* Study shows a strong correlation between skill training and IT project success
As an IT leader, you’re accountable for ensuring IT projects are successful and deliver the expected benefits. A study from IDC shows a strong correlation between skill training and IT project success. By boosting your staff skills, you can significantly reduce the risk of project failure.
IDC, a sister company to Network World, conducted the study on behalf of HP. The responses from 144 senior IT managers pertain to their experiences on 377 IT projects. For the purposes of the study, projects were deemed successful if they achieved most of the following metrics: met its stated objectives; was delivered within budget; was delivered on time; met internal specifications; and met stakeholder objectives.
Though it’s tempting to cut training in an effort to reduce project costs, that could be a mistake. According to the results, projects that met most or all of their objectives provided each project team member with twice the amount of training as those projects that achieved little or partial success.
Further, projects where 6% to 10% of the budget was earmarked for training were significantly more successful than projects where only 4% or less of the budget was spent on training. According to respondents, skills of the project team was the factor that had the biggest impact on IT project success.
The type of training that is most effective is performance-based training that is specifically relevant to the current project. To combat knowledge leakage, or the ongoing degradation of IT skills, bring in a fully skilled team member who will improve team performance and share best practices with the organization.
For more information on the study, click here.
