MANAGEMENT too often plunges into ERP being less than fully informed or worse with very limited or no knowledge of what to expect. (http://www.erppandit.com/understand-ERP-dont-underrate-it.html) Often there is a misconception that the skills necessary to select ERP software and then implement it already exist in the organization.
Some skills may exist but rarely to the extent necessary to effectively implement ERP within a reasonable time frame. Enter the consulting ‘experts’ from a systems integration firm who helped sell you the system, with a software business partner.
Worse, when the implementation experts arrive, some of them are so inexperienced that it should make you quickly re-assess implementation risk. It is of paramount importance with such a high-risk/reward ratio that you be absolutely certain the necessary knowledge and skills are present to your implementation team.
Another commonly overlooked and therefore not well prepared for, is the issue of information technology change. Often the IT infrastructure changes required to enable the implementation of a new ERP system are not given the high priority these technology issues deserve. Certainly, business issues and not those of technology should drive the implementation of ERP.
However, it is the understanding and skills of the IT personnel that supports the technology that enables the business process issues to be improved. To not consider that new information technology is going to require preparation through education, in order to understand the new technology, is asking for trouble.
IT personnel’s understanding of the new technology is an absolute requirement for a successful ERP implementation. Furthermore, the IT personnel have to make the technology transition fast. If the necessary technology adoption and infrastructure transition are not done well it will at the very least, delay the project.
One of the biggest problems that many have had with implementing ERP is misunderstanding what ERP is all about the underestimating what it takes to effectively implement. Driving ERP preparation and implementation, senior operating management cannot relegate critical decisions to workers who may not have the background and or the temperament for this type of decision-making. Companies need a well thought out and comprehensive process that will help plan, guide and control the entire ERP implementation effort. Starting an implementation with an undocumented, skimpy or untailored implementation methodology is open invitation to disaster and at the very least, a long drawn out implementation.
Everyone from the boardroom to the stockroom needs to clearly understand their role and responsibilities for implementation, and above all, encourage dialogue that will get people focused on the business objectives as well as early identification and, or correction of any problems. In addition, and no small matter, the questions of how, when and who will be accountable for results must be an integral part of this understanding.
An implementation that is going astray becomes recognizable when repeated schedule slippages surface. As times moves on the schedule miss problems starts to compound the implementation quality, as the invariable response is to start taking short-cut and by-passing critical business issues.
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