SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION

Readiness to Implement

Before launching into any software implementation, make sure the business is ready to implement the change. Just because IT is ready (and a change is necessary) does not mean the organization is ready and it is the right thing to do. For example, one company had a culture of customizing all software as it was far easier than forcing business changes. In fact, IT did pretty much anything and everything that the business requested. The business was not accustomed to making process changes and they did not have improvement teams, did not understand the concept of business process improvement, nor did they understand the costs of customization. The company also did not have exposure to industry best practices. If the company proceeded with a new implementation, it would have recreated the customized spaghetti applications in new and more expensive software. Until the organization matured with business process improvement, it was not wise to implement new software. An independent and unbiased assessment of your organization helps to determine if you are truly ready for a change. Just make sure the assessor does not have a stake in your implementation (e.g., a consulting organization specializing in implementing the software).

Accelerators

Evaluate using vendor specific tools to accelerate the implementation (may be called fast-path implementation, implementation accelerators, industry versions, or rapid implementation methodology). Accelerators can take different forms, such as previously configured software packages or process flow and software configuration templates for a particular industry. You typically obtain the accelerators through the software vendor, an implementation partner, or a Value Added Reseller (VAR). Sometimes these accelerators are free while others are available for purchase. Make sure the accelerators are built on the current release, or the software release you want to implement. Often, they are a release behind the vendor for obvious reasons. If the accelerator is a good fit, it is a great deal and significantly reduces your implementation time and costs. However, if you need to change the templates, it is challenging and usually not worth the additional cost.

Time is Money

There is such a thing as an ideal implementation pace. Too fast and you may make mistakes that require two to three times the effort and costs to clean-up later. If the implementation is too slow, you waste time rethinking previous decisions or waiting for others to complete interdependent tasks. You may also have missed business opportunity costs of a delayed implementation. You need to pace the implementation aggressively, but realistically.