Don't let your IT team make these 4 mistakes in cloud
As cloud adoption surges in popularity, it's important that your cloud team is well equipped to handle their next project. However, there are mistakes that can derail a project.
Ideally, a cloud team can lead a business through almost any cloud project. But the path to cloud team success can be fraught with mistakes and missteps. To get the most from a cloud team, it's worth considering these four common oversights.
1. Wrong team and skills
Relatively simple cloud projects may succeed with the same handful of cloud experts. But successful cloud projects may require a mix-and-match approach of cloud team members. For example, a cloud project that requires software development in Java may not be well served with developers that specialize in the PHP scripting language.
A team is a toolkit. Pick the right tools for the job at hand. Cloud teams can benefit from additional hiring and ongoing education in key roles.
2. No fallback plans
The cloud is not an all-or-nothing proposition, and there are lots of ways to use the cloud. Service providers continue to grow. Services change, business demands evolve, and providers might discontinue services that a customer considers essential.
Too often, cloud teams follow a cloud-first or cloud-only mindset, and they don't develop cloud projects for repatriation or migration to other providers. Some projects may struggle to meet expectations -- or fail outright. Healthy cloud teams -- and businesses -- recognize such risks and incorporate those factors into their team and project planning.
A team is a toolkit. Pick the right tools for the job at hand.
3. Absent processes
Cloud project success is sometimes less about getting the work done and more about how the work is done.
Most aspects of cloud computing -- especially security and compliance -- rely on mature and well-considered best practices, processes and procedures. Best practices should guide everything from the initial architectural design to post-project monitoring and analytics. Organizations and cloud teams that overlook the importance of process will risk mistakes and oversights that could potentially delay or jeopardize the project.
4. Poor communication
Technical endeavors benefit from open communication and close collaboration between cloud team members. Rapid developments in cloud technologies and services should be watched closely and shared freely. Communication and collaboration drive innovation.
Communication and collaboration drive innovation.
Business leaders and project managers must facilitate such contacts and work diligently to avoid technology silos or fiefdoms that can impede the flow of ideas and innovation. A lack of communication can also lead to mistakes and oversights, duplication of effort and other wastes of team time and talent.
