After delivering multiple projects in different environments, I found that templating the stages provided me with an immediate bouncing board for every project using the same language. For instance, SAP for SAP, Infor for Infor, MS 365 D for MS 365 D. In this article I present the template and checklist for Oracle Fusion project, focus on SCM, Finance and HR.
The framework presented here includes detailed procedures for each gateway stage, with a strong emphasis on risk management, data integrity, and effective communication. Special attention is given to critical components such as data migration strategies and a meticulous cutover runbook—both of which are essential for achieving a successful transformation. Furthermore, the article integrates key governance tools, including RAID logs, RACI matrices, Lessons Learned logs, and a Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration Plan. These tools help ensure accountability, capture valuable insights, and maintain robust engagement among all stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
By combining these elements, the template serves as a holistic guide for organizations undertaking complex IT transformations, providing clear directives to mitigate risks, optimize resource allocation, and enhance overall project success.
Purpose: Outline and manage the transformation project from legacy systems to Oracle Fusion (Supply Chain, Finance, and HR), ensuring controlled progression through defined phase-gate reviews, robust data migration, and a seamless cutover.
- Transition legacy systems to Oracle Fusion.
- Integrate and validate system interfaces.
- Migrate and reconcile data from legacy databases.
- Execute a coordinated cutover with rollback contingencies.
- Minimize downtime with a seamless transformation.
- Ensure data integrity and security.
- Maintain clear checkpoints (gateway stages) to manage risks.
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and communication channels.
- Project Sponsor / Executive Steering Committee
- Project Manager and Core Project Team
- Oracle Fusion Implementation Partner
- Functional Leads (Supply Chain, Finance, HR)
- Data Migration and Integration Teams
- QA, Testing, and Change Management Teams
- IT Operations and Support Teams
2. Detailed Project Management Template for Gateway Stages
Each gateway stage includes objectives, key deliverables, tasks, approval criteria, and risk mitigations.
Gateway 1: Project Initiation & Concept
- Objectives: Define project scope, high-level requirements, and success criteria. Secure executive sponsorship and initial funding. Establish governance, team structure, and communication plans.
- Key Deliverables: Project Charter & Vision Statement Initial Risk Assessment, Stakeholder Analysis, and RAID log kickoff High-Level Project Roadmap and RACI overview
- Tasks: Conduct kick-off meetings and stakeholder workshops. Define roles and responsibilities. Develop the preliminary project plan and timeline.
- Approval Criteria: Approved Project Charter, Roadmap, and initial RAID log. Confirmed stakeholder buy-in and executive sponsorship.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Undefined scope or misaligned objectives. Mitigation: Iterative workshops and stakeholder reviews. Risk: Insufficient executive support. Mitigation: Regular communication and alignment with business goals.
Gateway 2: Detailed Planning & Design
- Objectives: Develop detailed business, functional, and technical requirements. Finalize Oracle Fusion configuration design. Define the data migration strategy and integration approach.
- Key Deliverables: Business Requirements Document (BRD) & Functional Requirements Document (FRD) Technical Design Document (TDD) Detailed Data Migration & Integration Strategy Comprehensive Project Plan (including a detailed RAID log update and RACI matrix)
- Tasks: Hold in-depth requirements and design workshops. Map legacy functionalities to Oracle Fusion. Develop data mapping and transformation rules.
- Approval Criteria: Sign-off on BRD/FRD, TDD, Data Migration Strategy, and updated RAID log.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Incomplete requirements or scope creep. Mitigation: Iterative reviews and formal sign-offs. Risk: Integration complexities. Mitigation: Engage Oracle experts and conduct gap analyses.
Gateway 3: Build, Configuration & Development
- Objectives: Configure Oracle Fusion and develop required customizations. Build interfaces and integrations with other systems. Initiate early data migration prototypes and ETL testing.
- Key Deliverables: Configured Oracle Fusion environments (development and test) Custom integrations, reports, and interfaces Initial ETL scripts and data extraction samples
- Tasks: Execute development sprints and configuration sessions. Document customizations and integration designs. Perform early data migration tests with pilot data sets.
- Approval Criteria: Demonstrated system build in a sandbox/test environment. Successful integration and pilot data migration outcomes.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Delays due to unclear requirements. Mitigation: Regular sprint reviews and agile adjustments. Risk: Insufficient documentation. Mitigation: Peer reviews and detailed logs.
Gateway 4: Testing & Quality Assurance
- Objectives: Validate system functionality, integrations, and performance. Conduct thorough UAT and regression testing. Validate data migration through controlled test runs.
- Key Deliverables: Comprehensive Test Plan and Test Case documentation UAT sign-off records and testing environment setups Performance, load test, and data reconciliation reports
- Tasks: Execute functional, regression, and performance testing. Organize UAT sessions with end users. Run data migration pilot tests and reconcile results.
- Approval Criteria: Complete test cycles with documented sign-offs. Resolved critical defects and validated data accuracy.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Unidentified defects or gaps in test coverage. Mitigation: Expanded testing cycles and user scenario inclusion. Risk: Data discrepancies. Mitigation: Multiple validation checkpoints and parallel testing.
Gateway 5: Data Migration Preparation & Execution
- Objectives: Finalize and validate the complete data migration strategy. Execute full-scale migration rehearsals and final data extraction. Ensure complete data reconciliation and integrity.
- Key Deliverables: Finalized Data Migration Plan (mapping, cleansing, validation) ETL scripts and detailed migration runbooks Rehearsal and data reconciliation reports
- Tasks: Conduct detailed data profiling and quality assessments. Map legacy data fields to Oracle Fusion fields. Execute test migrations and validate outcomes. Update the RAID log with new risks, issues, and dependencies.
- Approval Criteria: Formal sign-off on the Data Migration Plan. Successful migration rehearsals with data validation.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Data quality issues and inconsistent mappings. Mitigation: Comprehensive data cleansing and iterative tests. Risk: Inadequate rollback planning. Mitigation: Full backups and detailed contingency procedures.
Gateway 6: Cutover & Go-Live Preparation
- Objectives: Finalize the cutover plan and conduct readiness reviews. Coordinate communications and establish a go-live command center. Validate that all systems and data have been fully migrated.
- Key Deliverables: Approved and detailed Cutover Runbook (see section 4 below) Final system and data validation reports Communication and stakeholder notification plan (integrated with the communication plan outlined in section 8) Go/No-Go meeting sign-off documentation
- Tasks: Finalize production backups and enforce system freeze. Conduct final readiness rehearsals and review contingency plans. Confirm roles and responsibilities via the RACI matrix.
- Approval Criteria: IT Operations and business leads confirm go-live readiness. Formal sign-off in the Go/No-Go meeting.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Communication breakdown during cutover. Mitigation: Utilize a tested, comprehensive communication plan. Risk: Unanticipated issues during cutover. Mitigation: Robust contingency and rollback measures.
Gateway 7: Post Go-Live & Stabilization
- Objectives: Monitor system performance and user adoption post go-live. Resolve any immediate issues and stabilize the environment. Transition from project mode to steady-state operations.
- Key Deliverables: Post Go-Live Support and Stabilization Plan Monitoring dashboards, incident logs, and updated RAID log entries Final project review and Lessons Learned log Updated RACI for operations and ongoing support
- Tasks: Set up a dedicated support command center. Monitor system performance and address issues promptly. Conduct debrief sessions and document lessons learned.
- Approval Criteria: Achieved system stability as per SLA requirements. End-user and operational sign-offs confirming performance.
- Risks & Mitigations: Risk: Extended downtime or unresolved issues. Mitigation: Robust escalation procedures and active support. Risk: Low user adoption. Mitigation: Proactive change management and training.
3. Extra Details for Data Migration
Data migration is a critical phase. Additional details include:
Data Migration Preparation
- Data Profiling: Analyze legacy data for quality, completeness, and consistency. Document anomalies and cleansing needs.
- Data Mapping & Transformation: Develop detailed mapping from legacy fields to Oracle Fusion counterparts; define transformation rules.
- Data Cleansing: Establish processes for cleaning and normalizing data before migration.
- ETL Procedures: Automate extraction, apply transformation rules, and load data into test/staging environments.
- Rehearsals and Pilot Runs: Conduct multiple test migrations to refine ETL scripts and validate data integrity.
- Final Migration Readiness: Freeze legacy data, verify backups, and execute a final rehearsal with full end-to-end testing.
- Post-Migration Validation: Run reconciliation reports and involve business users in data verification.
- Contingency Planning: Develop rollback plans and maintain full backups.
- Monitoring & Reporting: Use dashboards and real-time tracking of error rates and migration performance.
4. Highly Detailed Cutover Runbook
This runbook provides step-by-step instructions for production cutover.
Pre-Cutover Activities (T-Pre Cutover)
- Final Backups & Validation: Verify legacy system backups, enforce data freeze.
- Communication & Notification: Distribute the detailed cutover schedule using established communication channels.
- Final Testing & Readiness: Conduct a final end-to-end test in a production-like environment.
- Team Briefing & Documentation: Hold a pre-cutover briefing; distribute the final runbook and emergency contacts.
Phase 1: Initiation (T-0 to T+1 Hour)
- Kickoff meeting to confirm readiness.
- Enforce system freeze and run final data extraction.
Phase 2: Data Migration & System Transition (T+1 to T+4 Hours)
- Initiate ETL to load data into Oracle Fusion.
- Validate integration points and run preliminary tests.
- Activate on-call teams for immediate issue resolution.
Phase 3: Post-Migration Validation (T+4 to T+6 Hours)
- Run data reconciliation reports.
- Engage key users for verification and sign-offs.
- Confirm all integrations are stable.
Phase 4: Production Go-Live (T+6 Hours Onwards)
- Transition users officially to Oracle Fusion.
- Disable legacy system access.
- Monitor system performance and provide continuous support.
- Issue regular status updates and debrief at the end of the cutover window.
Contingency and Rollback Plan
- Rollback Criteria: Clearly defined triggers (critical data mismatches, unresolved errors) for rollback.
- Rollback Procedures: Re-enable the legacy system from backups and communicate decisions promptly.
- Contingency Communication: Use pre-established channels to update stakeholders on status and recovery timelines.
Post-Cutover Support & Stabilization
- Dedicated Support Desk: Establish a support command center with defined escalation paths.
- Enhanced Monitoring: Intensify monitoring for 48–72 hours post go-live.
- Regular Updates & Debrief: Provide continuous updates and hold post-cutover review sessions.
5. Additional Governance and Documentation Artifacts
A RAID log (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies) is a living document used to track project challenges and uncertainties.
A RACI matrix clarifies roles for each major activity, ensuring clear accountability.
Capture insights throughout the project lifecycle to inform future initiatives.
5.4 Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration Plan
Effective communication is essential for project success. This plan outlines the approach for ongoing stakeholder engagement.
- Objectives: Ensure transparency, timely updates, and clarity of roles for all stakeholders.
- Channels: Regular meetings (weekly status updates, monthly steering committees) Collaboration platforms (e.g., MS Teams, Slack) Email bulletins and dashboards A centralized project portal for document sharing
- Frequency: Daily updates during critical phases (e.g., cutover, data migration) Weekly progress meetings during planning and build phases Monthly executive updates
- Key Messages: Project status, risks, and achievements Upcoming deliverables and milestone dates Issue resolution and escalation procedures
- Roles & Responsibilities: Project Manager: Overall liaison and communication lead. Team Leads: Provide status updates for their areas. IT Operations: Deliver technical updates and support details. QA/Testing Leads: Report on test results and issues.
- Collaboration Tools: Utilize shared project management platforms (e.g., Microsoft Project, JIRA), document repositories (e.g., SharePoint), and real-time collaboration software (e.g., Zoom, Teams).
- Feedback and Escalation: Establish regular feedback loops (surveys, feedback sessions) and clear escalation paths with contact lists and response times.
Review and update this plan regularly to reflect evolving project needs.
Integration and Final Considerations
These additional governance artifacts—RAID log, RACI matrix, Lessons Learned log, and Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration Plan—should be integrated into your overall project documentation. They are referenced at key gateway stages and during major project milestones to ensure accountability, capture learning, and maintain robust communication throughout the IT transformation project.
By incorporating these components, you create a holistic project management framework that supports a smooth transition to Oracle Fusion Supply Chain, Finance, and HR while continuously addressing risks, ensuring clear accountability, and fostering effective stakeholder collaboration.
Feel free to tailor the templates and communication frequencies to best fit your organization’s specific requirements and project scale.
