Post by Vexcel Corporation, a Microsoft company

Your agency is about to roll out a new records management system, deploy body-worn cameras, stand up a Real-Time Crime Center, or another important solution. Would you move forward if you knew there was only an 11% chance that project succeeds? According to Gartner research, large-scale government technology projects, the kind where agencies try to do everything at once have a 66% chance of outright Failure and a 59% chance of being challenged by stakeholders. Only 11% are successfully implemented AND adopted across the organization. This hits police and fire agencies especially hard. These aren't simple upgrades. A new CAD system touches every division and every workflow. A Real-Time Crime Center means bringing dozens of data sources — video surveillance, license plate readers, gunshot detection, dispatch feeds — into a single operational view. A mobile hardware refresh has to work seamlessly in the field on day one. So why do most agencies approach these projects without dedicated project expertise? It usually comes down to budget pressure and ownership without experience. Funds are tight, so project management gets cut first. A commander or IT director inherits the project on top of their already full plate. The intention is good. The outcome is predictable. Timelines slip. Costs escalate and complications arise. Officers and firefighters resist adoption because they were never brought along in the process. Gartner's research shows the alternative works: smaller, phased projects with clear milestones, a defined North Star, and expert oversight dramatically increase the probability of success. **61% Success Rates when done right** Here's a good starting point — have informal conversations with neighboring agencies and other government divisions. Ask them what percentage of their project budget they dedicate to project management and delivery expertise. The answers will be eye-opening. No matter what, find a trusted expert. Beat the odds. At Vexcel Corporation, a Microsoft company, this is exactly the problem we solve, and we do it as an extension of your IT team, not a replacement. #PublicSafety #LawEnforcement #FireService #DigitalTransformation #ProjectManagement #GovTech #RealTimeCrimeCenter #Vexcel #Microsoft Project success/failure statistics referenced from Gartner research.