Introduction
Is your digital project not going according to plan? Poor communication, delays, mediocre quality, or worse still, your IT service provider has disappeared along the way? Don't worry, you're not an isolated case. At Iterates, every year we help dozens of companies faced with a failed collaboration with a previous service provider. Poor management, misunderstandings or project abandonment... there are many reasons for failure. But a new start is entirely possible.
In this article, we explain how to make an intelligent change of IT service provider and regain control of your project without starting from scratch. We also reveal the most common mistakes to avoid and our top tips for a successful transition.
Why do web projects often fail?
Before looking for a new IT service provider, it's essential to understand why your project has failed or is experiencing difficulties. Here are the most common causes we find during our audits:
Poorly defined specifications
Unclear, incomplete or poorly drafted specifications are one of the main causes of failure. Without clear objectives, expected functionalities and technical constraints defined from the outset, it is impossible to deliver a product that meets expectations.
2. Poor planning or lack of clear vision
A digital project without an overall vision or structured stages is doomed to failure. Many companies start out without a solid roadmap, make decisions as they go along and end up undermining the coherence of the project.
Unsuitable technologies
Due to a lack of technical advice or out of convenience, some service providers use obsolete technologies or technologies that are not very scalable. This makes the project difficult to maintain, unstable or impossible to upgrade.
Communication problems
The absence of regular dialogue, clear milestones or feedback from both sides creates tension and misunderstandings. If customer and service provider are not aligned, the project quickly goes off the rails.
Lack of testing and validation
The project progresses without regular quality controls, bugs accumulate, performance drops, and the end user suffers the consequences. This lack of rigour is costly at launch.
Steps to take over your project successfully
1. Preparing the ground: analysing and clarifying your project
Carry out a technical audit
Before going any further, carry out an in-depth analysis of the current state of the project: source code, database, architecture, tools used. This audit will enable you to :
- Identify the project's strengths and weaknesses.
- Assessing code quality and maintainability.
- Decide whether to continue or start again.
Tip: entrust this task to one or more different service providers, pay to guarantee impartiality, and ask for a detailed report with estimates and recommendations.
Clarify your objectives and priorities
Ask yourself the right questions:
- What are the main objectives of the project?
- Which functions are essential? Which are secondary?
- What is your realistic budget?
- What is the desired timeframe for finalising the project?
Draw up a list of existing problems and bugs
Classify them into categories:
- Blocking bugs (prevent use)
- Annoying bugs (degrade the experience)
- Desired improvements
Be specific: describe each problem, how it can be reproduced and its impact.
2. Build a roadmap and guarantee progress
Control the technologies used
An audit may reveal that certain solutions are obsolete, inflexible or poorly maintained (CMS, frameworks, etc.). An update may then be necessary to :
- Improving safety
- Ensuring scalability
- Access to a wider pool of developers
Draw up a clear roadmap
Co-construct a structured action plan with your new service provider, including :
- Project priorities
- Breakdown into phases or sprints
- Milestones with precise deliverables
- Realistic deadlines
Implement transparent communication
Our advice:
- Organise regular progress reviews
- Use tools such as Trello, Jira or Asana
- Encourage direct exchanges
- Ask your questions without hesitation
Integrate testing at every stage
Testing guarantees a quality end product:
- Functional testing
- Performance and load testing
- Safety tests
- User testing phase
What not to do: common mistakes to avoid
Do not redefine objectives
Resuming the project as it stands without reviewing its objectives can lead straight to failure. Take advantage of the change to question functionalities and adjust priorities.
Ignore existing code audit
Without an audit, you don't know whether the recovery is feasible. Badly structured or obsolete code often costs more to correct than to redo.
Exclude stakeholders
Involving decision-makers, business teams and end-users from the outset is strategic. They help to validate objectives, priorities and expected functionalities.
Choosing a service provider solely on price
A low price may conceal a lack of skills or availability. Choose a partner with a long-term commitment.
Not formalising the contract
A relaunched project without a clear contract (scope, deadlines, deliverables, budget) generates tension and conflict. Formalise it from the outset.
Why call on an expert service provider to take over your project?
Taking over a business is often more complex than creating a new project. It requires :
- Solid technical expertise
- A strict methodology
- Fluid, constant communication
A good service provider will know how to :
- Auditing existing work
- Identifying what can and cannot be reused
- Clarify your objectives
- Securing data
- Deliver a high-performance, compliant project
Our method for guaranteeing the success of your project
Here is a summary of the key stages:
- Carry out an independent technical audit
- Review objectives with all parties concerned
- List bugs and unmet needs
- Update technologies as necessary
- Draw up a detailed roadmap with your service provider
- Regular monitoring
- Test and validate at every stage
Conclusion
Changing IT service provider is a challenge, but also an opportunity. It's an opportunity to take over the reins, put the foundations in place and build a high-performance, future-proof digital solution.
Don't let a poorly managed project put the brakes on your company's growth. With a clear method, the right tools and a competent service provider, you can turn failure into success.
Act now
Is your digital project in trouble? Are you looking for a reliable partner to take over your web or mobile application?
At Iterates, we can help you get complex or abandoned projects back on track. From audit to go-live, our team is with you every step of the way to ensure the success of your project.
Schedule an appointment to discuss your project.
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