North Coast Connections

In my work, I will often bid on a prospective project that is billed as a technology project, but in reality it isn't. Sure, courts need to acquire new automated case management systems to help them log, track and calendar cases. But what do they really need? Someone to come in, take a look at the case processing procedures, figure out what's working, change what's not working, and then write up a description of how processes are intended to be so a programmer can either build a new system or a vendor can decide whether an off-the-shelf software package will fit these needs.

And even those projects that have outward appearances of technology projects are in reality project management exercises. It is shocking to me how many public sector projects fail because they do not clearly define the problem, clearly define what needs to be done, lay out a communication plan, honestly asses the risks involved, and then lay out the set of tasks needed to accomplish what is expected. But the public sector isn't alone, several studies have shown that private and public sector projects fail at an alarming rate, and a prime reason is a lack of project management.

So as I suit up to fly to another exotic location (this time, it's Columbus, OH), I pack my Blackberry Pearl, laptop computer, MP3 player, and assorted software modeling and productivity programs. I have all the outward appearance of a tech warrior doing battle to tame the technology beast.

In reality, I am an old fashioned efficiency expert who sniffs around and organization like Hercule Perot in an Agatha Christy novel. My real tools are the spoken and written word, used to convince clients to choose among prospective solutions and to document the one that is chosen.

I could write it down in Sanskrit on paper parchment ... or I could type it into a word processing program and provide the client with electronic and hard copies of the final report.

Chris Crawford
www.justiceserved.com

Photo credit = Microsoft clipart