THE PROJECT THE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE SOLD

The project lifecycle - Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring, and Closure - is a framework of great value to Project Managers (PM) since it facilitates our work and fosters success. Unfortunately, when delivering projects for the most important clients of Global System Integrators (GSI), Project Managers face significant challenges and need to be recursive and flexible when following the project lifecycle.

On many occasions, we, the PMs, are called into action to manage projects that have matured through the critical phases of Initiation and Planning without our participation. Commonly, PMs responsible for delivering complex multi-million-dollar projects are not involved in the definition of the solution. They might not even know the project sponsor, customers, and users. In other words, the Initiation phase was done for you without your participation, and you must deliver.

GSI Project Managers can also face challenges regarding Planning. As part of closing contracts, sometimes sales teams venture to provide project plans that can put project managers in awkward situations if plans prove unrealistic. Communicating to customers, users, and the project sponsor that the plan was unrealistic is not an easy task. Remember, as the PM and the Account Executive, you are part of a trusted vendor, and no one wants to jeopardize that relationship

Article Written By Luis Ferrer

Luis Ferrer is a Digital Solution Architect Lead with NTT DATA. He has over 25 years of experience in IT Strategy and Transformation and technology consulting. Over the years, Luis has helped IT leaders implement strategies to maximize the potential of IT as a business enabler and source of competitive advantages. Luis holds an MBA and a BBA in Computer Information Systems from Northeast Louisiana University, in addition to multiple industry certifications. PMP, TOGAF, ITIL, CobiT, and PM3.

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