Best Practices for Enterprise Solutions Implementation – Part 5

Investing in a powerful software solution is an extraordinary value addition to your organization. However, the effort is wasted if it is not implemented effectively. To help ensure a smooth and successful implementation process, consider these best practices.

Establish Realistic Expectations

It’s important to establish a clear understanding of attainable goals and realistic expectations among everyone involved, from executive leadership to administrative users when developing the project. For instance, you shouldn’t underestimate the time needed to complete the project just as you shouldn’t underestimate the budgetary resources and workforce productivity required for a successful implementation plan. Though many organizations set overly optimistic go-live dates despite the realities and limitations of the actual project, it’s crucial that project leaders balance go-live dates with other interdependencies such as available resources.

Key considerations include:

• Set realistic time frames. When you underestimate the amount of consultation, validation and other services needed for a smooth implementation, a schedule can turn out to be unrealistic.
• Manage expectations. To maintain perspective of the whole project and the scope of each step, set realistic expectations upfront and keeping them top-of-mind among stakeholders helps.

Even with an implementation schedule in place from the start of the process, unforeseen issues often arise. It’s important to understand that as the project changes or evolves, the process must evolve with it.