Your client's urgent request clashes with your project roadmap. How do you navigate this IT Strategy dilemma?

I’ve always found a way to maintain a single backlog of value, so when I find myself trying to “balance” new requests with the existing roadmap, or to consider “tradeoffs”, that’s when I know I’m doing it wrong. These new requests don’t need “time to reflect”, the pace of business change doesn’t wait for you to ponder. It’s easy to work through the value of the request, and therefore the rank in which this new request should be given in the backlog. The hard part is always the old world stigma attached to “not delivering on your promises”. So don’t promise, ever! Everyone’s feature has a place in the backlog based only on today’s definition of value. Yesterday’s project plan is already outdated so don’t die in a ditch over it.

A TI Serve ao Negócio: A TI deve apoiar e potencializar as operações do negócio, canalizar esforços para solicitações urgentes do cliente que tenham um impacto estratégico significativo, entendendo a origem da request que pode ser regulatória, de mudança de cenario negócio ou de adaptação a demanda de mercado. Vivemos num Mundo de Mudanças: É crucial ser flexível e adaptável, integrando mudanças sem comprometer prazos e qualidade, reavaliando prioridades e redistribuindo recursos quando necessário. Waterfall & agile. Relevância e Retorno dos Projetos de TI: Projetos de TI devem oferecer retorno e ser relevantes para os objetivos de negócio. Avaliar o impacto das solicitações urgentes em termos de ROI e alinhamento estratégico é essencial.

1) Your clients are "the business". You are "IT". 2) IT strategy follows business goals. Always. 3) Prioritize the client's expectations. 4) Good IT strategy designs allows for adaptations. 5) Seek for possible compromises.

I find this in line with my perspective, when a new request is coming in we need to assess how well it is going to align with our strategy, what are the benefits and if it aligns then we should be happy to take the change , if it does not align we have to put forth our analysis and work with business teams to explain and come to a common ground on the change.

1. Take as step back and understand why the urgent request is valuable, urgent, etc.. 2. Identify options, visualize impact and evaluate 3. Explain and communicate consequences 4. Make a decision

I've worked for a number of years in an extremely fast-paced, everchanging environment. Unfortunately, when everything is a priority then nothing is truly a priority. I've had to sit down with senior leadership in the past in a number of occasions and determine what ultimately will bring the most value to the business. Typically, when you get the primary stakeholders in the same room the right decision becomes readily apparent.

Effective communication with your client is paramount in these situations. From my experience, setting up a dedicated meeting to discuss the request can facilitate a productive dialogue. Use this opportunity to delve into the client's needs and urgency, explaining your project's constraints and potential trade-offs. Transparency is key—clients appreciate honesty about what can and cannot be adjusted. This approach not only fosters trust but also opens the door to collaborative problem-solving, ensuring both parties reach a satisfactory compromise without jeopardizing your strategic objectives.

Client Dialog requires continuous communications so that WHEN urgent request come in you can assist to strategically value, assess risk, impact, prioritize, resource. With an effective dialog and a long term view urgent requests are simply a re-prioritization or temporary surge activity.

Engaging in open and honest dialogue with your client is essential. Clearly explain the current project status, the impact of their urgent request, and any trade-offs involved. In my practice, fostering transparent communication helps build trust and allows for collaborative problem-solving. Listen to the client’s needs and concerns, and work together to explore possible solutions. This dialogue ensures that the client feels heard and valued, even when their request poses challenges.

Maintaining open and transparent communication with your client is crucial. Enter the conversation with a willingness to listen and understand their requirements and the underlying urgency. Clearly explain the project constraints and the potential consequences of deviating from the planned roadmap. Be honest about potential trade-offs and work together to find a balanced solution that meets your client's needs while aligning with your strategic goals. Through this collaborative dialogue, you can reach a mutually beneficial understanding and find a solution that respects both parties' interests.

When integrating an urgent request into your project, task prioritization becomes critical. I recommend using a prioritization framework, such as the MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have), to systematically evaluate which tasks can be shifted. This helps in reallocating resources without sacrificing essential milestones. Smart prioritization ensures that while you address the client’s immediate needs, the integrity of your overall project remains intact. This method also provides a clear rationale for your decisions, aiding in team buy-in and client communication.

Prioritizing tasks is a practical way to manage conflicting demands. Reevaluate the project’s priorities in light of the urgent request. In my experience, categorizing tasks into urgent, important, and non-essential can help determine what can be adjusted or deferred. Collaborate with your team to identify critical path items and areas where flexibility exists. By prioritizing tasks, you can accommodate urgent client needs without jeopardizing the overall project success.

If you choose to accommodate the client's request, strategically prioritize tasks to minimize project disruption. Identify flexible aspects of the project that can be adjusted or delayed without jeopardizing critical deadlines. You may need to rebalance resource allocation or uncover efficiencies in other areas of the plan. Effective prioritization involves making informed trade-offs that strike a balance between meeting your client's needs and staying aligned with your strategic objectives, ensuring successful project delivery.

O gerenciamento de recursos é fundamental para garantir o sucesso de um projeto. É essencial comunicar claramente à equipe sobre essas mudanças e as razões que as motivaram. Um gerenciamento eficaz de recursos assegura que o projeto mantenha seu ímpeto, evitando a sobrecarga das capacidades da equipe. A antecipação de necessidades futuras e a preparação para eventuais imprevistos também são componentes chave. Dessa forma, o gerenciamento de recursos não apenas apoia a conclusão bem-sucedida dos projetos, mas também contribui para a sustentabilidade e o crescimento da organização a longo prazo

Ideally, you already have good communication with your client. You've assessed the impact of their request on the current road map, you present them with this information, and they decide. They're relying on you to provide the best advice, so you do that, but ultimately it's their call. You can help them with prioritisation techniques (don't let them give everything the highest priority), MVP often helps focus the mind when they see what they will lose if their change is accommodated. Remind them they can only have two things out of: time, cost and quality - what are they willing to sacrifice.

Effective resource management is essential in adapting to an unexpected client request. Based on my experience, conducting a resource audit can reveal opportunities for optimization. You might discover underutilized team members or redundant tasks that can be streamlined. In some cases, bringing in temporary staff or outsourcing specific tasks might be necessary. Clear communication with your team about these changes and their justifications ensures everyone stays aligned and motivated. Proper resource management mitigates the risk of burnout and keeps your project on track.

Effective resource management is key to handling unexpected client demands. Assess your current resource allocation and identify any areas where adjustments can be made. In my practice, reallocating resources or bringing in additional support temporarily can help meet urgent requests. Ensure that your team is aware of the changes and prepared to adapt. Efficient resource management ensures that both the urgent request and the ongoing project can be addressed adequately.

Effective resource management is paramount when navigating an unexpected client request alongside your project roadmap. You may need to deploy strategic measures such as adding temporary resources, rebalancing workloads, or strategic outsourcing. Clear communication with your team is essential to ensure they understand the rationale behind the changes and can adapt accordingly. By managing resources skillfully, you can maintain project momentum, prevent team overload, and ensure successful delivery despite the added complexity.

Gestão de recursos é crucial para o sucesso do projeto. Uma regra de ouro - não se comprometa com prazos ou entregas se você não tiver os recursos necessários e capacitados para isso. Melhor postergar uma entrega a tentar fazer isso com recursos não adequados.

Mitigating risks when deviating from the original project roadmap involves proactive planning. I have found that developing a comprehensive risk register, including contingency plans, is vital. Regularly review and update this register, focusing on key performance indicators to detect early signs of trouble. Set up frequent check-ins to monitor progress and make adjustments as necessary. A well-prepared risk mitigation strategy not only safeguards your project but also demonstrates to your client your commitment to maintaining quality and meeting deadlines, even under changing circumstances.

Managing a pressing client request that conflicts with your project schedule calls for smart communication and prioritizing. First, determine how accepting the urgent request will affect the resources and schedule of your ongoing project. Openly discuss the associated trade-offs and possible delays with the client. Try to come to a compromise that takes care of the pressing issue without seriously impeding the project. Make sure everyone involved is informed and on the same page by adjusting your roadmap to reflect the new priorities. Strategic planning and response can be balanced to keep your project on schedule and your client happy.

Reference the risk mitigation plan already planned to find the alignment with the issue that has come up. If it had been planned for and it is still valid to use, run with it. If the risk had not been thought of and planned it, assess the risk, have a dialogue with the client, choose option, prioritize and follow per agreement.

Balancing immediate client demands with your long-term strategy requires foresight. From my experience, documenting the rationale and outcomes of accommodating urgent requests can provide valuable insights for future projects. Assess whether this request sets a precedent and how it aligns with your strategic vision. This reflection helps in managing client expectations and maintaining control over your project roadmap. Sometimes, strategically fulfilling a request can strengthen client relationships and open new opportunities, but it should never compromise your long-term objectives.

It is always a balancing act of the immediate vs the long term strategy for delivery. Ideally both needs to be accommodated but understanding the business impacts in the short term if it is NOT done, can sometimes allow the assessment of this piece of work as a 'need or a want'. If the short term pain is acceptable, then do it. BUT... make sure this does not become the way for customers to slip in non-prioritized work as a way to 'get things done' whilst keeping to the original delivery dates. I would ask what would the customer like delayed in the longer term delivery to accommodate the short term task (what would they give up to allow this task to be done). If both parties are reasonable, then it can foster a good working relationship.

Late emerging requirements should always go through the change management process. Client requests to include a feature urgently and/or late in the process should be assessed to: - determine overall fit with strategic goals - decide if the request is “need” or “want” - priced to determine timeline and cost implications - assigned priority in either original release or in release “V 1.1” This approach provides a framework for inclusion of features that were missed at the outset as well as improvements that are valuable but can wait for the first update release.

1) Work on your communication with clients. 2) Why do you miss to anticipate requests from clients? 3) You should propose useful project requests. 4) Initiatives from clients surprise you? Get closer! 5) Useful changes are good for Business and IT.

Always prioritize essential features in development; timelines can be flexible. This approach ensures that the most critical functionalities are delivered to meet user needs and business objectives. By focusing on the core elements, we can adapt to changing requirements and unforeseen challenges, ultimately delivering a more robust and valuable product. Flexibility in timelines allows for iterative improvements and responsiveness to feedback, enhancing the overall quality and effectiveness of the development process.

In my career, I’ve seen that case studies and real-world examples are powerful tools. Sharing success stories where similar situations were handled effectively can inspire confidence in your approach. Additionally, consider the cultural impact within your team—ensure that accommodating urgent requests doesn’t lead to a culture of constant disruption. Balance is key, and fostering a resilient, adaptable team culture can turn challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

If you have developed reliable flow of value delivery. Then you should be able to predict how you incorporate the client request within your work commitments to keep the client happy and cause minimal disruption to the roadmap.