The same goes for dealing with business constituents. Five years ago, business owners were more apt to hand over the reins when it came to choosing technology for a system. But today, "you're dealing with business people with very strong opinions on how things should be run, so you need to actively own the project," Robbins says.

Be flexible

At the same time, you have to remain flexible, Robbins says. Intense competition is pushing companies to try business and technology gambits they've never attempted before, making projects increasingly complex, nebulous and speed-driven.

That pressure results in a double threat, says Rothman. Not only do you get tight deadlines, but the projects that come your way may arrive without clear requirements. "The more speed you need, the less you know about what you have to do," she says.

At some of Rothman's client sites, the people who fund the projects provide "tight or impossible deadlines," she says. "And they provide ambiguous requirements, when they provide requirements."