An Astounding 50% of IT Projects End in Failure

How did your last major IT initiative turn out? Were you able to get what you wanted implemented in an orderly fashion, or did it fail to provide a return on investment? You might be surprised to hear that half of the IT projects implemented by businesses ultimately wind up as a failure, and these numbers have been increasing over the past several years.

A 2013 survey from Innotus claimed that 50 percent of businesses had experienced an IT project failure within 12 months of its implementation. The same survey from 2015 shows that the number has increased to around 55 percent, which shows that there’s something very wrong with the way that businesses go about the implementation of their new IT solutions. CIO reports that these issues are likely a result of resource allocation deficiency, as well as problems aligning the available resources with the business’s specific goals.

You have to admit that, when you think about it, this makes sense. If your business doesn’t focus solely on the responsibility of IT management and maintenance, or you don’t fully understand the changes that are being made to your infrastructure, then it’s no surprise that the implementation doesn’t result in a measurable benefit for the organization. Understanding how the solution will affect your business in the future, as well as how well-aligned it is with your business’s needs, is critical to guaranteeing the continued success of the implementation. It shouldn’t just be a random add-on; rather, you need to approach it with caution and an eye for detail.

CIO goes into greater detail about the aforementioned study: “Fifty-four percent of respondents say one of their top challenges is that IT projects aren't aligned with business goals; only 31 percent of respondents say they're focused on delivering business value. Instead, 50 percent say they're mainly focused on delivering projects on time and on budget.”

The next time you decide to implement an IT solution, you need to ask yourself some difficult questions. Can you afford to waste time and money on a project that’s not receiving the proper oversight? Completing a project on time and on budget means nothing if it’s not implemented properly. Wouldn’t it be better to perhaps invest a little extra time or capital into the project and ensure that it can meet your needs? Where does this misconception come from, anyway?

For one, it’s a lack of perspective. The average small business just doesn’t have the time or resources to look into potential technology solutions, and delve into detail about what they can do for their business. Also, it makes the most sense to implement IT solutions with the future in mind. With an IT roadmap that details where your current infrastructure is, as well as where you expect to be in the next five or ten years, you can move forward with a sense of direction.

Washington Works has the technicians and skills necessary to implement modern technology solutions with the least amount of management on your part. We’ll work with your business to ensure that you get the best solution for your organization’s specific needs. Furthermore, our comprehensive network assessment can reveal potential for improvement, and we can offer ways to resolve your IT frustrations. With an IT roadmap from Washington Works, you can know for sure how best to approach your IT in the near future.

To learn more, give Washington Works a call at 301-571-5040.