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Project Managers and Vendors: Creating a Successful Partnership - Part I
March 4, 2008 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Procurement Management, Project Management Best Practices, Project Stakeholder Management
Project Managers and Vendors: Creating a Successful Partnership - Part I (#1 in the series Project Managers and Vendors: Creating a Successful Partnership)
By Linda Miller of Traveling Coaches, Inc.
Project management offices (PMOs) and project managers (PMs) are a necessity in today’s law firms, to ensure that IT projects stay on track. Anyone acting as a PM on a project requiring multiple outside vendors knows that if not managed properly, chaos can reign. Working with your own staff on a project can usually be orchestrated with ease, but throw in a vendor or two (or more) and the project can quickly get out of hand. Creating a successful partnership between vendors and your own project team is a necessity to ensure project success.
Resource Allocation
Resource management can be the most frustrating part of a project manager’s job, especially when considering the “ambush” projects that often appear from nowhere. The number of projects that an IT department takes on in a year often justifies the need for additional resources to support and enhance internal project teams. The complexity of a project may also determine the need to augment the staff’s technical expertise or resources. Investment in a vendor who serves as an extension to the IT staff can be justified by quicker project completion, a reduction in IT staff burn-out and a more efficient project deployment.
Expertise in New Technology
With new technology being introduced every day, it is difficult for IT departments to master all the technological requirements that their clients demand. Most IT departments have experts on staff to manage their everyday legal applications and core technology, but outside resources may be necessary to assist with new technology. Vendors who are trained and certified in the latest technology can provide the expertise needed for a project rollout.
Experience in the Field
The vendor brings experience with other clients and similar projects and can assist the project manager in avoiding some of the common obstacles to a smooth rollout. Vendors also bring knowledge of best practices in project rollouts and a proven record of success.
This article was first published in ILTA’s July, 2007 white paper titled “Project Management — Broadening Your Scope” and is reprinted here with permission. For more information about ILTA, visit their website at http://www.iltanet.org.
Linda Miller is co-owner and principal of Traveling Coaches, Inc., leading the company’s team of project managers, application specialists and document management engineers. Linda has extensive experience leading projects with law firms and consulting law firms on project management. Since 1995, Linda has served as the company’s technology partner managing all technical and project management operations. Linda is a dynamic presenter and implementer of project management, adult learning theories (training techniques) and IT management level courses. Linda holds many technical certifications in the legal industry enhancing her valuable experience as a consultant. Linda can be reached at lmiller@travelingcoaches.com.
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