PAGE 4

"I was skeptical," Tozier says, "which is why we went to the modeling. With the help of HP, we did 3-D modeling of the building to prove the design would actually work." That 3-D assessment was favorable, and plans moved forward. "We have air coming in from the sides, all the cabling is overhead," and so far, so good, Tozier says.

7. Lead from the top with your services partner. In a project of this scope, it's critical to maintain an effective relationship with the consulting partner you've chosen. How does Hackenson ensure that the relationship with HP Services works well, and what's her advice to other CIOs?

No matter how good your own working team on the ground with the consulting partner, don't underestimate the need for the CIO to work the phones, she says.

"I was in routine contact with Ann Livermore of HP [executive vice president of HP's Technology Solutions Group]. I gave her a heads-up before critical milestones," Hackenson says. Hackenson would make quick calls to remind Livermore that it was a big weekend for the Alcatel IT team; she believes this helped everyone stay on the same page regarding current top priorities and schedule.

Another cultural decision that helped: blurring the distinction of who was HP staff and who was Alcatel-Lucent. "It really was set up as one team, not an Alcatel team and an HP team," Tozier says. "There wasn't finger-pointing. It was a joint team."

"That's our style," Hackenson says. "That's the way we try to manage projects in the organization."