing the maintenance teams to address issues early.

Seems like a win win for all doesn’t it.

Are you Integrating Systems with Other Institutions…What to Look Out For.

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Are you in a position where you need to integrate your systems and infrastructure with other institutions. Have you thought through all the challenges you may encounter and how to prepare yourself and your team for what is to come.

I have listed a few items to consider as these would help you develop your plan and manage the change.

Company Vision:

  • Are there cultural differences between institutions, and if so how can this be bridged as this could lead to resistance or conflict.
  • Are there any regulatory challenges. Are the goals aligned across the institutions.

Managing Stakeholders:

  • Once identified, determine interest and level of influence within their institution.
  • Maintain regular progress updates with all.
  • Identify the executives that are always willing to help address concerns and challenges as they arise.
  • Ensure the right people (decision makers) are on the steering committee.
  • Always keep all stakeholders in the communication loop (based on the communication matrix).
  • Is management buy-in universal or are some still on the fence.
  • Try to keep all stakeholders engaged, especially if there are some that demonstrate resistance to change.

Maintaining Communication:

  • Keeping channels of communication open with all stakeholders can be cumbersome across the institutions but vital for success.
  • The key is to have regular meetings and updates with a centrally accessible document repository.

Technical Challenges:

  • Carry out a full systems assessment documenting overlaps, compatibility and migration challenges.
  • Ensure there is a clear and achievable integration plan.
  • Plan should list all systems, infrastructure, data and their dependencies.
  • Plan should be in phases based on complexity with clearly defined risks from each institution with mitigation strategies.
  • Agree on the validation, migration and testing plan always with security and compliance in mind.
  • Agree on the plan to manage vendors, reviewing and updating contracts if necessary.

Silos of Information:

  • There is often a risk of institutions hoarding information as “information is power”.
  • Silos need to be broken down by promoting the sharing of knowledge and information.

Interpersonal Friction (Politics):

  • Different working styles with conflicting personalities can hinder collaboration.
  • Could the Manager’s struggle for increased visibility and power affect the project.
  • How does ego play out and how will you manage this.
  • Relationships could be more difficult in situations where there are job security concerns post integration.

I have not listed any possible solutions here as it would depend on your circumstances. However I am happy for you to contact me if you would like to discuss or have questions..

How to Build Trust with Remote Team Members

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I received a few comments related to my last post about the remote team and decided to do a follow up.

We need to remember that trust is vital to team work especially for effective collaboration and productivity, but we all have to make extra effort when working remotely. Here are a few strategies to consider:

Have multiple communication channels: Emails, instant messaging (Teams), video and voice calls will help compensate for the lack of face to face interaction.

Honest and open communication: Regular communication is essential, share progress, updates and challenges.

Be Responsive and Transparent: If the Manager is open and honest the team will follow suit. Being dependable, responsive and encouraging the team to do the same would help address any feelings of isolation.

Virtual Team Building Activities: Virtual “Water Cooler” moments would help maintain rapport

Lastly be sincere and show that you care. I have had many interactions with Managers where they ask “How are you?” but do not wait for a reply before moving on to the reason they called. Why bother asking then?. This is sad as they don’t seem to realize that people notice and remember.

Scourge of COVID

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The rising costs of COVID treatment is causing many organizations to consider raising health insurance premiums on their workers that refuse to get vaccinated. Employers are searching for ways to minimize the risk of breakout infections when they reopen offices as the virus continues to spread across cities, hospitals start to run out of beds again and the vaccination rates continue to slow down.

 

Some may see this in a negative light but how is this really different from higher car insurance premiums on careless drivers, increased tax on cigarette and alcohol or sugar products

The cost for COVID treatment varies around the world. FAIR Health in New York USA average it out at $38,221. CNBC report that America’s Health Insurance Plans, a trade group for insurers puts the cost also in that range.

Healthcare Finance, however average out that the cost of hospital care for COVID-19 much higher ranging from $51,000 to $78,000, based on age.

Company Leadership always has to keep their eyes on the bottom-line, regardless of whether it is increased insurance premiums or impact to productivity due to absence. Now they have to consider mandating COVID vaccination which may also cause staff to leave, however they have to decide which side of the double edged blade cuts deeper. Google, Disney, Walmart and McDonalds in US have made it clear that their staff must be vaccinated as has the publishers Bloomsbury over in UK.

I think everyone needs to do what they can to limit the increasing financial damage being caused by COVID so you either take the vaccine or understand that there may be a premium to be paid.

What are some technical differences between Microsoft, AWS and Google Cloud services

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Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are major cloud computing providers, but there are some technical distinctions between them:

Services Offered:

  • All three providers offer a wide range of cloud services including compute, storage, databases, networking, and analytics.
  • AWS  has an extensive selection with over 200 services, while GCP is well known for its data analytics and machine learning strengths, Azure on the other hand excels in the integration with existing Microsoft products.

Infrastructure:

  • All three providers have global networks of data centers.
  • AWS currently has the most geographically spread data centers, while GCP focuses on high-performance network design for low latency.
  • The three providers have their on variation of virtual machine options, storage solutions, and management tools.

Pricing:

  • They all use a pay-as-you-go model, but pricing structures can differ based on resource usage and instance types.
  • GCP may have a slight edge in upfront costs for some configurations.

 

The best choice for you will clearly depend on your specific needs and priorities. However you can consider factors like.

  • Existing IT environment (balance between Microsoft vs others)
  • Applications you intend to use
  • Importance of data analytics and machine learning
  • Budgetary constraints

This list does not cover all items however I hope you still find this useful.

Another data breach…this time T-Mobile

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This is not looking good. T-Mobile is apparently investigating a possible breach that could involve the data of up to 50 million people. The news broke when Vice picked up that the hacker was trying to sell off a portion of the data in exchange for Bitcoins. The team at Vice have been able to validate that the sample data provided looks legit.

The data, reportedly stolen from multiple T-Mobile servers, contains user identifying information, which includes names, addresses, and phone numbers; social security numbers; IMEI numbers, all of which are unique to each mobile device.

You can read the story in full here