Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment-Key Element #5

AIT’s Professional Services Group is responsible for managing the implementation of an ERP deployment, making sure the project is properly resourced and executed. Our role with clients really starts during the sales process where we gather information about the company, its requirements, and the unique problems it is trying to solve. We get an idea of the personality and culture of the company. That gives us a great head start to hit the ground running after a contract is signed. AIT has developed a list of the top 10 keys to successful ERP deployment.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment

      1.      Develop a project mission statement

      2.      Get executive team commitment

      3.      Identify and define the scope; map requirements to objectives

      4.      Establish methodology, realistic resources, and timeline

      5.      Identify, designate, and support key personnel

      6.      Prepare your data

      7.      Create a training plan

      8.      Conduct pilots to work out the kinks

      9.      Take steps to ensure things as expected (establish a method to resolve conflict and issues)

     10.  Measure results

Identify, designate, and support key personnel

Who are the key people on the team?  It’s important to designate the proper resource internally to act as the Project Manager whose job is:

·         Track progress and accountability of each of the implementation team member’s assigned tasks to promote on-time completion with their milestones

·         Interface with the implementation partner ensuring transparency and communication on requirements, issues, and risks

·         Make sure all tasks are clearly defined and the team members understand the milestones to accomplish.

·         Ensures overall project is appropriately structured and planned

·         Drives overall project plan and project direction

·         Monitors the progress of all activities to plan

·         Facilitates project meetings and steering committee meetings

·         Raises risks, issues, and project flags to Operations and/or Technical leader as well as to Engagement Managers and Project Sponsors

·         Manages weekly project status reporting to Sponsors

Another critical project team role is the Operations Leader whose role and commitment include:

·         Oversee and monitor all workstream activities daily

·         Provides progress status updates

·         Accountable for on-time completion of their operational area(s) of responsibility

·         Presents to steering committee reviews of operational area

·         Raises risks and addresses issues that will impact the project’s success

·         Promotes collaboration between operational and technical areas

We also encourage clients to designate Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who know the intricate details of their respective areas current business processes and pain points. These SMEs don’t necessarily have to be managers, they can be employees who have good visibility into processes and are willing to champion the associated best practices transformation.

Change often includes automating previously manual processes, freeing up time to streamline the operation. If these resources are critical for day-to-day functions – plan for alternative coverage. Your company’s leadership team needs to support best practices transformation resulting from these employees’ efforts.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment-Key Element #4

AIT’s Professional Services Group is responsible for managing the implementation of an ERP deployment, making sure the project is properly resourced and executed. Our role with clients really starts during the sales process where we gather information about the company, its requirements, and the unique problems it is trying to solve. We get an idea of the personality and culture of the company. That gives us a great head start to hit the ground running after a contract is signed. AIT has developed a list of the top 10 keys to successful ERP deployment.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment

      1.      Develop a project mission statement

      2.      Get executive team commitment

      3.      Identify and define the scope; map requirements to objectives

      4.      Establish methodology, realistic resources, and timeline

      5.      Identify, designate, and support key personnel

      6.      Prepare your data

      7.      Create a training plan

      8.      Conduct pilots to work out the kinks

      9.      Take steps to ensure things as expected (establish a method to resolve conflict and issues)

     10.  Measure results

 Establish methodology, realistic resources, and timeline 

Before we begin the project, we hold a detailed project planning meeting that may last the better part of a day. Given the timeline, we review the scope realistically. A “go live” date is established, and the schedule is determined based on keeping each of the milestones and the end goal in mind. We ascertain what’s required for training, the appropriate methods of training delivery by audience, and identify needed documentation such as:

·         Standard Operating Procedures

·         End User Quick Reference Guides

·         Process and Transactions Flow Charts

     We collaboratively decide how many pilot testing phases will be required to ensure a thorough and confident roll out; communicate our project methodology to make certain the core team understands how and why we follow the proven approach; and the importance of adhering to it. Straying from the methodology may result in derailing the project, running over budget, people losing motivation and lost momentum.  It is highly advised that our proven methodology be followed with the right resources in the right seats to keep the project on track.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment-Key Element #3

AIT’s Professional Services Group is responsible for managing the implementation of an ERP deployment, making sure the project is properly resourced and executed. Our role with clients really starts during the sales process where we gather information about the company, its requirements, and the unique problems it is trying to solve. We get an idea of the personality and culture of the company. That gives us a great head start to hit the ground running after a contract is signed. AIT has developed a list of the top 10 keys to successful ERP deployment.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment

      1.      Develop a project mission statement

      2.      Get executive team commitment

      3.      Identify and define the scope; map requirements to objectives

      4.      Establish methodology, realistic resources, and timeline

      5.      Identify, designate, and support key personnel

      6.      Prepare your data

      7.      Create a training plan

      8.      Conduct pilots to work out the kinks

      9.      Take steps to ensure things as expected (establish a method to resolve conflict and issues)

     10.  Measure results

   Identify and define the scope; map requirements to objectives

Clients should have a clear understanding of the problems they want to solve. These can be such things as:

·         What adverse conditions will be faced day to day?

·         Are there employees that hold information no one else has or tribal knowledge that puts the company at risk from a cross-training perspective?

·         What are the risks of an incomplete project?

·         What’s in scope – should we consider addressing the project in phases vs. a big bang approach?

·         What’s achievable within the timeline?

·         What are the key requirements vs. nice to have?  

It’s preferable to approach the project in a phased rollout which ensures proper resources are allocated without disruption – focus on the quality of the deliverables. We encourage clients to list the goals for the project:

·         Define what a successful project looks like or would mean to their business.

·         What key measurable results do you expect to see 6-12 months post “go-live.”

By creating objectives and tangible measurements, the project team can gauge progress and ensure long-term success for the life of the project and beyond.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment-Key Element #2

AIT’s Professional Services Group is responsible for managing the implementation of an ERP deployment, making sure the project is properly resourced and executed. Our role with clients really starts during the sales process where we gather information about the company, its requirements, and the unique problems it is trying to solve. We get an idea of the personality and culture of the company. That gives us a great head start to hit the ground running after a contract is signed. AIT has developed a list of the top 10 keys to successful ERP deployment.

Top 10 Key Elements to a Successful ERP System Deployment

      1.      Develop a project mission statement

      2.      Get executive team commitment

      3.      Identify and define the scope; map requirements to objectives

      4.      Establish methodology, realistic resources, and timeline

      5.      Identify, designate, and support key personnel

      6.      Prepare your data

      7.      Create a training plan

      8.      Conduct pilots to work out the kinks

      9.      Take steps to ensure things as expected (establish a method to resolve conflict and issues)

     10.  Measure results

      Get executive team commitment

A strong executive presence and active leadership are critical to the success of your ERP project.  Your ERP project will touch every facet of an organization and must be a top-down initiative guided by the project goals and objectives. Defined critical success factors, a well-defined scope, and a hierarchy of escalation to help control the projects hazards and issues. It is imperative that the company’s executive team display an active communication role, so users understand the goals and objectives of the project and know that the leadership is the driver (e.g., streamline processes, cut costs, inventory, get rid of disparate systems, increase profitability) and how the goals relate to corporate strategy.

We recommend our clients form a steering committee of executive team staff who sign up for the following roles and commitments:
     
     ·         Ensure the project objectives are reasonable to meet the overall goals
     ·         Ensure the project is staffed, funded, and has appropriate leadership
     ·         Provide overall strategic direction aligning to organizational goals
     ·         Resolve any escalated issues and monitor external impacts to the project
     ·         Approve scope changes and additional funding requests
     ·         Sign off on key milestones

In a future post, we’ll describe the roles and commitments of key project team members. The executive team and project team must together be the champions of change and continually reinforce the value that the project will bring to the organization.