Bouncing Back

By Melissa Solomon

September 11, 2000 12:00 PM ET

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Computerworld - It's been eight years, but the memory is still fresh in Dennis B. Lynch's mind. He'd spent 14 months heading up an order fulfillment installation system at the Milwaukee manufacturer where he worked, when he realized that the system just wasn't salvageable. "Everything looked good," recalls Lynch, now vice president of information technology at Chicago-based Turtle Wax Inc. "And then, as you got into it, the color started to change."
It was difficult to let go of the project, says Lynch, particularly because he had so much emotional energy invested in it. "I think that professionals bring in a lot of pride," he says. "And they go to more heroic efforts to keep it alive."
But rather than feel sorry for himself, Lynch rehashed the project in his mind and identified the points of failure. Two years later, he even wrote about the failed project while working toward his second master's degree. "You have to recognize that these things happen and say, 'I'll learn from this and be smarter next time,' " he advises.

			Getting Back On Track Here are some strategies from CIOs and management consultants on how to avoid future failures: Jim Jones Director Information Management Forum, Atlanta • Find out what went wrong and why, and figure out how to avoid making those mistakes again. • Secure a sufficient training budget for projects, so employees are prepared for new systems. Abraham Nader Senior vice president and chief operating officer Dollar Bank, Federal Savings Bank, Pittsburgh • Do your homework before embarking on a project. Make sure it can succeed. • Make sure all divisions are aligned and fully invested in the project. "Things work a lot smoother, because people aren't pointing fingers at each other." Dennis B. Lynch CIO Turtle Wax Inc., Chicago • Get good people. "Good people always make things happen." • Don't be afraid to call it quits when a project isn't working. • Foster teamwork among your staff, and make sure everyone "checks their egos at the door." Vince Swoyer Retired CIO Sara Lee Corp., Chicago • Learn from your colleagues. Go to school on others' failures. Edward M. Roche Consultant The Concours Group Inc., New York • Keep teams small. With more than five to seven people on a team, coordination costs are bound to get out of control. • Make sure there's a master architect, so the threads of the project don't spin off in different directions. • Implement policies - such as a communication blackout, where there are no telephone calls or meetings - so staff can reach peak productivity. • Be specific about project outcomes, and communicate those outcomes to staff.

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