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Understanding the Software Development Life Cycle — IT Certificate

Additional Staffing
Although systems make business processes more efficient, there is also a cost to maintain systems
as they become more complicated, and may require additional or higher-skilled resources to
maintain. This includes both IT and business resources. For example, an old payroll system required
several data entry clerks, but the new system does not require as many data entry clerks; it does,
however, require additional expertise to analyze and review the results.

Temporary Systems or Processes
More complex systems are implemented in phases to lessen the business impact. During a phased
implementation, temporary systems or processes may be required to compensate for lack of system
functionality that occurs in later phases.

Lost Productivity
In some situations, there may be a learning curve that will temporarily decrease productivity. Longer
term productivity challenges could exist if the implementation fails to deliver the functionality
needed by the department.

Criteria for a Successful Project

In general, there are five key aspects that contribute to a project’s overall success. These risk
mitigations (controls) help to ensure a project is successful and must include:

Executive Support: A lack of executive support could lead middle management to believe that the
project is not a top priority for the organization. If this happens, it would likely cause a lack of focus
at the middle management level and result in delays to the project.

Project Management: The most successful projects have the best project managers to oversee the
project. This manager is the liaison between the IT and business teams and must be a proficient
communicator who can also take on the responsibility of governance of the project. Expertise in this
area is imperative because a failure in governance drastically increases the chances of project
failure.

Financial Management: Without oversight, projects can easily spin out of financial control. Financial
management ensures the project is maintained within budget and without great overruns.

Skilled Resources: Expert resources are critical to a project’s success. The organization must be
careful about using existing resources that might require training and extra time in order to become
familiar with the technology.

Formal Methodology: A formal methodology ensures a consistent, systematic, coordinated, and
controlled process. This provides discipline in the project team, and ensures that the project
proceeds in an orderly manner.

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