How Technology Assessments Drive Improved IT Project Outcomes
Posted on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 @ 01:40 PM
Typically, the driver behind a new technology project will come from one of two places:
- There is a specific type of technology that you want to implement, because you understand the solution and believe that it will work well for your business. In this situation, you might say to yourself, “I want to virtualize my data center.”
- You want to achieve specific business or operational goals, but aren’t quite sure what the best solution may be. In this case, you may think, “Our data center is growing out of control and consuming a lot of power. We need to find a way to make it more manageable and efficient.”
In either case, you know where you want to be and may have ideas on how to get there. However, any new technology implementation requires a significant investment of both time and money. For this reason, to ensure a smooth transition from your current environment to that which is desired, it might make sense to start your project with a strategic technology assessment.
Though the specifics of an assessment will vary based on the technology involved, common information gleaned from technology assessments —and their corresponding benefits — include:
- Data about your current environment, giving you a better understanding of end-user operations, hardware and software deployed, and management and maintenance costs.
- Details about how well-suited your current technology (hardware and/or software) is to support potential upgrades, and ways to ensure compatibility with any new system before procurement and installation.
- Current cost benchmarks, against which you can estimate the ROI of your project before implementation, then measure against to prove ROI afterward.
- Additional software, virtualization or management tools that can help you increase efficiency in ongoing IT maintenance and daily operations.
- Recommended technologies or infrastructures that will allow for scalability and growth, based on your business objectives. This allows you to plan for the future and avoid costly updates shortly after the project is complete.
Assessments can be done in-house or through a trusted technology partner — the best solution often depends upon the complexity of your organization and internal resources. Some common assessments include:
- Network
- Data Center
- Server, Desktop or Application Virtualization
- Wireless Network
- Imaging & Printing
By starting a large technology project with an assessment, you ensure that the upgrade will be well supported, meets your business needs and positions your organization for future growth.
Your Turn:
Has your organization ever started a large IT project with an assessment? How did it aid in the process? Please share your experience in the comments section below.
Dale Philips is Managing Director - Converged Network Group and is responsible for directing MCPc's technology focus in its Network Solutions, Data Center and Visual Collaboration practices. As programmer, IT manager, Director, CIO and now Managing Director, Dale's business experiences make him uniquely qualified to provide business-savvy technology solutions to MCPc and our customers. Connect with Dale on LinkedIn.