JULY - AUG 20239GOVBUSINESS REVIEWdetermined that both the timekeeping system and benefits management system are deficient and need to be investigated. It is up to the CIO and customer leadership to determine if the consulting firm needs to spend their time (and their time is expensive) on one, both, or neither. Allowing the consulting firm to explore these rabbit holes will rapidly destroy a project's budget. Fifth is documentation and training materials. One of the biggest problems I see is when a consulting firm is brought in, they do the work and then leave without sufficient documentation and training. The Information Technology staff must manage the solution, and then go and figure it out when it breaks or bring the consulting firm back. These are bad outcomes. The training delivered must be persistent. In-person training is nice, but if the person trained leaves, the investment in this technology is in jeopardy. Training documentation and training videos should be required. If in-person training is done, that training must be recorded and made available to other IT staff. I have saved the most important for last. The single greatest risk that I have with government projects is the lack of organizational change management. The implementation of a new process or new technology is disruptive to the customer organization. To be successful, the entire customer organization must understand what is happening and why it is happening. They must feel they are part of the solution and that this change will enhance the value they bring. In closing, government consulting firms can be leveraged successfully by a CIO but should never take the place of the judgement of a CIO. The CIO must view these firms as tools in the toolbox that can be used to propel the organization forward. To be successful, the entire customer organization must understand what is happening and why it is happening
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