- Start the implementation of your project with an end in mind – Implementing your software is not a goal, rather using the software to solve a problem or to achieve a measurable improvement is a goal. Ask your team what they would like to accomplish.
- Protect your data integrity – In order to benefit from your new technology, you must have good data. Customers with clean data will complete their project timelier and produce results quicker.
- Support from your executives – Executives must be present and be able to hear the truth about how the project is going and help solve problems when needed.
- Never put old practices into a new tool – Perform a business analysis to look at old processes and make improvements.
- Set realistic goals – There will be slips during the project but the key is to push to do it right while meeting deadlines.
- If there are problems, expose the cause – The longer those problems drags, the less effective your project will be. If those problems are not exposed early, your team will become less motivated.
- Implement and rollout in stages – All successful projects are implemented in states. Set expectations and measurements for each stage.
- Expect the unexpected – Things happen, but how are you going to handle those unexpected things?
- Communicate with one another – Encourage open dialogue and honesty.
- Train, Train and Train – Your team needs to be trained on this new change. Identify those that will be impacted and get them trained on the appropriate skills. Do not let your user return from training confused and flustered. Recognize that people learn differently and make sure you are addressing all of the ways your team learn.
- Celebrate each state with your team – Your team deserve recognition for their hard work. Recognize and reward them.
For more information on software implementations - be sure to download our guide, The 7 Deadly Sins of FAILED Enterprise Software Implementations.
About the author:
Inise Mayfield is a lead project manager at GVT.
