Make a GoNo Go Decision to Move Ahead

Make a Go/No Go Decision to Move Ahead

Martin made his selection. He picked the vendor with the best survey results and the one he felt was most responsive to issues and problems. It is one thing to be quick to answer calls when things are going well; it is another when there are pressing technology issues. Martin informed his management and the participants of the decision, and tried to capture as much good will and momentum as possible.

Jason let his manager know the POC had been completed. It was generally felt by Jason's colleagues that the technology was a good idea. It was convenient and did replace the digital certificate password. When Jason was asked about the Windows password replacement, he said that it had worked well whenever they had a chance to use it.

The Methodology

Make a quick decision! There can only be two outcomes : Either the project moves forward or it is stopped . If the decision is a no go, then:

• Take time to look at alternate solutions ” There is still a business need for this type of solution. As such, other solutions need to be sourced and vetted so that they may be considered for deployment.

• Give the vendor a clear message to move on ” The vendor needs to be shown enough respect to be told that its solution is not moving forward. It needs to stop its investment in this opportunity and move on to the next one.

• Let the users know that they have been listened to ” Most importantly, let the users know that they can make a difference. There is nothing worse than having a resounding round of "No's!" being ignored and moving ahead with a technology that is not wanted. By following this advice, you can go back to the users again to be part of the next POC.

If the decision is a go, then:

• Allow time to prepare for the next phase ” A quick decision allows planning to begin sooner for the next phase of the project. The amount of time that can be condensed between phases reduces overall project time.

• Give the project time to engage additional resources, if needed ” As the project moves into the next phase, the scale needs to increase and more resources must be acquired to help mange, deploy, and support the next phases moving ahead.

• Let the users know that they have been listened to ” There are times when the users want a particular technology and the company does not provide it. By letting the POC users know that the project is moving forward, they will know that their time and effort have not been wasted .

• Build on the existing momentum! ” Most importantly, when a POC phase finishes positively, there is momentum in the company. There is talk and buzz about how well things went, and everyone wants to be associated with a winner. Thus, by moving quickly, the project can leverage this positive momentum and get the next phase moving quickly.