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13.10.2026
Agile methodologies, classic project planning or external project management: companies have various options for organizing their IT projects. But which approach suits which project? And what is important to ensure that a project not only formally ends but also achieves the desired benefits?
Sven Petschull, IT Project Manager at accompio, has been supporting customers from various industries with IT projects for over 14 years. In an interview, he explains why project success means more than meeting deadlines and budgets, when hybrid approaches are useful, and how external project managers can relieve companies of their workload.
Explains in the full expert interview Sven Petschull, IT Project Manager at accompio, How companies can successfully manage their IT projects and when external support is worthwhile.
Time, budget, and scope of work are important criteria for managing an IT project. However, these alone do not yet indicate whether the project was actually successful.
A project may be formally completed, but users may not be able to get used to a new IT environment, or important stakeholders may remain dissatisfied. Although the agreed scope of work was met, the desired benefits may not have been achieved.
For Sven Petschull, therefore, both the satisfaction of the participants and the actual added value are among the crucial success factors. Project management They must not only coordinate tasks, but also ensure that the results work in the day-to-day operations of the company.
Not every IT project requires the same approach. Agile methods They are particularly suitable when requirements evolve, iterative work is performed, and regular customer feedback is to be incorporated into the implementation.
Classical project management remains useful, however, if projects can be structured with clear requirements, milestones, and budgets. Agility is therefore not an end in itself – what method best supports the particular project is crucial.
A hybrid approach can combine both worlds: While budget, milestones, and overall planning are traditionally organized, the project team operates in an agile manner within defined boundaries. This requires clearly defined interfaces and a shared understanding among all involved parties. Management must also support the chosen working method.
New technologies and AI in particular can make requirements and development opportunities change more quickly. A project plan should therefore provide guidance, but it should not remain unchanged. Project managers must evaluate developments and ensure that they are aligned with the project objectives. Strategy can be adjusted as needed.
At least just as important is the organization behind the plan. If employees are additionally tasked with project-related responsibilities outside of their day-to-day work, they sometimes lack the time to adequately manage the project. Unclear roles and a lack of capacity can thus become a risk.
A good IT project manager therefore keeps the big picture in view, recognizes dependencies and risks early on, and communicates proactively. He or she also acts as a mediator between technical teams and management, so that different perspectives and interests can be brought together.
An external project manager is particularly an option when internal capacities are lacking or a company only occasionally undertakes complex IT projects. Those who regularly carry out numerous IT projects, on the other hand, can benefit from building their own project management skills.
External support offers additional benefits: The project manager brings an independent perspective and can focus specifically on the project instead of having to manage the day-to-day operations in parallel. This allows requirements to be evaluated more neutrally and decisions to be prepared in a structured manner.
However, it is important that the external project manager actually takes on responsibility. Simply creating status reports and tracking work packages does not significantly relieve the company of its responsibilities. Therefore, it must be clearly agreed beforehand what decisions can be made independently.
The customer also remains responsible: he or she must provide necessary information, resources, and contact points, and make decisions that affect, for example, budget or project scope.
In addition to methods and planning, collaboration and communication are crucial for project success. A good project manager understands the different interests of the stakeholders, promotes team cohesion, and creates transparency.
This also includes preparing technological topics in a way that management can understand. Deep technical expertise is not necessarily necessary for this – however, a basic technical understanding helps to understand decisions and to meaningfully guide the project team.
With external project managers, knowledge transfer is added. Project knowledge should not be lost at the end of the mandate. A structured project closure and shared „Lessons Learned“ help secure experience and pass it on to the company.
Especially in the age of AI, the human factor remains crucial for Petschull: transparency, openness, and a trusting relationship with the customer form an important foundation for successful collaboration.
„The customer is still a human being.“
Sven Petschull, IT Project Manager at accompio
accompio supports companies with experienced IT project management to relieve internal teams of tasks ranging from planning to implementation and project closure.
Whether agile, classic, hybrid, or with external support: There is no one approach that is equally suitable for every IT project. Companies should consider their requirements, available capacities, and organizational frameworks.
Clear responsibilities, flexible planning, and open communication create the conditions for projects to not only succeed on paper but also to achieve real value in the company. External IT project managers can help compensate for missing capacity, reduce complexity, and specifically relieve existing teams of their workload.
Sven brings his extensive experience as a project manager to companies, helping them efficiently manage their IT projects to relieve the workload of internal teams.
Agile project management is particularly suitable for projects where requirements can change, iterative work is performed, and regular feedback is intended to influence the implementation.
Classical project management works more with predefined plans and milestones. Agile methods rely on iterative implementation and adaptability. Hybrid project management combines both approaches, for example by using classic budget planning and agile work within the project team.
External support is useful when internal capabilities are lacking, when complex IT projects are occasionally in progress, or when an independent perspective is needed.
In addition to planning and organization, proactive risk management, strong communication skills, stakeholder management, and a fundamental understanding of technology are important. Likewise, a project manager should be able to mediate between technical teams and management.
A structured project closure, documented results and common „Lessons Learned“ help secure experience and pass it on to internal employees.
