It’s the holiday movie season and distributors are releasing films for the upcoming awards season. CIO.com recently ran a feature article outlining ways running an IT project is like directing a Hollywood movie. The panelists at DSS’ Higher Education Summit may agree. Our panel addressed creative IT sourcing strategies, a topic that peaks the interest of CIOs not only in Higher Ed but across all industry sectors. Their advice for selecting vendors and partners can be summarized by the 4 points below. Open a bag of popcorn and read on.
4 Things to Know about IT Sourcing
1. Big is not always best.
Success at the box office is not directly tied to big budget and big studio. American Sniper took in over $500 million on a modest $60 million dollar budget. $60 million is not likely the scale of your IT budget, but the point is you can do more with less. If your project “storyline” is compelling (think business benefits) and the plan is well defined (think specific scope) and skillfully executed (think right people in the right place) you can achieve great results. When it comes to sourcing the IT project or picking a partner, regional players may be better than Tier 1 global consultants. They may have a better understanding of your requirements and practical ways to implement. And, they’re often more approachable and responsive.
2. Good things take time.
Do your research. Each panelist emphasized the importance of due diligence when looking at IT sourcing. As the IT leader, don’t let your team be rushed. Everyone wants it yesterday! Involve stakeholders. Gather enough data for good decision making but be careful of “analysis paralysis.” Screenwriter Jason Hall leveraged Chris Kyle’s American Sniper book but also did thorough research on his own. The separate research helped the production company tailor the film for audiences who had never seen a day of combat. The research paid off – Veterans, a notoriously tough group to please with military movies, have mostly praised the film.
3. Begin with the End in Mind.
Think about starting small and scaling rapidly when IT sourcing. Budget constraints may mean you must. Make sure you choose partners who can handle future phases as you can afford it. Implementation effort is the biggest part of any project. Begin with the end in mind and you can avoid rework and restarting. Director Francis Lawrence shot footage three years in advance of release of the fourth Hunger Games movie. Fans are grateful that this process meant the creative team did not resort to digital trickery to include the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and his role as Plutarch Heavensbee, leader of the rebellion in “Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2.”
4. Brand It.
Who better than Hollywood to brand and market their projects? Give your project a program name. Create a message and tell it over and over. Movie trailers create demand and interest. Have a consistent message that you repeat and update often to create the support and enthusiasm you need for successful adoption of the project.
IT professionals already claim to wear many hats.
Director? Producer? Studio Marketing Exec? Pick a role. And, good luck on your next release.
The post Lights, Camera, Action: 4 Things About IT Sourcing appeared first on keep IT running.
