By Phil Puddick, Solution Architect, Flexera Software
It is amazing that such a high percentage of all IT projects undertaken fail. The reasons for this are many – too numerous to mention and discuss in great detail here, but one of the overriding factors here is poor communication. Communication across all levels and areas of the organization!
Communication is of paramount importance for all projects, including software asset management (SAM) and license optimization projects, where one of the goals is the realisation of an effective license position (ELP) across your estate. Perhaps the biggest hurdle for projects of this nature is the differing views of what software is actually installed in your estate. On the one hand you have your IT department. They will be unrelenting in the fact that they know the application install counts of your software titles. On the other hand you have your IT procurement teams. They will be adamant that they know exactly how much you have purchased and, thus, how much you are entitled to use.
This is the challenge—very rarely do these numbers match up. Who should you believe? One arm of the organization says one thing, another arm can quite often present contradictory figures. The SAM project stakeholders can be stuck in the middle not knowing who to believe. So, how do we overcome this? Well, it’s that “communication” word again.
The Flexera Software approach is to help you bridge that communication gap at the very outset of the project. How do we do this? One way is through the execution and delivery of detailed design workshops where not only are the finer details of the project discussed but also where both responsibilities and dependencies are aligned. One of the fundamental aspects covered in these workshops is who in your organization should you look to engage, at what part of the project they should be engaged and why.
The Software Asset Management Planning and Design Workshop has the following delivery approach:
The workshop will be delivered to target specific areas related to the overall SAM/ITAM program and solution, including but not limited to:
- Business Planning and Design
- SAM/ITAM Best Practices Analysis
- Initial Data Flow and Process Analysis
- Technical Planning and Design
- Software Catalog Needs Assessment and Design
- Service Desk Integration Planning and Design
Getting the right people, from the right teams, aligned as quickly as is possible provides for a successful software asset management project, which, ultimately, will allow for more quickly determining an effective license position. Getting it right from the very beginning is the best approach. Aligning resources doesn’t have to be like herding cats.
For more information please see the Software License Optimization Services area of our website. See also this recent blog on:
Software Asset Management and Stakeholder Management