We recently talked with Bob Kennedy, our Director of Business Development, about Merit Solutions' engagement process. Read on to find out how IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient) work together for project success. Watch for more info on Merit's engagement process as well as other pertinent topics in upcoming newsletters.

Q. Bob, of the challenges you see in the industry, what’s the most pressing for clients to address?
A. As a whole, I believe the industry is under-serving clients. 

Q. In what way?
A. Many technology and consulting providers are “deal” minded, not “implementation” minded. Often this results in an over-promised and under-delivered project.  Furthermore, clients themselves often spend less effort organizing the right project team, and thinking through their project process, than is required for success.  

Q. What impact does this have on clients?
A. There are some startling figures. According to a recent AMR report that studied firms deploying business software, 52% of the deployment projects were, on average, 178% over budget; they took two and a half times longer to deploy than intended; and once implemented, they delivered only 30% of the promised benefits.

Q. What steps can be taken to ensure a higher rate of success?
A. First, follow a results-driven process that is measurable.  Companies that follow a project methodology that is proven have a much higher rate of success. 

Second, get the experts.  People in the project team must have the qualifications to move through tasks and decisions quickly.  The team should combine project members who know your processes and the underlying technologies being deployed. 

Third, achieve a balance in how those people are applied.  Some project teams apply a tremendous amount of raw analytic thinking to the project and its challenges, but don’t organize those results into actions that can be adopted by the organization.  We call this a team with a high Intelligence Quotient (IQ).  Other project teams are adept at making the organization feel good about decisions from the project, but lack the horsepower to throw a problem on the table, tear it apart, and come up with creative solutions.  These are teams with a high Emotional Quotient (EQ).  Successful project teams have both, and they balance their exertion according to the needs of the project and the clients. 

Finally, make sure the project is well thought out, and that the right resources are included in the project.  This includes internal team members, and resources from outside consultants.  Make sure the outside consultants are acting in a way that considers what is in the best interest of your organization at all times.  If they are concerned about selling “the deal” more than enabling your successful implementation, they are not adding value to your organization. 

Bob Kennedy is Director of Business Development, Merit Solutions, Inc.  Bob can be reached at (630) 614-7133 x224, or bkennedy@meritsolutions.com.