We’ve stepped in for many clients when their core business systems or ERP projects went wrong. So when it was time for us to do our own, we had a think about how to ensure we got it right. Here’s why it worked for us – and one thing we’ll do better next time.?
- ?Set ambitious but achievable goals.? We created a big strategy and vision for systems and process changes, but first we delivered a minimum viable product as quickly as we could. We then immediately got into a routine of biweekly sprints, allowing us to be agile and responsive. Although the continual change has been challenging, we have worked hard to keep confidence and enthusiasm high throughout.?
- Ensure someone on the Board has ownership of the project.? One of our C-suite (in this case me!) was responsible for the project and remained deeply involved and committed to its success. When things got difficult, I could remind people of the business case, keep the strategy in view, and cut through problems.??
- Keep your eyes on the prize.? We set priorities and targeted specific business improvements and remained entirely focussed on building towards those long-term goals (almost all of the time!). When we have had to prioritise quick wins and expedite solutions, we’ve always been honest and cognizant of the need to tidy up later.?
- Make decisions about your data – beforehand. ? We underestimated the complexity of our data migration (doh!) and were plagued by data issues for the first six months. We simply misjudged what was ‘good enough’ for the initial go-live, and we should have made a more detailed analysis beforehand. This created a lot of noise and irritation and required careful, systematic clean-ups.??
If you’re in the midst of one now or considering starting one, let me know if you’ve got questions and we’ll put one of our experts in touch. ERP can be transformative, but it’s also by definition a complicated project – we’d be happy to have a helpful, no-strings chat.
This came up in my feed as a good article and I was not disappointed. In every project I have been involved in data is the crucial factor, most organisations think they have a great grip on their data (the thinking is if they dont understand how on earth can anyone else) but the reality is normally (always?) somewhat divorced. One point you mention in passing (point1) is Change Mangement - you MUST win hearts and minds, keep people engaged and make sure there is enthusiasm, a very easy task at the beginning of the project but much more difficult when the hard yards set in...CM is critical in user adoption and it is users that make or break a project.
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7 个月Wise words! Strong sponsorship, clear business goals and a fastidious attitude to data quality (and architecture) are lessons that should be applied to virtually any business change project involving technology. Delivering digitally enabled transformation is a craft that requires business experience as well as technical expertise. Good craftsmen plan before they create.