IT Management Slideshow: How to Guide Your Software Teams

Quality control

Software quality issues surface for three reasons:Archaic management structurePoorly prepared IT talentIneffective quality strategy

SOP

Bureaucracy that exists simply to enforce standard procedures for core business sends this signal to knowledge workers: They can't be trusted to take ownership of their jobs.

Facts & data

CIOs and other managers must rely on facts and data – as opposed to status and seniority – when managing knowledge workers on software projects.

Proven track records

For knowledge-worker teams to manage themselves, they must have proven records as capable, self-directed employees.

Proven track records

For knowledge-worker teams to manage themselves, they must have proven records as capable, self-directed employees.

Standards

CIOs cannot evaluate a software-focused team for performance unless standards of excellence have been clearly defined before the work begins.

Feedback

In praising or criticizing work, focus on addressing the team as a whole instead of individuals. It will motivate members to work as one.

Data discipline

The single most important indicator of superior team performance is the accuracy and completeness of its data. That's where discipline is demonstrated.

Know the score

A team with inferior data is like a sports franchise playing without knowing what the score is – it won't know until it's too late that it's failing.

Motivation

When teams compile superior software data on benchmarks, customer satisfaction, production analysis, financial analysis, etc., CIOs must acknowledge the effort to encourage repeat performance.

Bottom line

Quality-assurance programs must be tied into bottom-line results. If a quality-assurance program doesn't save or earn money, it isn't working.