Taming the beast: how to stop your IT projects from running amok

Inside every IT project there is a change programme struggling to get out. By recognising this from the beginning of the project, and treating it as a change programme, the beast can be tamed and business benefits can be delivered. Three related programmes from the development centre of a major telecoms company in the UK are used as examples. The overall business issues of the centre are outlined, the objectives and outcomes of each project are explained, and the impact on the performance of the development centre is considered. Lessons from the projects are used to illustrate WingBEAT, an approach to planning and implementing change to produce business benefits.