The art of reconciling needs and constraints for the success of complex IT projects

Flavie Picart: Today, more and more companies must reconcile business needs with IT implementation constraints to succeed in their transformation projects. That’s the case especially in the airline industry. Can you explain how these projects are supported?

Hélène Millet: Those complex projects require a go-between between the actual business and IT (developers, architects, security, network.) This person/team is sometimes called IMO (Information Management Officer) or AMOA (I could not find an actual translation for that acronym! -no comment), or business analyst, or even SME (Subject matter expert). The exact content of tasks and perimeter of responsibility may vary, but in any case, this go-between role is key in projects involving complex IT systems, such as implementing a new inventory system or migrating a data platform. He/she acts as a mediator, bridging the gap between the business team (BT), users or representing the users, and the IT project team, responsible for the technical execution, such as development and/or integration.

He/she acts a little like a food critic; the BT has a clear vision of what they want, while the IT team and its project manager (PM), the “chef,” must turn this vision into a tangible product. The IMO ensures that communication between these two roles is seamless and that technical constraints are accounted for while meeting strategic goals.

As a food critic too, he/she might also challenge the vision, or the implementation constraints, contributing to the alignment of all stakeholders.

Flavie Picart: Could you give us a more tangible example to illustrate this role?

Hélène Millet: Let’s take the example of an airline deploying a new reservation system. Millions of transactions and euros are at stake. Executives want an intuitive tool that makes it easier to optimize revenue, while technical teams focus on data security, server architecture, and algorithm efficiency. These different perspectives can clash, so alignment is essential.

This is where IMO comes in. We translate the strategic needs of executives into terms that technical teams can work with and, conversely, simplify technical constraints for executives to enable them to make informed decisions. The IMO role goes beyond technical translation; it may also include drafting functional specifications, budget oversight, cross-team coordination, and testing supervision.

Flavie Picart: You have extensive experience managing tech projects in the airline industry. Could you share some of the projects you’ve worked on?

Hélène Millet: I’ve had the opportunity to work on PSS (Passenger Service System) migration projects for airlines like Luxair’s and Air Tahiti’s and a few others. As mentioned, these projects are complex, requiring coordination of multiple internal and external teams over several months: defining needs, managing RFPs, selecting providers, executing the project, and addressing transition risks.

IMO is involved in every step, especially in supervising the migration project itself: defining requirements, finding gaps and validating outcomes through testing to ensure alignment with expectations. Meeting deadlines and budgets is usually the project manager’s domain, but IMO can handle this as well, depending on project size. 

In the specific case of reservation/inventory systems (PSS) migrations, the work peaks during the “cutover” night where all stakeholders sit together—essentially a heart transplant, plugging out the old system, plugging in the new one! It’s quite an experience (laughs). 

Once the technical project is completed and validated, another task kicks in: change management. Implementing a new solution isn’t just about deploying a tool; it’s about helping teams use it optimally. IMO assists with project communication, training, and even team reorganization if necessary.

Flavie Picart: You mentioned drafting functional specifications. Why is that a crucial step?

Hélène Millet: It’s really key. These specifications are almost like a contract: they precisely outline project expectations. IMO ensures that all business needs are well-represented and that technical specs align with these functional requirements.

Flavie Picart: You also mentioned coordinating various stakeholders. How does IMO ensure all parties remain aligned throughout the project?

Hélène Millet: IMO acts as an interface, smoothing communication between business and technical teams, ensuring everyone understands the goals and works towards the same outcome. This starts early with RFP management, tool selection, and solution setup. Once the project is underway, he/she supervises testing to ensure the solution functions as expected and meets identified needs.

Flavie Picart: In your view, what distinguishes IMO from traditional project management?

Hélène Millet: IMO is unique in his/her ability to harmonize both business and technical needs. While a project manager focuses on deadlines, costs, and delivery, IMO’s main topic is the content of the project: what the project wants to achieve, what it can achieve. He/She understands (and challenges) each stakeholder’s perspective.

For example, with Afidium, a recent client: they aimed to develop a new product without a clear understanding of customers’ real needs. I worked with technical teams to clarify their proposals and translated this information for clients to validate the project’s direction, ensuring the new product would meet genuine needs (and thus have a market).

Flavie Picart: How do you see the role of IMO evolving in an increasingly digital world?

Hélène Millet: this interface is becoming more essential, especially in fast-evolving industries like aviation, where every mistake is costly, and margins are tight. IMO ensures seamless technological transitions.

At Impact Consultants, we serve as facilitators, guaranteeing that projects progress while aligning business needs with high-quality technical standards.

We help companies navigate these transformations by minimizing risks and maximizing the value of deployed solutions.