Failure Without A SharePoint Project Team

Everyone is banging the SharePoint drum and preparing to jump on the great SharePoint bandwagon. SharePoint 2007 is hailed as one of the best server products Microsoft have ever produced and it can really change the way businesses manages their information and systems. So why are so many companies failing to see the real benefits of their new SharePoint system? The number one reason is because the IT Manager has led the implementation themselves without the involvement of the whole business. Time and time again we, at officetalk, hear stories of the IT Manager excitedly showing the new SharePoint Intranet to the other department managers and being disappointed by their response. All good SharePoint installations need to be led by the business not by IT. SharePoint is a complete business system and needs a lot of time and effort spent on it to maximise its returns. SharePoint can be a major business tool and it can make substantial savings for all companies, but it needs to be PLANNED. It is vital that a SharePoint Project Team is put together at the start with key users from all departments involved. These key users will be champions for the project and it will be these users who will be selling this system to their department. Yes, the IT Department can be the Technical Lead but the other members of the SharePoint Project Team will have the knowledge of how the business currently operates and how SharePoint can move it forward. Without of SharePoint Project Team SharePoint will never become the business tool that it is intended to be and information will continue to be stored in the same old difficult to access locations. Yes, go for SharePoint 2007 in your business but make it a major business Project for 2008 not just a task for the IT Department. Andy Dale MCSE SharePoint Consultant officetalk Email : andy.dale@office-talk.com Website : http://www.office-talk.com/