Tom, what’s the most important thing when it comes to successful project management?
Definitely a well-oiled process. You can have brilliant people and cutting-edge technology, but it won’t do you any good if you can’t make the most of them. The word ‘process’ might sound a bit theoretical, and we don’t usually talk about it with the client, but I see it as a sort of living roadmap. It ensures that the project moves forward smoothly. So that we all know what we’re doing and why at all times. When everything works as it should, it all looks quite simple and natural.
At AITOM, we pay close attention to two things. We ensure the client receives a top-quality result from our work, on time and according to plan. But it’s just as important to us that projects run smoothly, without a hitch, and that their development causes the client as little disruption as possible. Essentially, so that we can all spend our weeks or months working together in a pleasant and meaningful way.
When both of these things run smoothly and nobody even thinks about the word ‘process’ in the background, then I’ve done my job well and I’m happy.
How can you tell if an agency has well-established processes?
It’s hard to tell at first glance. I always recommend relying on personal references from specific companies.
However, you’ll start to see the essentials soon after you begin working together. You’re with a good agency when:
- Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do for you, and you know why they’re doing it.
- You don’t unexpectedly run into issues that should have been resolved before the project began.
- You are told everything important without having to ask for it. When your materials are needed. By when you need to submit proofs. When you will see the first version of the website. What options are currently being considered. In short, everything you need to know, without it becoming an unnecessary burden.
There are many more such details hidden behind a well-oiled process. It sounds simple, but it’s certainly not a given.
At AITOM, you also build complex information systems. How do they differ from standard projects?
I thoroughly enjoy complex IT systems that take several months to develop and link together intricate data. CRM, invoicing systems, production and warehouse systems, or large-scale e-shops… we can combine all of these into a single functioning entity that takes the client’s business a generation further. I then think of the process as a story. It pays to build a smaller, functional part first and then add further components until a whole is created that links the company’s various IT systems.
We never plan the course of a project in advance, and it takes a great deal of experience to ensure the result is perfect. Every subsequent part of the project is based on well-formulated questions: What is the goal and how can we achieve it effectively? What is the best we can do in the next step? What opportunities will this bring to the client?
What are you most proud of at AITOM?
Definitely our exceptional relationships with customers. We have professionals here who may win awards in IT competitions, but they haven’t lost their passion amidst the flood of wireframes and budgets. Relationships with people are actually what interest me most. Even though the output of our work is an information product, for me the customer is first and foremost a person whom I want to understand and spend weeks or months of pleasant collaboration with.