Berthold Trenkel
Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific
Carlson Wagonlit Travel

HAVING worked on this particular topic of more effective IT during my years at McKinsey, I see the answer as very simple: Get the user involved and invest in clear formulation of objectives and measures upfront.
At the end it comes down to solving a simple communication problem. If the users cannot or do not articulate in 'IT speak' what they want, they will not get it. Or the reverse - if IT cannot explain upfront what they will deliver in simple 'non-tech speak' and get the users' attention, they will go off and do what they think is right - with all the best intentions. Hence, getting the objectives of any IT project right - for the user and the IT department - is the key to future success.

Alden Tan Siang Hin
Managing Director
The Kopitiam Group of Companies

HAVING rolled out a few ground-breaking IT initiatives within our company, we understand the intricacies and challenges in launching IT projects in the F&B retail industry.

Priorities should be based on end-users' needs and requirements. Being overly ambitious without a clear understanding of the capabilities of end-users translates into ineffective IT solutions. Simplicity should be the key word in every IT project - it must be easy to execute for the end-users.

IT vendors should think of themselves as a fundamental part of their clients' business operations and with a stake in their clients' future, by allowing the clients room to navigate on their own and not be overly dependent on vendors for help 24/7.

Clients should visualise every step of the project and not just merely leave it to the experts to come up with the IT solutions - the clients should immerse and involve themselves in the entire project and be very methodical about it.

Mark Leigh
President
Avaya Asia Pacific

COMPANIES need to view IT as a strategic business enabler and establish clear business goals with each IT project to enjoy healthy returns on their investment. In selecting a competent IT provider, track record and industry recognition provide an excellent gauge. Factors to look out for are the provider's field expertise, its ability to grasp the business and IT requirements, and its ability to meet both timeline and costs. IT providers must show a firm understanding of the customer's business needs, and be flexible in their approach to deployment.

For example, providers should always try to work around the customer's existing infrastructure to avoid asset redundancy. IT providers should also recommend solutions based on platforms that are scalable, inter-operable, and that can stand the test of time - open standards instead of proprietary systems.

Michael Pangia
President
Nortel Asia

THE key is to manage the project end-to-end. The following are also vital - early engagement with the people who will use the service, identifying the key stakeholders and ensuring a close alignment with the company's overall business strategy; know your objectives; good governance at contract stage is crucial to the selection of an appropriate vendor - cutting corners here can lead to problems further down the track; manage expectations by developing a comprehensive communications plan with key stakeholders, employees, vendors. Drive the deployment rigorously - focusing on performance targets, return on investment and user satisfaction as key measures.