THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT A MULTI-NATIONAL AEROSPACE and industrial company had approved the migration from a legacy system to a super-minicomputer platform with a Unix operating system, supporting a relational database. The project would have a hardware and a software phase. In the hardware phase, a vendor was to develop software that would simulate the legacy system on the super-mini and allow the company to move off its leased mainframe. In the software phase, purchased and developed business applications would replace the simulated legacy system. As the project moved toward the end of its first year, the development of the software simulator was seriously behind schedule, no plan existed for the remainder of the hardware phase, and little thought had been given as to how to even do the software phase. The company faced the prospect of having to extend the lease on the mainframe and incur additional cost of $1.2 million. The CEO decided to name a new IT Director and adopt a formal project management methodology. The client enlisted PSI to provide a custom blend of Project Success Training, Consulting, and System Development services.

The project was a success, meeting its time, cost, and quality objectives. Other important outcomes included:

• The vendor delivered a working software simulator on time, for the agreed upon price.
• The Company released the mainframe and avoided the $1.2 million cost to extend the lease.
• The software phase had a defined scope and customer.
• A collaborative team was formed with members from each company and all key disciplines.
• The software migration was completed on time and on budget, with all specified functionality.
• The project would serve as a model for successful migrations at the company's European and Asian operations as well as for new acquisitions.
• All of the company's key operations around the world operate on this integrated system.