1. 8 Steps to an Effective ERP Project Launch
The ERP or CRM selection process can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. Vendors
have been reviewed and site visits completed. The contract has been signed . . . now what? The
next 30 days are crucial to launching the project successfully and it’s quite possible that the
vendor won’t have resources available for at least 30 days. This leaves a vacuum that can disrupt
the momentum of your team. The following 7 steps can help you keep the team focused and help
launch your project successfully.
1. Behind the scenes at the Vendor:
It can take up to 30 days for the vendor to “free up resources”. It’s quite rare for a vendor to have
Consultants and Project Managers waiting for you to sign the contract so they can spring into
action. Once a Project Manager is assigned he or she will begin reviewing internal resources and
begin planning the schedule of activities. The Project Manager and Consultants will need some
time to review the documents and processes that have been gathered about your company. The
Project Manager will begin to setup the project artifacts such as the initial schedule, project
management website, communication plans and a definition of the scope and project charter.
2. Defining the Core Team:
Many times members of the “Selection Committee” are retained as members of the “Core
Team”, if not, it’s important to determine who the “Subject Matter Experts” will be for each
functional area. Be careful to select people who either, have a long history with the company and
are knowledgeable about many areas, or people who are newer to the organization, but have been
involved in a system implementation previously. Regardless, it’s very important that these
people be given the time and support necessary to act in the company’s best interest on the Core
Team. These individuals will be shaping the future of the organization and this is not a part-time
job. Make sure to adequately define the scope of their involvement early and transition existing
projects or responsibilities to other individuals. The quality of the input and efforts of the Core
Team is one of the main factors for a successful implementation.
3. Core Team Structure and Governance:
Depending on the maturity of workgroup collaboration in your organization, it may be necessary
to take several days to introduce or review the qualities of an effective team. This should include
etiquette, leadership and process. Topics to consider will include change control mechanisms,
project management structure and decision making models.
4. Kick-off:
An effective kick-off is very important to the morale of the team and the momentum of the
project. It’s very important to coordinate this with the Project Manager assigned by the Vendor.
Insist upon having the Consultants who will be assigned attend the Kick-off meeting, introduce
themselves and describe how they will be involved with the project, what their role will be and
©2010 Lionshare Software, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.lionsharesoftware.com

2. what they will ask of the Core Team. The Core Team Leader should prepare the team to present
an overview of their function, their known strengths and weaknesses, comfort level with
technology, any risks that they may see with the project at this stage (such as conflict with other
corporate initiatives, company schedule, etc) and some definition as to what improvements they
anticipate in their area as a result of the new system – measurable targets that will be tracked
throughout the project and post GoLive. It’s very important to have the Executive Sponsor and
other leadership attend the Kick-off meeting to show support and describe ways in which they
are prepared to support the Core Team members and the project.
5. Prepare the Infrastructure:
Most projects require additional infrastructure such as servers, software licenses, more robust
disaster recovery options, etc. The local IT resources should be working with the vendor to setup,
test and deploy any required system upgrades to support the project. This may be back-
end/infrastructure or updated systems for Core Team members. To facilitate this, requirements
should have been defined as part of the review process and the necessary procurement process
should have taken place as soon as a decision was made.
6. Conflicts / Competing Initiatives:
There are always competing initiatives or conflicting schedules that need to be identified and
managed as part of the ongoing Risk Management portion of Project Management. Many times
this is seen in other areas of the business such as Lean Process initiatives, new product launches,
tradeshow schedules and ISO or other compliance requirements. The important thing is to
realize that these conflicts will arise and must be managed effectively to reduce the impact to the
project.
7. War Room:
The concept of a War Room seems unnecessary to many organizations. The resistance is usually
due to limited space and competing needs for existing space. I have to state adamantly, that
clients who have moved their Core Team members to a dedicated location through the duration
of the project have had much greater success than ones that didn’t. By doing this the leadership
sends a very powerful message to the rest of the company: “It’s not ‘business as usual’, ‘these
people have been temporarily reassigned and are dedicated to this project’ and ‘this is a really
big thing – we will hold our monthly Employee Appreciation Lunches at a local restaurant for
the next 6 months’”.
Lionshare Software, Inc.
However, realistically, it IS a pain – especially when there really isn’t anywhere that can be
dedicated. I have seen some very creative approaches such as: renting a “construction trailer” for
the Core Team, building an elevated mezzanine addition, relocating to an adjacent floor in a
multi-tenant building or even separate office space in a nearby building or perhaps (gasp!)
repurposing the Executive Board Room for this project! Imagine the message sent to the rest of
the organization – and realistically, the Board prefers to meet at the country club or at an offsite
meeting facility anyhow!
©2010 Lionshare Software, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.lionsharesoftware.com dfsdf
sdfLio

3. 8. Business Processes:
It’s very important for your Core Team to have a thorough understanding of the basics of
Business Process Mapping. For many organizations, this may be a review of principles learned
and used in Lean Process projects or ISO/Quality initiatives. If not, a complete introduction of
the concepts, tools and terminology is very important – Business Process Optimization is another
of the key requirements to making your solution and your organization fit well together.
The organization builds a lot of momentum during the selection process, it’s very important to
keep that momentum going and demonstrate effectiveness in ramping up the actual
implementation project. Although many vendors manage this process very well, it’s not
uncommon to see the transition from the sales team to the services team be bumpy. If you don’t
see a plan for the first 30 days, make sure you collaborate with the vendor to lay out a plan of
action.
Lionshare Software, Inc.
©2010 Lionshare Software, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.lionsharesoftware.com dfsdf
sdfLio

4. About Lionshare Software
Lionshare Software Inc., was launched by ERP and CRM selection consultants
and project managers with extensive experience in a variety of applications,
businesses and industry verticals. This allows us to identify common pitfalls
to avoid and best practices to employ when selecting and implementing
enterprise software applications.
By hiring Lionshare Software consultants to assist in the software-selection
process, our customers have reduced total project costs, had better results,
and have had a more satisfying experience than previous projects
Lionshare Software is a truly independent consulting firm with no
partnerships, relationships or affinity with any particular software product
or implementation vendor. This independence assures you get a truly
independent evaluation and recommendation that meets your specific
business requirements.
Contact us today and start your ERP or CRM project on the right track.
Lionshare Software, Inc.
148 East St. Suite 104
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-8401
888-741-0262
www.lionsharesoftware.com
info@lionsharesoftware.com Lionshare Software, Inc.
©2010 Lionshare Software, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.lionsharesoftware.com dfsdf
sdfLio