Page 87 - Straight Talk On Project Management IV

saved Coke millions of dollars. When carrying research with stakeholders and end-users it’s crucial
that we ask the right questions to assess actual business need. Aligning business change through IT
Projects with answers to the wrong questions can really harm strategic objectives.

2 - Samsung's Exploding Galaxy Note 7
When “errors both in design and manufacturing affected batteries by two different manufacturers”
led to Galaxy Note 7 phones catching fire and exploding, Samsung had to recall millions of phones.

According to the findings of Samsung’s own internal report, the problems were caused by
insufficient insulation material within the batteries and a design that did not give enough room to
safely accommodate the batteries' electrodes.

The recall was thought to have cost £4.3bn and was damaging for the South Korean firm's reputation
who had positioned the Galaxy Note 7 as a rival to Apple's iPhone.

To make matters worse, Samsung insisted all replaced devices were safe but soon after the BBC
reported that “those phones were also overheating”.

So, what lessons can Project teams learn?

i) Test, test, test. Launching a product that overheats, recalling it and then replacing it with a new
product that also overheats is not a resounding endorsement of your quality control protocols! But
this happens in IT Projects often in the guise of buggy software being rushed to market too quickly,
etc.

ii) Be Transparent and Take Responsibility! Samsung said it was "taking responsibility for our failure
to ultimately identify and verify the issues arising out of the battery design and manufacturing
process". They were also very clear about what the problem was, where it had originated and what
they were doing to resolve it. This transparency and acceptance of responsibility probably scored
Samsung some brand points back. Stuff happens, in IT Project Management being famous as the PM
who holds your hands up before rolling up your sleeves and sorting the issues is a powerful personal
brand!

iii) Be resilient. Good one this. If I’d created a phone that I’d marketed as a rival to the iPhone and it
had turned out to be even more explosive than I’d expected, literally, I think I’d have laid low for a
bit! Samsung didn’t! The Note line even persists to this day. The latest version, the Samsung Galaxy
Note 10 was announced in August 2019. IT Project Managers need to have an equally thick skin!

iv) Be Careful Who You Subcontract To And Brief Them Thoroughly! Samsung said that errors in
design and manufacturing affected batteries made for them by two different manufacturers. Can
you remember either of these two firms’ names? Of course not, it’s Samsung’s name on the phone
and it is YOUR name on your IT Project so take care when bringing in talent. Having a trusted PMaaS
partner on speed dial, one who understands your business and projects is the biggest takeaway
lesson from this for IT Project teams!

3 – Bic’s Disposable Underwear
Can you imagine the meeting at Bic?

“Right team. We make Biro pens, cigarette lighters, razors. What else, high-quality, yet inexpensive
and therefore disposable, can we launch?”

“Ladies knickers!”