IT Project Implementation Failures
Mayelin Vargas
HCS/483
03/01/2012
Michael Aiken
University of Phoenix

When implementing an IT project, many factors and indicators can play into failures of such a project. As seen in the case study of Memorial Health System, the CPOE implementation faced different issues indicating the project failure. In this paper, five reasons of project failure would be identified. It would show how these indicators manifested at Memorial Health System. I will describe what I have done differently to eliminate or minimize the effect of the indicator. Some of the reasons for project failure include; Organizational Baggage, Lack of Belief in the Project, Lack of Candor, Invisible Progress, and Failure to Respect Uncertainty. The first reason for project failure at Memorial was Organizational Baggage. When the Project was first introduced by Dryer and Roberts, a member asked if it was possible to finish this project on the time expected since they took two years just to set up emails at a previous project: therefore, previous project failures was still been questioned when it came to the timeline. The second reason for project failure at this organization was the lack of Belief in the project. Most individuals in the organization were opposed to the providers order entry system. When the IT project was first introduced many feared that the work -load would increment if verbal orders were substituted by computer entry orders. The third reason for failure was the lack of Candor. Serious issues were kept secretly from the Chief Information Officer (CIO) after he replied angrily to the bad news Ms. Martin had to tell him regarding the amount of staff members needed, the duration, and cost of the project. After the little incident with the CIO, the project manager decided to solve the problem on her own; but it made things worst by avoiding conflict. Invisible progress was the fourth reason for the IT project failure at Memorial Hospital. The Project manager showed a report regularly at every status reviews, which showed the progress being made on point, when in reality it was getting further behind in schedule as it developed. The fifth reason was the failure to respect uncertainty. The project manager refused to tell her concerns about the risks the project was currently facing, when the CIO assured everything was going to be ok, because she only told him the risk the project could face due to the drastic change of software in such a little time. She refused to tell him the rest of the problems they could encounter with this project. What I would have done differently would be letting the staff members know that although a time frame was given for a previous project, this time a time expected would be set; but not promised to have it done by then, since I took over long after time was set. Better yet, I would ask for an extension approval of the time frame. I would let them know why an extension in time scheduled would be convenient. The project was already behind schedule, so in order to be delivered at an expected time, a new schedule needs to be set up. The second reason shows lack of belief in the project. I would have explained the benefits this project would bring for the organization and how convenient it would be to use with the right training. It looks more professional, files are kept safer and organized; errors can be edited by authorized staff, as well as the reduction of a lot of medical errors that could be avoided with this simple and innovated Technology system. Before I begging the project, I need to make sure that the staff knows the benefits of it: therefore, I need to set a clear understanding status by explaining the cause and effect in details. When the information is unclear, there is a higher doubt expectation and less credibility. It is my responsibility to make sure the stakeholders of the organization, involved in the IT project clearly understands the importance of this system. On the third cause of failure, I would have talked to the CIO, to let him know the issues and why are we facing it: but before I talk to him, clear documentations of the potential failures will be written down to show him as a proof. I would also have waited for a time when he was in a better mood to talk about these issues. The fourth problem, would have been avoided easily, if the project manage would have shown the CIO the actual report with the accurate information the progress of the project. Regardless, if the news was good or bad, the current information should have never kept away from Mr. Sparks (CIO). On the fifth reason, I would have told the CIO of the issues we were facing, and adding a newer software in just two months before the evaluation could make it even worst: in addition to the issues they were already facing indicating a major failure. In conclusion, it is very important to have a vision before the mission. A clear understanding status should be set to gain credibility in this project. I strongly belief, a better communication would have boost up the implementation of this project. It is important that a team sticks together to collaborate on such a project like this one. No secret should be kept from the superiors when facing a lot of issues that were undoubtedly noticeable. The progress report should always be accurate and specifying the advancement as well as the issues the project is facing. If the failure indicators are noticed ahead of time, and discussed with the rest of the staff including the CIO, this issues could have been resolved before the due date; making it a successful project, as opposed to a failure project.

Reference Page:

Wager, K., Lee, F., & Glasser, J., Burns, L.R., (2009). Health Care Information Systems (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=478cdba4-ee6f-438c-885f-fa59620ac43c&assetmetaid=7146cef6-85da-43fe-b9b3-7a3439c416a7.