Billionaire approach to ERP UAT

ERP – UAT: Billionaire way of Acceptance 

A millionaire approached a design firm to model her dream theme park which would spread across many acres of land, the designer asked a few questions to the millionaire such as how many people do you expect to visit in a year, what would be an average foot fall, what are the activities going to be and so on. In a months’ time the design was ready, the millionaire saw the design and had given her OK to that. Soon after this was done the lady was looking for a construction firm to take up the engagement to construct the theme park as per the design specifications; she was lucky to find one quickly and without wasting any further time she established the coordination between the design firm and construction team. 

During the construction phase there were many interactions and discussions between the design team and the construction team including how many rest rooms to be constructed meeting the average foot fall or how many they could expect during peak seasons, dressing rooms for children, ladies and males as well physically challenged people and so on. The finer points were getting addressed during this exercise to meet the requirements including gaps that surfaced from the designs too. 

The millionaire investor often met both the teams as well visited the theme park site from time to time to see the progress along with her supervising team. Since it was tangible deliverables, she was able to see and witness the progress of the project through her own eyes. Here, what one needs to closely observe and take note of is of the fact that the millionaire was constantly involved from the beginning of the project to the end, right from the conception to translating her thoughts and ideas to the design teams and later to the construction team. At the end of the day, the project turned out to be a very successful venture and she made billions out of millions and soon she became a billionaire.

Let us take the above example and try to compare the same with an ERP implementation; if a UAT phase is done in a similar manner in which the millionaire had got her project executed, and then the results would more obviously emerge to make everyone happy at the end of the day. Interestingly enough, the ERP implementation facts as published by research organizations around the globe indicate that organizations have failed more often than not on many counts including lethargic approach to UAT as well inadequate involvement of stake holders from start to end. Focusing theme of the article is on conducting an effective UAT exercise, ERP implementing organization need to focus on the critical testing element of the deliverables given to them in line with the business requirements, expected results, verification and validation of those results. Rigorous testing of the peak transaction loads, financial information flow and its outcome, ease of use etc would be a holistic approach to a successful UAT done in an integrated fashion.

But in many ERP implementations the UAT turns out be a UAIP (user acceptance test done to meet the implementation partner requirements) or UAMP (to meet the mile stone payment criteria).

 We need to note here that the objective of an ERP implementation engagement in an organization is to meet the business requirements of the organization, to bring sustainability and succeed to meet the people, partner, and business goals of the organization and not to meet any particular individual’s wish or aspirations. If an ERP objective is to meet the business goals, ERP stake holders of the organization has to apply their keenness, critical observation from the beginning to the end and one needs to consider and adopt the approach of the billionaire who was earlier millionaire.