Category: Project Management

The implementation of a new system is a big project and requires skilled project managers. Our clients often don’t have a lot of experience in ERP project management. We do and will start planning for success even before the selection process is over by helping create the responsibility RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, lnformed) Matrix and discussing how to build of an effective “A” team.

A Project Manager’s Spooky Season Survival Guide

| 0 Comments | Nelofer Dawer

October is here — the season of pumpkins, cobwebs, and mysterious late-night project calls. While most people are decorating their homes with skeletons, ERP Project Managers are busy exorcising their own ghosts: scope creep, zombie timelines, and phantom data. So grab your pumpkin spice latte, light a metaphorical campfire, and let’s share a few ERP horror stories every PM knows too well… The ERP Horror Stories The Ghost Stakeholder They appeared at the Kickoff… and then vanished into thin air. No sign-offs. No feedback. But like any good ghost, they’ll reappear months later asking, “Wait, when did we agree to […]

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We’ll Never Do That Again… Until We Do: Why Lessons Learned Matter in Project Management

| 0 Comments | Amanda David

There are two kinds of project teams. The ones who swear, “We’ll never do that again,” and then do exactly that again. The ones who run lessons learned and actually change how they work. Only one of these teams finishes with fewer scars and more cake. Lessons learned are the unglamorous secret sauce of project management. They are part detective work, part therapy, part continuous improvement. And yes, they can be funny, because if we cannot laugh at the time we deployed to production on a Friday, we might cry.   The serious bit: what lessons learned actually do 1) […]

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180 Systems _ PM Guide for Back to School (3)

PM Guide for Back to School

| 0 Comments | Amanda David

Executive summary Operation Back to School launches at first bell. Objective: deliver small stakeholders to the correct building with shoes on feet, food in bags, and tears at or below acceptable thresholds. Success metric: nobody cries before 8:00 a.m., stretch goal includes the parent. Project charter Sponsor: whoever pays for the supplies. Project Manager: you. Business case: education is essential, and you need your laptop back. Objectives: T-0 arrival with correct backpack and a face that has met toothpaste. Repeatable morning routine with fewer than five escalations. Homework closure rate at or above 90 percent by Week 3. Scope control […]

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180 Systems_Top 5 Lessons from the ERP Transformation Frontline

Top 5 Lessons from the ERP Transformation Front Line

| 0 Comments | 180systems

Embarking on an ERP transformation is never easy — but learning directly from those who’ve led the charge can give you a critical edge. In this candid and practical session, Alex Miles (Partner, 180 Systems) and Tony Gareri (CEO, Roma Moulding) share the top lessons learned from Roma’s ongoing ERP and CPQ (Configurator) implementation journey. You’ll get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to select the right technology, navigate the implementation process, and build a successful partnership between client and consultant. From vendor evaluation to data migration to internal team communication, this session offers hard-earned insights and actionable […]

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180 Systems _ Requirements Overload

Requirements Overload

| 0 Comments | Michael Burns

There are times when defining requirements for an ERP selection process that our client would question the effort and think that we are too much in the weeds and should save this detail when evaluating the systems and implementing the system. A leaner approach does make sense for standard requirements, but if the client has complexity and unique processes, then detailed requirements are worth the effort to: Avoid costly change orders when vendors discover what is needed during the implementation – It’s sometime called scope creep and you’re damned if you make the change as it will likely delay the […]

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Migrating your ERP Systems to the Cloud (2)

Migrating your ERP on-premise software to the cloud

| 0 Comments | Michael Burns

There is a big push by the ERP vendors to convince their clients to migrate their on-premise software to the cloud. The vendors have selfish reasons to promote the cloud, but they also give compelling reasons to their clients to do it. There is resistance if everything now is mostly working and it’s going to cost a lot to do it. This article is not going to try and convince you to go to the cloud as there are more than enough reasons already in the public domain. From our perspective, it’s only a matter of time before you jump […]

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180 Systems - ERP Implementation Tips and Tráp

ERP Implementation Tips and Traps

| 0 Comments | Michael Burns

We will be providing a series of articles with tips and traps to avoid based on ourexperience.Vendors have a defined process to implement their systems that could includecompleting a form to define your needs (a discovery process). The problem is thatthe sales team has not done a proper hand-over to the implementation team. Ineffect, you are starting all over again, which is a waste of time. But that’s not thebiggest problem with this approach. The biggest problem is that the implementer isnot aware of your specific requirements and may not address them until well intothe implementation process when they find […]

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180 Systems_ERP Implementation Project Management Consultants

ERP Implementation Project Management Consultants

| 0 Comments | Michael Burns

The rubber hits the road when you implement an ERP system. You need to be ready for it, which requires you to define the roles and responsibilities for the project and assign people to each role. It is best to use your own people for all roles with the possible exception of the project manager. Many organizations don’t have the internal project management expertise, or their resources are not available. Therefore, it makes sense to bring in an expert who has been there and done it before to help you mitigate the risks and guide you to a successful implementation. […]

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