IT Governance - Make IT a success factor!

This podcast episode synthesizes the core principles for managing projects in turbulent environments, as outlined by Dr. Gerhard Friedrich. The central argument is a rejection of traditional, prediction-focused project management in favor of a systemic approach that prioritizes adaptability, simplicity, and a holistic view of projects as socio-technical systems. In turbulent times, success hinges...

This podcast focuses on the formative role of contractual agreements in project success. Gerhard Friedrich, an expert in IT governance, points out that contracts set crucial course for all aspects of project work. In particular, they have a positive or negative influence on the mindset, an effect that is often overlooked.

This podcast shows that careful preparation is essential for agile IT projects as well. Gerhard Friedrich criticizes the fact that frameworks like Scrum often neglect the early project phases and presents DSDM (Dynamic System Development Method) as a more comprehensive approach. DSDM covers the entire project life cycle, from the feasibility study to project completion, and integrates iterative de...

This podcast discusses the importance of clearly distinguishing between objectives, constraints, and actions in complex situations, particularly in projects. Objectives define the problems to be solved, while actions represent possible solutions. Constraints are unchangeable circumstances that affect the effectiveness of actions. Gerhard Friedrich, a program and project management expert, emphasiz...

This podcast discusses the necessity of commitments and responsibilities in agile software development projects. The podcast is based on a blog post by Gerhard Friedrich. He emphasizes that users and IT teams must have clear ideas about their respective tasks and contributions, especially in terms of strategic, economic and organizational frameworks. He argues that flexibility and agility do not m...

This podcast presents Disciplined Agile (DA) as an integrative approach to project management. DA emphasizes that context, choice, and workflow optimization are crucial to making projects successful. In contrast to rigid agile frameworks like SAFe, DA encourages adapting the “way of work” (WoW) to specific project requirements. DA positions itself as a collection of good ideas from various agile a...

Unrealistic project plans often arise not out of ignorance, but to avoid unpleasant discussions with stakeholders. This happens because it can be difficult to enforce realistic timelines and budgets, or because unrealistic goals are necessary for project approval. How should one deal with this? This is discussed in this podcast, along with some very practical tips for use.

Conflict and failure are often seen as project killers—but what if they were actually the key to success? In this episode, we explore how project managers can harness friction to drive creativity and innovation. 🔹 The Power of Conflict: Learn how goal and method conflicts can lead to breakthroughs rather than breakdowns. 🔹 The Truth About Failure: Why acknowledging mistakes early can save your p...

This podcast is about the tasks and responsibilities of business and IT in agile projects. It explains why Scrum can only cover some of the requirements to be met and is not always the best approach to a project. The DSDM model is recommended as a comprehensive approach that includes phases such as feasibility study and foundation planning before implementation starts, e.g. with Scrum. The paper a...

In this podcast we explore the key elements of effective leadership and team dynamics. This episode will delve into four core leadership tasks, that means what a leader has to do. We will also examine three distinct leadership styles, that's about how a leader should do his job. This podcast is designed to assist you as a project manager in analyzing and improving your leadership style to become m...

This podcast is an excerpt from a book about IT law and mindset in project management. It deals with the importance of contracts for the success of IT projects. It shows how contracts shape project work and that contracts that do not fit agile projects endanger their success. It is shown why fixed-price contracts are dangerous and how contracts should be designed to promote project success.

This podcast discusses the challenges of process analysis in the context of IT projects. Effective process optimization requires close collaboration between business and IT, where premature detailing of target processes is often inefficient. Instead, Gerhard Friedrich advocates an iterative spiral model that enables flexible adjustments and keeps the dialog between users and the IT department perm...

This podcast emphasizes the importance of Test Driven Development (TDD), in particular the early formulation of test cases, in order to avoid misunderstandings and mistakes in software development. It argues that tests should not only be applied to finished software, but to all intermediate results, such as project plans or requirements descriptions. An example from the insurance industry illustra...

This podcast discusses the global shortage of software developers and presents Citizen Development as a possible solution. Citizen development, the development of applications by business users using low-code/no-code platforms, is presented as a paradigm shift that can improve collaboration between business and IT. Gerhard Friedrich emphasizes the importance of governance and an agile corporate cu...

This podcast discusses Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety and argues that it is misinterpreted in practice, especially in project management. Gerhard Friedrich points out that the law only applies within a common set of rules. It is a mistake to conclude from this that complex projects must be managed with complex organizational forms. Instead, he argues for the use of agile methods, which are chara...

This podcast deals with the question of how to deal with mistakes and problems in projects. Gerhard Friedrich criticizes the widespread practice of obscuring mistakes or referring to them as “challenges” and argues that mistakes should be addressed openly and learned from. He argues that in projects there is very often a clear “right” and “wrong”. While avoiding blame is important, mistakes must b...

This podcast discusses the use of user stories in agile project management and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. Gerhard Friedrich argues that user stories are a good starting point for requirements definition, but should not serve as the sole form of requirements definition. He advocates taking into account various perspectives (user, business, task, implementation, environment) when analy...

This podcast compares the strategic approach of Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish national team, with IT governance in companies. De la Fuente relied on an offensive playing style, team spirit, flexibility and creativity, which led to winning the Nations League. Gerhard Friedrich argues that IT departments would also benefit from an offensive strategy instead of relying on defensive measures...

This podcast examines the challenges that arise from using traditional contract models in complex IT projects. Classic contracts, which focus on fixed services and prices, hamper successful collaboration and lead to inflexible and confrontational working relationships. The author argues in favor of relational contracts that are based on mutual trust and flexible adaptation to changing project cond...

This podcast deals with the topic of leadership in projects. It argues that project management is more than just managing tasks, but requires leadership skills to motivate a team and achieve project goals together. Gerhard Friedrich analyzes various leadership models and emphasizes the importance of proactivity, reliability, clarity of objectives, and team development for project success. He criti...