IT Project Management

Project management consulting: Implementing complex IT projects in a time and cost-efficient manner

From logistics to industry, from the automotive sector to the energy sector… in view of the increasing pressure digitalization is putting on companies, it’s becoming more and more crucial for almost all industries to implement technically demanding IT projects, and most do so under immense pressure in terms of time and success. Whether it’s a matter of managing individual projects reliably, maintaining an overview of multi-project management, or implementing complex program management, professionally performed project management is becoming increasingly important.

An important success factor here is that each respective project has a properly ‘orchestrated’ approach. This isn’t just a simple choice between classic and agile approaches, it’s also about compiling the most effective combination from a variety of possible methods. This is the only way to maintain focus on goals, time and budget without standing in the way of the agility and speed necessary to the process.

Professional project management as a success factor for your company

Specialists from Lufthansa Industry Solutions’ (LHIND) Project Management Excellence (PMX) department support companies from a range of industries in managing all manner of IT projects – whether it’s the introduction of standardized software solutions, the design of complex IT architectures, or offering support with outsourcing projects.

We’re there to guide you through your project planning and implementation from start to finish, provide support in individual project steps or intervene temporarily as an interim project manager in the event that one of your projects is in trouble or in crisis, no matter how large or complex it is. Our approach affords companies the opportunity to implement new products and services quickly and securely with minimal risk of project failure – every successfully implemented project is another valuable contribution to the company’s success.

You should use professional project consulting and management services if…
  1. your company doesn’t have a project manager with the necessary skills for a specific project.
  2. there are not enough project managers to cope with the multitude of parallel projects that your company is implementing.
  3. you would like to gain fresh inspiration for project management within your company.
  4. you need a neutral view on the status of ongoing projects or on how projects are organized.
Could your company benefit from our project management services?

LHIND’s project management services are suitable for companies in all industries and sectors, from medium-sized businesses to large corporations. We provide support to all departments that implement IT projects, whether they are corporate development, administration, production or logistics. If required, we can also support the existing Project Management Office (PMO) in project and program management or offer training for your employees.

Project management consultancy: Classic, agile and hybrid approaches

LHIND’s project management and consulting teams operate confidently in both classic and agile environments. Our project management methodology is based on the PMI standard; our conventional approach is based on the V model and our agile approach relies on Scrum. Depending on the complexity and project requirements, we combine different methods to create effective hybrid approaches – all of which are tailored to your digitalization initiative.

The classic approach was developed from initial attempts at managing large projects. It follows the waterfall model, in which project development is linear – i.e. the project managers plan the entire project, divide it into different phases and milestones, and work on them in a pre-defined sequence.

LHIND has been using its own PMX methodology, which is based on the PMI standard, in its project management activities for many years. PMX offers predefined templates and quality gates, supported by a standard set of tools. In addition to projects using the classic approach, PMX is also used for all other LHIND projects, regardless of the respective process model.

Graphic about the advantages of agile project management
As a core element of the agile approach, intensive, focused communication ensures high quality and rapid achievement of valuable deliverables.

In the agile approach, the focus is on effective teamwork, efficient learning and targeted customer feedback. Instead of firmly defining the deliverables from the outset, this iterative approach comprises systematic application of learning cycles (PDCA) to promote continuous improvement. Companies and their customers and partners are more heavily involved in the entire development process than they might be under the classic approach.

In many areas and companies, agile approaches have now become standard – especially in the IT sector, where agility offers clear advantages for companies.

The clear focus of LHIND’s expertise where agile approaches are concerned is on Scrum (scaling with Flight Levels or SAFe). However, we also use Kanban, Lean Management practices, DevOps and Design Thinking frequently and with great success when consulting on and managing complex IT projects and when developing modern products, services and solutions. For this purpose, we provide companies with complete agile teams or agile coaches. We don’t only take on complete task packages, however. We’re also more than happy to help you develop your own project teams. Our experts share their knowledge and practical experience as part of company training courses, training your employees in agile methods, working methods and usage of tools, as well as providing a number of insights into best practice.

Hybrid approaches combine elements of classic approach with one or more agile methods. The idea behind this method is to capitalize on the benefits of both approaches and to minimize the possibility of any disadvantages.

For example, the precise project planning and goal setting that are part of the classic approach are implemented alongside the intensive teamwork and feedback culture that characterize the agile approach.

Thanks to their training and practical experience, our project managers and agile practitioners are able to combine the two methods in the most fitting way for the project in question, and then consolidate or adapt them as the project is ongoing.

What makes for good IT project management?

Good project management divides a highly complex task into small, clearly defined and manageable steps and works through them systematically. Particularly when implementing digitalization projects, practical experience, industry knowledge and training in project management are indispensable, covering both classic and agile approaches. as is technical expertise, for example, in computer science and business administration. Good project managers are team players with excellent analytical skills who manage the implementation of your IT projects proactively and maintain a constant overview of goals and processes.

What makes a good project manager?
  • Methodological expertise
  • Assertiveness
  • Empathy
  • Initiative
  • Organizational talent
  • Leadership competence
  • Resilience

The most common types of IT projects

In principle, all project management methods are applicable, regardless of the content of any given project. Nevertheless, certain project types always face specific challenges, which is why an external project manager who knows the requirements of a specific project type is more likely to be successful than a generalist. LHIND’s project managers are hugely experienced in the most significant types of IT project:

  • Selecting hardware or software
  • Software development projects (bespoke software)
  • Introduction of standard software such as SAP or SalesForce
  • Rollout projects
  • Infrastructure projects
  • Outsourcing/insourcing projects
  • Strategy development
  • Concept development
  • Organizational projects
  • Digitalization projects

Our IT project management services

We will support your company for the entire duration of the project, be it in single project management, highly complex program management, multi-project management or the development of your own internal project management teams. Regardless of whether your project team works at one location or is distributed across different locations, in which case virtual project management is required, you can count on the support of our experts.

Our project managers assume responsibility for managing projects and programs and ensuring that project goals are achieved. In doing so, we rely on our PMX standard, but are also happy to use customer-defined PM standards. We are skilled in project and program management for a wide variety of project types and industries. Our responsibilities include project scope definition, resource planning, cost management, risk and quality management, and stakeholder management.

In our capacity as PO or PMO, we’ll support your project managers within a project or as a line function, for example, by introducing uniform project rules and standards. We’ll establish integrated Project Offices and Project Management Offices in your company, lead them or take an active role in working with them, which allows your project managers to focus on high-level project management and stakeholder management.

We’ll fill the most important roles and responsibilities in your agile team (Scrum, Kanban or a role from a scaled context, such as the Release Train Engineer in a SAFe environment).

Alternatively, we’ll put together complete agile teams, including a Scrum Master or Team Coach and a Product Owner. We tailor these teams to the specific needs of your IT projects, products, services and solutions, assembling our experienced product management experts, system architects, Release Train Engineers, SAFe Practice Consultants (SPCs), agile coaches, DevOps experts and agile transformation managers.

We offer a range of company training courses related to agile approaches, covering agile basics, Scrum, Kanban, Design Thinking and SAFe. Our specially-trained coaches work with agility on a daily basis – you can’t find a more perfect trainer than that!

In the course of some projects, the need for an unbiased perspective of the project work and structure becomes apparent. We can carry out a project audit, during which we examine your project closely and evaluate it with regard to processes, costs, time, the team and quality. We’ll identify possible risks to the project, make suggestions for improvement and, if desired, provide immediate support in their implementation. In extreme cases, we can also assume temporary management of critical projects and get them back on track.

Good project managers, Scrum Masters, Product Owners and other roles require detailed methodological understanding and practical experience. We’ll help your employees grow into these responsibilities. Our trainers will coach them in ongoing business to help them learn “on the job”, support you as you take your projects, products, services and solutions to success, and help you to foster your own experts in IT project management, agile working practices and Lean Management practices from your company’s talent pool.

PMX, our tried and tested PMI-based project management methodology, has proven successful for many years. We’d be delighted to implement it in your company and would likewise be happy to adapt it to fit your own ideas and circumstances. This way, you’ll increase the long-term quality and transparency of project execution within your company.

Read how Apleona, for example, benefits from its new project management system.

We help you to use Design Thinking for successful problem solving and idea generation within your company. The goal is to identify primarily customer-centric solutions that are appealing from the user’s point of view. Our Design Thinking experts provide training on this method, conduct workshops at your company and help your employees to learn “on the job”.

Managing digitalization projects requires a special skillset. The challenge lies in the flexible combination of different methods, practices and paradigms, and in tailoring them to the respective project in the best way possible. We establish the appropriate methods for implementing your digitalization projects, promoting the best conditions for their success – from the initial phase right through to a successful conclusion.

Why should you choose project management consulting from LHIND?

There are many reasons for seeking the support of external project or program management providers. To ensure that your company and your IT projects benefit from this step, you should opt for professional consultants with many years of experience in both theory and practice.

Trained, certified experts

Most of our consultants have a degree in computer science, business administration, industrial engineering or business informatics.

In addition, they are trained and certified in classic PMI project management, agile methods or both. They undergo regular continuous professional development, recertification and additional training, which ensures that they can manage your projects reliably, comprehensively and with the most up-to-date methods and tools.

We focus on PMP®, PMI and the Professional Scrum Master/Professional Scrum Product Owner from Scrum.org. Our portfolio is rounded off by Kanban Management Professionals (KMPs) and Design Thinking Facilitators along with SAFe Scrum Masters, SAFe POPMs, SAFe RTEs and SAFe Practice Consultants (SPCs).

We have over 500 employees with at least one of the aforementioned certifications to provide you with the best support possible in managing your projects.

Cross-industry experience in implementation and coaching

Our project managers are experienced in a range of sectors, including the industrial, automotive, logistics, energy sectors. Of course, we also work with a wide range of companies within the Lufthansa Group.

Our colleagues are familiar with the different requirements and needs of everything from owner-managed SMEs to major international corporations. This allows us to achieve the success your company deserves as we manage your digitalization projects.

Our coaches also take on active project management tasks, are regularly involved in project management consulting, and pass this knowledge on in their roles as trainers. In our company training courses, we don’t purely rely on theory, as actions speak louder than words. We prefer to impart experience and direct practical knowledge that the trainers use every day and that they may well have applied recently in a project of their own. This way, we know that our coaches remain up-to-date in terms of both theory and practice.

Comprehensive tools and methods

If required, LHIND’s project managers will provide a comprehensive project work toolbox for your project. In addition to the standard MS Office skills, this also includes MS Project, MS Teams, Sharepoint, Confluence, and JIRA.

In addition to these tools, our team has an extensive collection of tried and tested templates that we can incorporate into your projects upon request. In our use of PMI, Scrum, Kanban or Design Thinking we adhere to common industry standards. The same applies to the tools – we use Atlassian and products from the Office 365 suite. Of course, we are also happy to adapt the tools and methods we use to your individual requirements, or to work with your own tools and programs as needed.

Knowledge transfer through networking

Alongside training and practical experience, a direct exchange of ideas between project management experts is also hugely important to us at LHIND. We train our project managers to draw upon knowledge from the range of internal and external communities and working groups our colleagues are involved in. They constantly exchange ideas, broaden their skills and pass on their knowledge, or even assume leadership of these groups. This ranges from general communities, including in classic and agile approaches, to more specific topic-oriented communities – such as those that deal with Scrum, Kanban or Design Thinking.

IT project management and consulting: FAQs

The primary aim of IT project management is the successful implementation of a project – this could be the establishment of a completely new IT system within a company, or integrating new components smoothly into an existing system. A fundamental prerequisite for success is the effective collaboration between all teams and service providers, as well as excellent time and budget management.

Communication, pure and simple. IT project management and IT project management consulting can’t function properly without it. Professional project managers are experts in target group-oriented communication, be this within the team, with clients, with sponsors or with stakeholders.

In the past, companies primarily distinguished between classic and agile project management. These terms, however, are no longer up to date. Today, companies only speak about project management – because the fundamentals of good project management are always the same. Nevertheless, projects can apply classic, agile and hybrid approaches, which have different impacts on concrete project management activities?

On one hand, project managers must be very structured and analytical in the way they think and work. On the other, they must also be extremely communicative and be able to win over the project team and stakeholders by showing a great deal of empathy for them and the success of their project.

Learn more about our project management consultancy in different sectors

Would you like to learn more about how professional project management drives digitalization within companies in different industries and sectors? We can advise you on current project management topics, the different methods available, and which of them are the best approaches for your project. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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