What do you do if your ERP project is facing quality control and quality assurance challenges?

2 Manage scope and change requests

Another common challenge for quality in ERP projects is managing the scope and the change requests that arise during the project lifecycle. Scope and change requests can affect the quality of the system, as they can introduce new requirements, dependencies, risks, and costs that were not planned or accounted for. To avoid scope creep and ensure quality, you should establish a clear and realistic scope statement at the beginning of the project, and follow a formal and rigorous change management process that evaluates, approves, communicates, and documents any changes to the scope. You should also monitor and control the scope regularly, and align it with the quality criteria and the project objectives.

3 Integrate and test the system

A third challenge for quality in ERP projects is integrating and testing the system, as ERP systems often involve multiple modules, components, interfaces, and data sources that need to work together seamlessly. Integration and testing are essential for verifying and validating the quality of the system, as they can identify and resolve any errors, defects, gaps, or inconsistencies that may affect the system functionality, performance, security, or usability. To ensure quality in integration and testing, you should follow a systematic and structured approach that covers the different levels and types of testing, such as unit testing, integration testing, system testing, user acceptance testing, and regression testing. You should also use appropriate testing tools and techniques, such as test cases, test scripts, test data, test environments, and test automation.

4 Implement quality assurance and control activities

A fourth challenge for quality in ERP projects is implementing quality assurance and control activities, as ERP projects often require a high level of coordination, communication, and collaboration among various stakeholders, teams, and vendors. Quality assurance and control activities are the processes and practices that monitor and measure the quality of the project processes and deliverables, and ensure that they comply with the quality criteria and standards. To ensure quality in quality assurance and control activities, you should assign a dedicated quality assurance team or role that oversees and reports on the quality aspects of the project, and conducts regular quality audits and reviews. You should also use quality control tools and techniques, such as quality checklists, quality reports, quality dashboards, and quality feedback mechanisms.

5 Manage risks and issues

A fifth challenge for quality in ERP projects is managing the risks and issues that may arise during the project execution and affect the quality of the system or the project outcomes. Risks and issues are the potential or actual events or situations that may have a negative impact on the project scope, schedule, budget, or quality. To ensure quality in risk and issue management, you should identify, analyze, prioritize, and document the risks and issues that may affect the quality of the project, and develop and implement appropriate mitigation and contingency plans. You should also monitor and control the risks and issues regularly, and update the stakeholders and the project team on their status and resolution.

6 Train and support the users

A sixth and final challenge for quality in ERP projects is training and supporting the users, as ERP systems often require a significant change in the way the users perform their tasks and processes, and may encounter resistance or difficulties in adoption and usage. Training and support are essential for ensuring the quality of the user experience, as they can enhance the user knowledge, skills, confidence, and satisfaction with the system, and reduce the user errors, complaints, or frustrations. To ensure quality in training and support, you should conduct a thorough training needs analysis, and design and deliver effective and engaging training programs that cover the system features, functions, and benefits. You should also provide ongoing and timely support to the users, such as helpdesk, documentation, feedback, and troubleshooting.