Other skills to make tech projects happen - maryakem/llearncode GitHub Wiki
Here I would like to talk about skills that help get tech (and other) projects started and completed which surround tech skills like coding to make sure projects happen successfully. I will write some thoughts below, please feel free to add, elaborate, or comment. ~ Sarah
Some opening thoughts:
Libraries often run tech projects with tight resources, and often people working on them end up filling many roles, which in a larger organization would be separated. Many libraries have long term issues with tech projects and ways of solving technical problems. Home grown solutions are often seen as being less reliable than solutions from vendors, because projects have been started in the past and when the people who ran them left or started new projects no one was able to carry on and the work was lost. The human issues surrounding technology are not always managed well -- new workflows are developed with anachronisms in them from previous systems and organizational goals. Code and data are in a sense easy -- they behave in predictable ways; many technical projects have limited success or don't ever happen because of issues with things like communication, budgeting, understanding of requirements, and interpersonal issues.
Here are some skill sets and concepts:
Business analysis
Business analysis is the discipline (and potential career) of assessing requirements and possible solutions for a given situation. It originated in IT, but the principles can be used in solving many kinds of complex situations. I have found it to be particularly useful in working out workflows during tech changes. I had the opportunity to take two week long business analysis class a few years ago, and it was one of the most useful things I have learned about how to plan a project. Here is an article I wrote on the subject.
Project management
Project management is the process of ensuring a selected solution is implemented successfully. It includes the management of human resources, ensuring requirements are met, keeping to timelines, etc.