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Project Management

Project planning, governance, dependencies, risks and communication for complex ERP and IT initiatives. Practical advice on keeping decisions and execution under control.

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Make progress verifiable

A green project dashboard does not always mean the team is ready for the next milestone. Strong project management connects dates to testable outputs, decisions and dependencies.

Questions to answer before deciding

  • Use acceptance criteria to define when a deliverable is actually complete.
  • Record decisions, open risks, ownership and how issues have evolved.
  • Review cross-team dependencies, integration work and supplier commitments before approving the next phase.

Explore PlanAxion's IT project management services.

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Project manager presenting a milestone schedule on a screen to their team in a modern office.
Article

IT Project Plan: How to Build a Realistic, Complete, and Engaging Schedule

According to McKinsey and the University of Oxford, large IT projects go over budget by an average of 45% and deliver 56% less value than expected. A realistic, comprehensive IT project plan shared by all stakeholders remains the most powerful lever to avoid these pitfalls.

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Illustration of a project kickoff meeting
Article

Successful Project Kickoff Meetings: 7 Agenda Sections to Align Everyone

A well-prepared project kickoff meeting sets the tone for the entire mandate. According to the PMI, one in five projects fails due to ineffective communication. Here are the 7 sections to include on the agenda, from the sponsor's opening remarks to the 5-week plan, to align stakeholders from day one.

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Senior project manager reviewing a risk register with two managers in a meeting room at a modern Quebec office.
Article

Project Health Checks: detect risks, strengthen execution, ensure success

Major projects are complex and carry high risks: according to McKinsey and the University of Oxford, large IT projects exceed their budgets by an average of 45%. A Project Health Check provides a clear, independent, and objective view of your project's actual status before hidden risks become critical issues.

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Article

How to eliminate project uncertainties?

According to McKinsey and the University of Oxford, large IT projects go 45% over budget and deliver 56% less value than expected. Project uncertainties never disappear, but every timely decision resolves a few. Here is where they hide, why indecision is the greatest risk, and how to concretely reduce them.

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Project manager leading a stakeholder mapping workshop with employees in a modern Montreal office
Article

Change management: much more than just a communication plan

Change management in a software implementation relies on three pillars: communication, training, and organizational development. According to Prosci, a project led with excellent change management is approximately seven times more likely to achieve its objectives. Neglecting even one pillar compromises the expected benefits.

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PlanAxion visual for an article on project cost estimation
Article

Project Cost Estimation: Simple, Yet Unforgiving

Project cost estimation relies on three simple actions: breaking the project down into deliverables, applying a contingency per component, and validating through comparison. Yet, according to McKinsey and the University of Oxford, large IT projects exceed their budgets by an average of 45%. Here is the method to make an estimate defensible before a steering committee.

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PlanAxion visual for an article on project team roles
Article

What are the key roles of an IT project team?

An IT project team relies on nine key roles, from the sponsor who drives the benefits to the change management lead who ensures adoption. Gartner predicts that over 70% of recent ERPs will not fully achieve their objectives by 2027, often due to a lack of executive engagement. Here is who does what, and why each role matters.

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Post-implementation support analyst assisting a user with the new ERP system at her workstation
Article

Three Key Factors for Successful Post-Implementation Support

The post-implementation support phase is the final stage of an IT project. Its goal is to ensure a smooth transition between teams. The success of this support depends on three key actions: selecting the most competent staff, identifying and categorizing issues by type and severity, and maintaining rigorous follow-up with all stakeholders. This phase often contributes to user adoption of the change.

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PlanAxion visual for an article on project interdependence
Article

Project Interdependence: A Reality You Cannot Ignore in Your Portfolio

Project interdependence extends timelines and inflates costs when left unmonitored. According to McKinsey and the University of Oxford, large IT projects exceed their budgets by an average of 45% and deliver 56% less value than expected. Here are two pitfalls to identify during the preliminary analysis: competition for resources and unsynchronized integrations.

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PlanAxion visual for an article on business analysis
Article

The role of the business analyst in IT projects: bridging the gap between needs and technology

The business analyst stands between two worlds—business and IT—and their role is to translate for both. According to the PMI, 47% of unsuccessful projects fail to meet their goals due to inaccurate requirements management. Here is what a business analyst really does in an IT project, and what sets a good analyst apart.

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Project manager reviewing the hour-by-hour schedule of a cutover plan displayed on a meeting room wall
Article

ERP Cutover Plan: 5 Steps for a Successful Go-Live

The deployment plan (cut-over plan) is an essential part of project management. The five main milestones are: strategic planning as early as possible, allocating time for teams to handle data conversion, drafting a detailed go-live plan, testing the deployment plan with simulations, and being ready on the big day with scheduled teams and a go/no-go decision process.

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PlanAxion visual for an article on project team recruitment
Article

Recruiting a project team: 14 questions to ask before you hire

Recruiting a project team is about more than just posting a job. According to PMI’s 2021 Talent Gap report, the global economy will need 25 million new project professionals by 2030. Here are 14 questions to address before, during, and after hiring to build a team that delivers and stays.

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Project team executing ERP software test scenarios on multiple screens in a modern Quebec office.
Article

How to create a software testing strategy?

Testing a software package before implementation allows it to be improved and optimized. According to the 2022 CISQ report, poor software quality cost the United States at least $2.41 trillion USD. Here is why and how to build a structured testing strategy for your ERP project.

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Project manager presenting the project communication plan to their team
Article

Project Management Communication Plan: The Success Factor Too Many Organizations Neglect

A project manager spends about 90% of their time communicating, according to the Project Management Institute (PMI). Yet, many organizations launch their projects without a real communication plan. It is an omission that comes at the cost of delays, budget overruns, and lost trust.

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