What do you do if your IT outsourcing project encounters major roadblocks?
When you opt for IT outsourcing, you're looking for efficiency and expertise, but what happens when you hit a snag? Roadblocks in IT projects can range from minor hiccups to major issues that threaten to derail your entire project. It's essential to tackle these challenges head-on with a clear strategy and a calm mind. Remember, encountering problems is a natural part of the development process, and overcoming them is what ultimately leads to success. So, let's explore some steps you can take to navigate through these tough times and keep your IT outsourcing project on track.
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Marc Holger UhlmannEMEA Strategy Director | Business Technology Enthusiast | Leader
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UJJWAL CHAUHANDirector of Business Development @ QSS Technosoft Inc. | Team Management, Business Development
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Sanjay WadhwaniFounder & CTO at Spundan, Trusted Tech Advisor. Let's discuss projects : Outsourcing DevOps, Enterprise Apps, Cloud…
Before jumping into action, take a moment to assess the impact of the roadblock on your IT outsourcing project. Determine the scope and scale of the issue. Is it a temporary setback or a sign of a deeper problem? Understanding the severity will help you decide on the urgency and resources required to address it. Communicate with your outsourcing partner to get a clear picture of the situation and gather all necessary information to make informed decisions.
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UJJWAL CHAUHAN
Director of Business Development @ QSS Technosoft Inc. | Team Management, Business Development
When met accompanying bigger roadblocks in an IT outsourcing project, take these steps: -Assess the issue: Understand the question's cause and impact. -Engage partners: Involve everybody and ideas honestly. -Leverage knowledge: Use extrinsic possessions for specific help. -Address opposition: Deal with concerns through talk and cooperation. -Implement changes evenly: Take a phased approach to overcome impediments. -Boost group spirit: Organize crew actions and admit gifts. -Monitor progress: Regularly register, draw response, and regulate as wanted. These steps can help guide along route, often over water challenges and guarantee project advance in IT outsourcing.
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Sanjay Wadhwani
Founder & CTO at Spundan, Trusted Tech Advisor. Let's discuss projects : Outsourcing DevOps, Enterprise Apps, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, Predictive AI, Document AI, Generative AI, Machine learning, Data engineering
Encountering major roadblocks in an IT outsourcing project can be challenging, but here are some steps you can take to address the situation: - Assess the Situation - Communicate Effectively - Collaborate on Solutions - Prioritize Tasks - Allocate Additional Resources - Implement Risk Mitigation Strategies - Seek Expert Advice - Review and Learn Remember, resilience and adaptability are key traits when dealing with setbacks in IT outsourcing projects. By maintaining a collaborative mindset and taking proactive steps to address challenges, you can increase the likelihood of project success.
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Muhammad Umair
Chief Technology Officer @ Glixen Technologies | Offshore Software Development
When your IT outsourcing project hits a major snag, take a breath and assess the situation. Is it a bump in the road or a road closure? Understanding the severity is key to a measured response. Talk to your outsourcing partner, gather info, and then decide how to proceed.
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Abiézer de Oliveira Modesto (He/Him)
Gerente de Projetos | Liderança | Tecnologia | PMP | ASF | Cloud
Particularly my approach is: 1) Identify the block - What's the obstacle? 2) Understand better - Why is it occurring? 3) Remove bias - Who can help us with more things and ideas? 4) Check Risk and elaborate some plan to remove or mitigate. 5) Check the team's engagement and if they have enough skill to remove obstacles. 6) Focus - Keep focus until target the goals.
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Arnaldo Toledo
Service Transition Manager @ Delivery Hero | MBA, ITIL® 4, IT Program Management | Senior Service Delivery Manager | Senior Service Level Manager | Finance Systems Support Manager
Clearly define what the roadblocks are. Is it a communication issue, a technical problem, a discrepancy in expectations, or something else? Properly identifying the issue is the first step toward resolving it.
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Vandana Karthikeya
Consider the following to address major roadblocks in projects: 1. Temporarily pause and assess situation. Zero in on the area of the roadblock--is it cost, scope, schedule, resourcing etc 2. Come up with re-aligned dates and align on revised scope and risk mitigation plans 3. Closely monitor project progress via regular touchpoints , more communication is less incase of "red" projects. Some other things to be proactive about : 1. Have thoroughly identified and documented change management policies (cost, scope, schedule, resource etc) 2. Maintain a RAID log (Risks and issues document) 3. Amend vendor contracts to include penalty incase project misses timeline or goes over budget Lastly celebrate small wins and boost team morale.
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Max Hodges
CEO at Japan Rabbit and Blackship.com
Increase oversight. Basically get more involved. Take more ownership. It’s your responsibility to make it a success. Ask questions to find out what are the blockers. Resources? Knowledge? Confusion about approach, decisions or goals? Communication issues? Increase your engagement to ensure the best outcome for the org. There is no right answer. It depends on many things. Maybe you need to scale back the big hairy audacious plan into something smaller. Maybe you just need to relax the schedule. Maybe a different set of resources are required. As Netflix was transitioning from DVD by Mail to streaming, once they understood the size of the opportunity they fired nearly their entire engineering department! They needed different skills.
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Ruchit Salla
Business Development Executive | Upwork | Lead Generation | Top IT Outsourcing Voice | Top Time Management Voice | Business Development Voice | Catalyzing Business Growth through strategic software solutions
According to my knowledge and experience Before rushing to fix a problem in your IT outsourcing project, pause for a moment to understand how big of a deal it really is, Once you understand the severity of the problem, you can decide how urgently it needs to be addressed. Reach out to your outsourcing partner to get their perspective on the situation. Make sure you have all the facts and details you need to make informed decisions.
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Ed Hansen
I help you achieve transformational change through human-centric deal ecosystems|Co-creator, The Transformation Enablement Cycle
If you’re experience real roadblocks, look to two root causes. The first is that the teams may not have adequate communications skills to adequately express and agree on issues and resolutions. This happens frequently and is rooted in the inception of the relationship and is often a by-product of a ham-fisted sourcing process. These relationships require a sourcing model that reflects the dymamics of a relationship not a product purchase. The second place to look is the fee schedule of the contract. Often the way fees are charged, combined with ineffective service levels, creates so much interactions costs that the execution of the program stalls in its place.
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Sylvain ROSE
Responsable Informatique
1) Identify the block - What's the obstacle? 2) Understand better - Why is it occurring? 3) Remove bias - Who can help us with more things and ideas? 4) Check Risk and elaborate some plan to remove or mitigate. 5) Check the team's engagement and if they have enough skill to remove obstacles. 6) Focus - Keep focus until target the goals.
Open dialogue is key in any partnership, especially when facing challenges. Reach out to your outsourcing provider and discuss the roadblock openly. A transparent conversation can reveal insights into the root cause of the issue and potential solutions. Ensure that communication lines are always open, as frequent updates and collaborative problem-solving can lead to a quicker resolution. Remember, your outsourcing partner is as invested in the success of the project as you are.
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Muhammad Umair
Chief Technology Officer @ Glixen Technologies | Offshore Software Development
Reach out to your outsourcing partner and have an honest conversation about the challenge. Transparency is key – it can help uncover the root cause and pave the way for solutions. By keeping the lines of communication open and working together, you can get back on track faster. Remember, a strong partnership thrives on open dialogue, and your outsourcing partner is invested in your project's success too.
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Ashish Jain
Open Innovation | Tech Entrepreneurship | Startup Acceleration | Leadership in Digital Age
IT outsourcing isn't easy and not for everyone. It needs mature processes and mature mind who can elicit the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder involved, method to mitigate risks and impact on financials (negative or positive) from outsourcing and handling the deal. Clear initial terms helps, even if to sort that out, takes time. Once done, it paves for successful deals. If outsourcing objectives are not met, open dialogue in the light of agreed R&R can pave the way. All outsourcing deals are conditional. Both parties have a role to make it successful. In case there are people from customer also transitioned, it is more complex so, it is in the interest of both to sort out, keeping the objective and key R&Rs.
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Ed Hansen
I help you achieve transformational change through human-centric deal ecosystems|Co-creator, The Transformation Enablement Cycle
Revising goals is helpful, but the holy grail in outsourcing is to find alignment. This is more difficult than it sounds. Many times in this situation alignment is confused with capitulation and agreement. These are not the same. Alignment happens when you and your partner independently WANT to get to the same place. It could be for different reasons though. If you and I are stranded on a desert island and depend upon each other for survival, I may want to get off that island to to see my family again — you may want to get off that island to get back to the company you founded that can’t run without you. The important thing is that we both want off that island and we’ll work together to do that.
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Arnaldo Toledo
Service Transition Manager @ Delivery Hero | MBA, ITIL® 4, IT Program Management | Senior Service Delivery Manager | Senior Service Level Manager | Finance Systems Support Manager
Engage in open and honest communication with the outsourcing provider. Set up a meeting or a series of meetings to discuss the problem. Both parties must understand the nature of the problem and work collaboratively towards a solution.
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Ruchit Salla
Business Development Executive | Upwork | Lead Generation | Top IT Outsourcing Voice | Top Time Management Voice | Business Development Voice | Catalyzing Business Growth through strategic software solutions
In my experience reach out to your outsourcing provider and have an honest chat about the problem you're facing. By discussing openly, you might uncover insights or ideas that you hadn't considered before. Regular updates and ongoing discussions help keep everyone on the same page and working towards a solution together. Your outsourcing partner might have valuable input or expertise that can help you overcome the roadblock faster.
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Hiếu Lê
Tech Solutions - Growth Catalyst | B2B | Helping Businesses Scale & Thrive
IT outsourcing projects are like journeys - sometimes there are bumps in the road. The key is open dialogue with your provider. Talking things out helps identify the problem and brainstorm solutions together.
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Yun Chan Che
🤖 AI Marketing and sales automation 🌍 Reputation management for businesses and individuals 🚀 Helping businesses to scale up
Google wrote a great book on how to work with a third-party agency to create cool IT products "Outsourcing Playbook by Google Play". Open dialogue, communication, and professional management define success.
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Anastasiya Ezheleva
Senior Delivery Manager
If my project encounters difficulties, my first step is to assess the situation and identify the root causes of the problems. I then gather key project stakeholders to discuss the issue collaboratively and brainstorm solutions. As the Project Manager, I take charge of communication, explaining the circumstances and providing support to the team. It's crucial to develop an action plan to overcome the obstacles, considering deadlines and resources. I continuously monitor progress and adjust our strategy as needed. Keeping calm, being decisive, and willingness to take responsibility for decisions are paramount.
Sometimes, a major roadblock is an opportunity to revisit your project goals. Ensure that your objectives are still aligned with your business needs and that the outsourcing team understands them. It's possible that the roadblock has surfaced due to a misalignment of expectations. By re-evaluating your goals, you may find new ways to approach the project or even discover that some objectives need to be adjusted to accommodate the reality of the situation.
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Muhammad Umair
Chief Technology Officer @ Glixen Technologies | Offshore Software Development
Revisiting your project goals. Ensure alignment with business needs and communicate clearly with the outsourcing team. Re-evaluate objectives to adjust expectations and find new approaches to overcome challenges.
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Sanjeev Matta (Co-Founder - TalentOnLease)
Techies On Demand I Bridging the Demand and Supply gap across IT Talent
Taking a proactive and collaborative approach, you can effectively address major roadblocks in your IT outsourcing project. First step is to assess the nature and severity of the roadblocks. Determine whether they are technical, organizational, or related to communication or resourcing. Open and transparent communication is the key. Engage closely with the outsourcing partner to address the roadblocks. Conduct a thorough analysis to identify the root causes of the roadblocks. This may involve technical assessments, project audits, or stakeholder interviews. Based on the identified root causes, develop action plans to address the roadblocks. Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and establish clear metrics to measure progress.
Flexibility is vital when dealing with unexpected hurdles in IT outsourcing. If a roadblock is insurmountable, it may be necessary to adjust your project plans. Work with your outsourcing partner to identify alternative strategies or workarounds. This may involve reprioritizing features, extending deadlines, or reallocating resources. An agile approach to project management can be particularly helpful in these situations, as it allows for continuous reassessment and adjustment.
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Murtaza Jawadwala
Top Voice | Financial Technology Pioneer | AI-Powered Transformation | FinTech | InsurTech
Planning is crucial. I recall a project where our outsourcing partner's team lead suddenly quit, halting progress. We had to adjust plans quickly to avoid delays. We worked closely with the partner to identify alternative resources, reprioritized features, and reallocated tasks. By adopting an agile approach, we were able to reassess and adjust our strategy, ultimately delivering the project on time. The key takeaway? Flexibility is crucial in IT outsourcing. Be prepared to pivot when faced with roadblocks, and maintain open communication with your partner to find creative solutions
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Arnaldo Toledo
Service Transition Manager @ Delivery Hero | MBA, ITIL® 4, IT Program Management | Senior Service Delivery Manager | Senior Service Level Manager | Finance Systems Support Manager
Develop and implement a plan to address the issues. This plan should include clear steps and timelines, and it should be communicated to all involved parties. Monitor the progress of the mitigation efforts closely and adjust as needed.
To prevent future roadblocks, consider strengthening your oversight of the outsourcing process. Implement regular check-ins and reviews to monitor progress and catch potential issues early. Establish clear metrics and benchmarks for success, and ensure that both parties are accountable for meeting them. A stronger oversight mechanism can provide early warnings before problems escalate into major roadblocks.
Finally, use this challenge as a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong and why, and take these lessons into your future IT outsourcing endeavors. Adaptation is a critical skill in business, and each roadblock overcome is a chance to improve your processes and relationships. By learning from these experiences, you can enhance your problem-solving skills and be better prepared for any future challenges.
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Jishnu Madhavan (Jim) (ジシュヌ・マダワン)
Entrepreneur | Top Voice Linked In| Investor |Board Member| Influencer| Founder-Director - NehaN Technologies Japan/India | Co-Founder - Indian IT Association Japan– IT CEO club | Member – Japan India Foundation |
We should have a clear understanding of the importance of the situation, and need to brainstorm for potential solutions. Engage your team in this process and make sure they know you have their trust. Diverse perspectives can lead to innovative ideas. Encourage open dialogue and consider all suggestions, no matter how unconventional they may seem.
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Arnaldo Toledo
Service Transition Manager @ Delivery Hero | MBA, ITIL® 4, IT Program Management | Senior Service Delivery Manager | Senior Service Level Manager | Finance Systems Support Manager
Evaluate the current project management strategies and adapt them if necessary. This might include changing project scopes, timelines, resource allocation, or methodologies to better fit the emerging challenges.
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Marc Holger Uhlmann
EMEA Strategy Director | Business Technology Enthusiast | Leader
In addressing major roadblocks in IT outsourcing projects, it's essential to underscore the importance of clear communication and robust project management. A key strategy is implementing an agile approach to quickly identify issues and adapt solutions. Frequent reviews and stakeholder meetings can ensure alignment and timely responses to any emerging challenges.
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