Comments on: Why SharePoint Projects Fail

By: Developer

Developer — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:01:33 +0000

i am a developer and i am also feeling and suffering with same situation and here me and my team are torched, we are the developers, who are managing portal and whenever we ask anything to my PM (PMP) , he simply say don’t count me in technical, I am freaking out stressed and exhausted .
Still I have hope that things will be alright 

I am strongly agree with your post and feeling and surviving in same situation.

By: SharePoint Projects - Success Criterias « Kartic’s Musings on Microsoft SharePoint and other Microsoft Technologies

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:22:02 +0000

[...] His other strong views on relevance of Project Management in successful SharePoint project are mentioned here: Why SharePoint Projects Fail [...]

By: Adam Buenz

Adam Buenz — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 13:40:50 +0000

There are several solutions depending on your vertical that you work in, the depth of your team, and the scope of the SharePoint project that you are working on. Here are some steps:

http://www.sharepointsecurity.com/blog/sharepoint/sharepoint-2007-development/10-steps-to-effective-sharepoint-project-management/

that you can use to get started.

By: Gcobani

Gcobani — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:04:09 +0000

Adam: This is so true, so from your experience and history what is the solution for this?

By: Interesting Commentary by Adam “Braveheart” Buenz - Bob Fox's Sharepoint Blog

Interesting Commentary by Adam “Braveheart” Buenz - Bob Fox's Sharepoint Blog — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:24:51 +0000

[...] Check it out here [...]

By: SharePoint Shelter » Blog Archive » 10 Steps To Effective SharePoint Project Management

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:45:34 +0000

[...] Regardless, I was talking to a friend who wanted to yell at me because he was a past project manager of mine, and he read my post “Why SharePoint Projects Fail“, where I tend to place the blame on SharePoint projects failing because of poor management, well not exactly not poor management but lack of particular attributes in SharePoint project managers and program managers. I still think that is the case. However, he asked me what I would do to improve it, instead of just saying “learn SharePoint”. Well fine, I will. Keep in mind; I’m not even a project manager , so take it with a grain of salt. BTW, these are in no particular order at all. [...]

By: Adam Buenz

Adam Buenz — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:52:39 +0000

Oh, and yeah, I agree with you. SAP is an absolutely nonsensical product, and the amount of effort that you have to put in to get some rudimentary work done is insane.

By: Adam Buenz

Adam Buenz — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:49:04 +0000

You misinterpret this post. I am not saying that I, or any others, expect a manager in any position to have a comparable skill set to that off a seasoned developer. Obviously ideal, however completely out of the question from both a staffing and a responsibility standpoint.

I am saying that he or she should at least, in the very least, be accustomed to the technology so that the decisions that he or she makes in regards to the project are not completely ill-informed. Otherwise, the requirement scope can become ludicrous.

He, or she, should be able to pick up a book. Read it for 15 minutes a day. Understand what you are asking. Have a clue about the technology. Have an appreciation for when a developer puts in 15 minutes extra after 5 o’clock a day to improve some quality of the software. When they take the time to unit test.

I prefer to have a manager that has a programming background. I really do. OOP concepts are in a skeleton fashion the same that they were 5 years ago. When I am able to elaborate problems I am having with my software with my manager it helps. I don’t have some idiot hovering over my shoulder saying “Is it done yet?!??! Is it done yet?!?!! Why are you taking so long!!!” He understands I prefer to unit test, to profile my code for memory / speed concerns, and that if it takes me that much longer, to not bother me.

When they have a programming background, even if it is frickin VB4, or FORTRAN, I don’t care, they still have an appreciation and understanding which goes into creating a piece of software. They aren’t just salesman looking to make you sweatshop out a piece of software just so they can have something to say in their next meeting.

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:19:55 +0000

Adam (and all others), if all the managers already had the knowledge you expect and knew how to do what they want the you to do then you would have a hard time to find a job.

When I hire a developer I’m going to explain the problem to him and what results I expect. The rest is up to the developer.

If he has a problem, I’m going to listen and if necessary make a decision.

I have no idea whether I’d prefer the XML/XSLT rendering or CAML, but I’m sure you are able to explain it in a way that a good manager can make up his mind and come to a decision.

If one can’t explain the problem properly then he probably better calls himself a coder instead of a developer.

But if you REALLY want an Intranet to fail there is one way: Choose SAP Enterprise Portal. I have never spent more money for less results than in the last three years.

Now it’s time to correct this mistake.

By: Chandima

Chandima — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:59:58 +0000

Great Post! And this is true not just across SharePoint projects but whole lot of other areas as well.