November 10. 2014 from LinkedIn – “…Why is it that so many ERP implementations go so wrong? In my current role I meet regularly with ERP survivors and casualties. My best but unscientific estimate is that 90-95% of them have horror stories to share…” Read more 180 View – There is a big difference between a horror story and bumps in the road. We would agree that there always bumps in the road. What you need is someone on your team that knows how to adapt or a coach to get you through it – someone like Pat Wade from […]
Project Management for an ERP Implementation
180 Systems has now launched a new practice area. 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 project management especially related to implementing new systems. The vendors have project managers but their focus is project management of their own resources rather than that of our clients. It is also possible that there are conflicting views of scope between the vendor and our clients. As project manager for our clients, we will ensure that these and any other conflicts are resolved expeditiously and fairly. […]
Why Big Projects Go Bad
June 26, 2014 from CFO – In a project’s earliest stages, very little is known about what it will take to execute it. So most companies seek out expert internal opinions — usually from proponents of the project, since they are the most knowledgeable. The problem is bias. Research is clear that project proponents are likely to fall under its influence, favor optimistic outcomes and produce dangerously inaccurate estimates. Most companies can accurately estimate small projects that may take, say, three to six months, but they are horrible at estimating the time and cost of big ones. There are three […]
BA vs IT in ERP
September 5, 2013 from Toolbox.com – “Which is more important in hiring a consultant for an ERP implementation, someone with strong information technology skills or someone who is a skilled business analyst? The ideal answer is “both”. You want someone who has the computer and technology skills to help steer the implementation and the business analysis skills to help restructure your business process… The question then, is given minimal abilities in the other area which competency is more important?” Read more 180 View – We are often asked the same thing. We would agree with the author that business analysis […]
15 Ways to Screw up an IT Project
July 17, 2013 from Computerworld – “Paul Simon famously sang that there must be 50 ways to leave your lover. Similar could be said (if not sung) regarding projects: There must be 50 ways to screw up your IT projects. Indeed, ask IT executives and project management experts, as CIO.com did, and they will rattle off dozens of reasons why projects go astray. For the sake of brevity, however, we are starting with the top 15 ways to derail a project–and how to avoid these project management pitfalls…” Read more 180 View – We liked the reference to Paul Simon […]
11 signs your IT project is doomed
May 6, 2013 from InfoWorld – “The IT world is no stranger to projects that go down in flames. In fact, anyone who has had the unenviable pleasure of participating in a failed IT effort likely sensed its demise well before the go-live date… We have gathered 11 red flags to look for in assessing IT project health. Be proactive whenever you encounter one — or if you can, simply walk away. You career depends on it…” Read more 180 View – The signs are not limited to just IT projects. Although the article is useful regarding the red flags, […]
Lessons (learned)
This blog was written by Michael Burns Although I have provided consulting services for a long time and should know how to prevent problems, there is always a risk that they will occur. In this article/blog, I am going to share with you a problem I recently encountered. A client needed a new ERP system and I helped them through the process. The client had a number of unique requirements and I did my best to be precise about them in the RFP. The vendor claimed that could handle the requirements without any customization. I basically told them I did […]
IT projects are ticking time bombs
August 21, 2011 from the Toronto Star – “Ambitious IT projects are ticking time bombs that can bring down corporations if they’re not carefully managed to come in on time and on budget, warns a study in the Harvard Business Review. The Oxford University researchers examined 1,471 information technology projects, in private and public sectors, comparing budgets and estimated performance benefits with actual costs and results. They had expected to find IT projects incur large average cost overruns, but they were surprised to see fully one in six projects — nearly 17 per cent — were so mismanaged that they […]
Don’t Bother Building Consensus
June 2011 from Project Times – “There is a problem with building consensus. First of which is it may never happen. I often hear people referring to consensus as trying to get everyone to agree on a decision. A common definition of consensus is “An opinion or position reached by a group as a whole”. Here are negative scenarios that can result with consensus building as defined: A decision never gets made or is delayed – By trying to get everyone to agree, stubbornness can kick in and individuals can stall or stop decisions from being made. A weaker solution […]
Common Estimating Mistakes
May 16, 2011 from gannthead.com – “Here are some common estimating issues that can often negatively impact your project… Padding… Being overly optimistic… Bad requirements… Omission… Different levels… Being put on the spot… Forgetting the risk factor… Pressure from above… Failure to involve the “do-ers”…” 180 View – Estimating is tough and we ask for it all the time from the vendors when assisting our clients in a system selection project. The vendors don’t have enough information when responding to an RFP so they rely on past experience based on similar sized projects and what they think the market will […]