The document outlines 10 risks associated with system implementation projects. It discusses each risk in detail over several pages. The main risks discussed are: having an unrealistic view of return on investment; lack of organizational preparedness for the change; using less qualified "B team" members instead of top "A team" personnel; denying the impact the change will have; failure to have contingency plans to continue operations during implementation; unexpected technical issues from legacy systems; underestimating the widespread impact across teams; allowing scope creep without discipline; implementing technology before analyzing and redesigning processes; and failure to fully account for all costs of the project. The document emphasizes being honest about risks and having strong planning and change management to avoid issues during large system implementations

1. PRO/Axios
10
System Implementation
Risks
Dr. Jim Bohn
Straightforward guidance for those who do the work …
04/11/13 Organizational Insight leading to Organizational Transformation

2. Why am I offering this caution?
 My operations experience with several major IT
projects provided me insight.
 Many (not all) IT consultants avoid telling you
about these risks.
 Most companies don’t do enough IT
implementations to get ‘good’ at it.
 Few internal IT teams stay together long
enough to share learning from the last system
implementation.
 System introductions touch the very DNA of
your organization. The risks are VERY HIGH.
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

3. Ten System Implementation
Risks
1. ROI Blindness
2. Lack of Organizational Preparedness
3. Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
4. Denying the impact of the change
5. Wheels on the bus
6. The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
7. I get by with a little help from my friends
8. Ado Annie syndrome
9. Doing Technology before process
10. Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

4. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness – Perceived ROI sometimes makes
rational people irrational. Rare is the organization that
goes back to check the original ROI. Be brutally honest
about the true financial and human toll required.
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

5. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness – The old
gospel song asks “Are you ready?” Have you thought
through how this implementation will affect your
organization? Do you have the capacity for this change?
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

6. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will
do - Are you fooling yourself into thinking that those
with spare time on their hands are the right people for
the job, simply because they are available? Think again.
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

7. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change - Research shows
your organization will not perform at the same level
during the introduction of a new system. There are
revenue and profit implications. What is your plan?
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

8. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus – Your organization needs to
continue to serve customers and care for employees
during the change. You are changing a tire on a moving
vehicle – what are your contingency plans?
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

9. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa Syndrome – Your system will
discover unexpected software patches that must be
integrated with the new system, some built in COBOL =
$$$$. Uncover those pitfalls early in your due diligence!
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

10. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends – Your
implementation is going to impact a LOT of unforeseen
individuals and teams. Discover who will be impacted. I
can assure you: The impact matters to them!
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

11. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie Syndrome – Without discipline, projects
grow into monstrosities, becoming impossible to
implement. Scope happens.
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

12. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Rushing to Implement Technology before
Analyzing Process – Do not write Technical Design
Documents without first having gone through Process
Design. Resist this impulse or you’ll automate a bad
process.
 Counting the cost
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

13. Ten System Implementation
Risks
 ROI Blindness
 Lack of Organizational Preparedness
 Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do
 Denying the impact of the change
 Wheels on the bus
 The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome
 I get by with a little help from my friends
 Ado Annie syndrome
 Doing Technology before process
 Counting the cost – The Biblical adage about ensuring
you can finish what you start is wonderful ancient
wisdom. Considering the whole cost – people, process,
finances, are you determined to complete the project?
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

14. 11th Risk – Ignoring the details …
 Agree on the meaning of terms – make sure
there is no ambiguity on what something
means. This is especially crucial in global
projects.
 Develop standard definitions of terms.
 Design consistent revision controls and stick to
them.
 Ensure consistent issue management.
 Construct common databases for efficiencies.
 This is painstaking work, but worth the
investment of your time.
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

15. Pro/Axios
 We offer plainspoken guidance
for those who do the work.
 Check out the Rapid Diagnostic @
www.ProAxios.com
 info@proaxios.com
 651-302-1574
 Minneapolis, MN, USA
04/11/13 Organizational Insight Leading to
Organizational Transformation

16. Thank you for your time!
All management is change management