What do you do if your systems engineering project management software is not living up to expectations?

1 Assess the root cause

The first step to fix your software problem is to understand what is causing it. Is it a technical issue, such as a bug, a compatibility issue, a security breach, or a performance issue? Is it a human issue, such as a lack of training, a poor communication, a resistance to change, or a mismatch of expectations? Is it a project issue, such as a scope creep, a schedule delay, a budget overrun, or a quality compromise? To answer these questions, you need to gather data and feedback from your software users, stakeholders, and vendors, and analyze the evidence using root cause analysis techniques, such as the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Diagram, or the Fault Tree Analysis.

2 Evaluate the impact

The next step is to measure the impact of your software problem on your project objectives, deliverables, and outcomes. How much is your software problem affecting your project scope, time, cost, quality, risk, and stakeholder satisfaction? How much is it affecting your systems engineering processes, such as requirements engineering, architecture design, integration, verification, validation, and operation? How much is it affecting your team productivity, collaboration, motivation, and morale? To answer these questions, you need to use quantitative and qualitative metrics, such as the Earned Value Analysis, the Defect Density, the Customer Satisfaction Index, or the Team Climate Survey.

3 Explore the alternatives

The third step in solving a software problem is to identify and compare the possible alternatives. Depending on the root cause and impact of the issue, these can include fixing the software, replacing it, adapting it, or adjusting the project. When selecting the best alternative, it is important to consider factors such as cost, time, feasibility, risk, and value. Fixing the software may involve finding and correcting technical or human errors with help from a vendor or consultant. Replacing the software may involve purchasing a new one or developing a custom one. Adapting the software may require using built-in features or adding external plugins or integrations. Adjusting the project may mean changing scope, schedule, budget, quality, or stakeholder expectations through negotiation with sponsors or revising the project plan.

4 Implement the solution

The final step is to implement the chosen solution and monitor its results. This involves following a systematic and structured approach, such as the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, to plan, execute, evaluate, and improve your solution. You also need to communicate your solution to your software users, stakeholders, and vendors, and provide them with the necessary support, training, and feedback. Moreover, you need to document your solution and its outcomes, and share your lessons learned and best practices with your team and organization.

Systems engineering project management software is a powerful tool to help you manage complex and interdisciplinary projects. However, it can also pose some challenges and risks that can affect your software performance and your project success. By following these four steps, you can identify and address the issues that are affecting your software, and improve your software selection, implementation, and usage.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?