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1. Successfully Planning and Executing a P6 EPPM Implementation Roadmap
While the economic crisis has restricted many program budgets, technology has advanced to
increase efficiencies. The challenge for organizations is implementing a system to maximize the
benefits that technology offers. The problem is, most technology implementations fail. The key to
success is planning and executing a good implementation roadmap.
Over the last few years I have personally seen organizations spend millions of dollars trying to
put systems in place to meet these challenges and bring some sense of control to their
programs. Unfortunately, most of those systems never meet the expectations.
The truth is that 75 – 90% of system implementations fail. That’s a lot of risk.
I wish I could say that none of my implementations over the years had failed. I’ve been doing
this for nearly 25 years, and although I’ve had successes, I can look back and see where I went
wrong on many implementations. Some of them were client driven mistakes that should have
been stopped, and others were mistakes associated a lack of understanding how organizations
absorb or digest new systems.
The following are some of the most common mistakes that occur. The first is trying to
implement all lines, all states, and all systems at from day one. This is call the Big Bang
approach and is often attempted and rarely successful.
The second category of implementation strategy is what I call the Engagement approach, when
an organization tries the solution but never makes the commitment. They put their toe in the
water, but the decision maker never pulls the trigger.
Another approach destined for failure is the Inexperienced Expert, or the approach
organizations use when they fail to let a real expert assist by just trying to figure it out on your
own.
The next failed strategy is the Out of Control Controls Implementation. This is certain to occur
when an implementation team does not take time to set up proper controls for an
implementation. An implementation is a project, and it should make sense the since most
Primavera users are in the project business, they could understand the importance of schedule
and documentation. But it is suprising how many implementations are literally completely out
of control. Actually you might be surprised at how many project control implementations are
out of control – how many scheduling implementations are not scheduled.
Another approach that is doomed before it starts is the Bling Bling approach. This is the
FEATURE implementation. When an organization buys and tries to implement functions they
don’t need. Most of the time the features are sold and users abandon everything but the
basics. How many times have you heard “we don’t use 90% of the features…” when that’s what
they bought.

2. The Thermometer implementation includes a strategy with no SUCCESS measurements. The
Conflict implementation is when an organization doesn’t realize, or forgets the different
success goals of the parties involved in an implementation. While the organization has one set
of goals, a software sales person and the implementation consultants have another set of goals
usually in conflict.
Finally, there is the Sink or Swim model. This implementation model has no buy-in from the
top. In other words, the implementation is delegated with no leadership.
If so many implementations fail, what can organizations do to minimize that risk of failure.
The key to a successful technology is a good roadmap.
When I was young, my family would take vacations in our station wagon. My parents would try
to keep us occupied with roadmaps. This was before phone mapping tools. What I learned by
using those old tools was that a map provides good framework for identifying where you want
to go, the best route to get there, and how long it will take. In addition, if you get lost, a good
roadmap will help you get back on track.
Fortunately for us we are discussing building a roadmap to implement the best roadmap
software in the industry.
Here are three critical perceptions that will help set some basic goals that will save money and
grief in the long run.
1) Recognize that the software you choose is only tool. It won’t fix your organization on its
own. If no one picks up the hammer it will just lay on the floor. If users don’t understand it you
won’t get much accomplished. So your first step is to decide what you want to do with a
software tool. In other words, success will be determined by how well you equip users and
build standards. Your standards or processes when enforced provide what building codes do
for construction quality.
So, the best approach to implementing technology is to first determine what you want to do.
What are your quality standards, your goals. Then you can find the best tool to meet your
requirements.
2) Understand the end user and plan accordingly. The bottom line is, and we’ve all heard, any
system is only as good as the data that is entered. Project management implementations have
a unique characteristic when compared to other technology implementations. For example, a
network migration can be a huge implementation, financial systems are often difficult, but
these implementations rarely incorporate 3rd party data. In construction the enterprise is no
longer the limit of data. For example, in construction, an owner’s database often consists of
large amounts of contractor’s data, schedules, documentation, correspondence, etc. In other
words, The Enterprise is bigger than the Enterprise. How can an Owner control how well a
contractor’s schedule will migrate into your live system, or more importantly how can you

3. monitor if the contractor’s schedule is even realistic apart from the data structure. You can get
a schedule in the right format for your system, but if there is no reliability monitoring system in
place how can you feel confident that your reports are reliable.
If you’re a contractor hoping to get better control on your projects across your organization
there has to be reliable project measurement tools in place to get what you need in order to
make timely decisions and raise flags for problems.
Here are some suggestions that work:
1) Build your implementation on Process And Technology.
We live and work in a culture where technology is changing so fast if you’re not careful, your
implementation will be outdated before it’s done. The key is to build your implementation
around processes and adjust to new technologies!
Examples of implementations built on technology:
Palm Pilot – I had one of the first Palm Pilot’s built into a phone – WOW!! The possibilities
I remember my first client implementation on the Palm pilots – Definitely a technology
implementation.
A technology implementation is an implementation where processes are developed around the
technology. On the other hand, a Process implementation builds the process, then rolls out the
process on a technology platform. When technology changes the process adjusts but doesn’t
require a new implementation. A technology implementation can be somewhat rigid, while a
process implementation has flexibility to adjust to technology. If you build a technology
program around a technology alone you’ll find yourself in a jam with each new upgrade or
release of a software.
Considering the issues discussed to this point, it is good to understand the five (5) general
stages to any successful implementation: For my simple mind it helps me to remember them
by starting them all with a D.
I start with a DEFINE stage. This is one of the most important stages, where an organization
defines goals, success standards AND Key Performance Indicators that will drive an
implementation if it is successful.
The next stage is DISCOVERY – this stage is all about introspection in an organization. You’re
mostly answering questions about yourself, like, “What is broken?”, “What is working?”, “What
can we do better?” You might be surprised what a good set of questions asked in different
parts of an organization will reveal.
The next stage is the DESIGN stage in which and system implementation is fleshed out with a
detailed plan to accomplish the goals. This planning stage is critical.

4. Once a good plan is in place, the objective is to execute the plan, or DEVELOP the system. The
first priority is building from the design – a step by step development of the system design
criteria. This stage usually includes the processes documentation, software setup and
configuration, etc.
The last stage is DEPLOYment, or the rollout with training.
I’ve identified five stages. You may see a plan with more or less stages of how an
implementation is organized. You may see two of these combined or one of these broken out
into two stages, but however they’re organized, these five should be identified in a plan
somewhere.
What you want to avoid is skipping one, no matter how short the stage may be.
As you saw the first step is defining what you want to get out of your technology
implementation. What we are defining is SUCCESS, or what we would determine as a
successful implementation.
This step is one of the most important and often overlooked, yet at the same time it provides
the best return on investment. As an organization, no matter how small or how large clearly
defined goals and success strategies are essential.
This stage is the most important, yet it is surprising how some organizations start to deploy
technology before they’ve established definable goals. I call it the “baby step” approach. Start
with thinking about where you want your organization to be in 5 years so that decisions you
make today start the process of accomplishing your five year goal.
As a project organization, you wouldn’t think about putting out a contract or project, no matter
how small or large, without a clearly delineated set of goals, objectives, and definitions, like
what do we hope to get out of an implementation, when would we like to have it done, how
much or little would we like to spend, what benefits will we receive.
In fact, this is where you want to identify your potential RETURN on Investment (ROI).
Establish what is called a SUCCESS CRITERIA. Details may change as the implementation moves
forward, but your organizations definition of success should rarely change.
You might notice that we haven’t talked about any technology up to this point. Where
organizations fail so often in implementations is not determining, putting in writing, for
themselves, a clear definition of success before they determine what technology will help them
get there. Ideally, this should be done before any RFP or any quotes for technology are
requested. One reason why so many implementations fail is that an RFP is issued and software
sales people are put in a position to determine your success criteria for you. Every
implementation will have bumps and glitches, just like any project, but with a clearly defined
success strategy an organization and their consultants, if they have them, can regain focus. So,
Take the time to document what you want.

5. In the discovery phase I have a standard interview model that follows a general format:
What is your PAIN? Where do you hurt? In these questions we look at what’s not working and
where the pain is coming from. Basically, as a consultant, this section answers “Why am I
here?” If an organization is not having pain, don’t change anything. If it works don’t fix it.
Then we look at a series of questions to determine what may be causing the pain? I call these
an organizations “VITAL SIGNS”. These questions start with an inventory of organizational
habits, existing processes and procedures, budgets, staff, technology infrastructure to learn
about the organization enough to form a baseline for what is possible, the assessment. If you
notice, this is starting to sound like a doctor’s visit. Lastly, an organization identifies what
would make them feel better, or what would make them feel healthy, the health check
questions, or the “WISH LIST”.
All results should be compared to the Success Criteria from the previous phase to keep on track
with your roadmap.
The third step is to detail out the roadmap to your SUCCESS CRITERIA. Make a plan; build a to-
do list. I am somewhat of a scheduling geek. I schedule everything, and I think everyone
should do the same. A good implementation schedule (just like a good construction schedule)
will provide the roadmap for resource planning, when consultants will be needed, when your
own staff can be utilized, when software needs to be purchased, WHAT software needs to be
purchased. I have seen so many organizations get to this point in an implementation and realize
they’ve purchased too many licenses of a product, or the wrong licenses. Once again the
implementation should focus on process before technology.
This is where the fun begins, or this is where many implementations lose control. Up to this
point, it’s been a honeymoon with all the excitement about the new plans and system. Now
the heavy lifting begins and production has to start.
From Day 1 the plan has to be monitored. We are talking about scheduling implementations,
how we can plan and monitor our jobs better. We put procedures in place to determine how
well our projects are planned, how well the project stakeholders are executing the plan; how to
identify problems early and resolve them.
Why not use the tools we are trying to put in place to put them in place. We may find what
works and what doesn’t early on. Some key components of this phase include: progress
meetings, Schedule Updates (with lookaheads for progress meetings), Meeting and Discussion
minutes, A good documentation system
Finally, the last stage is rolling the plan out. This stage will usually include the training, pilot
projects, and maintenance of the plan. This is where flexibility is required to make necessary
adjustments to the plan to keep it working. This stage is also where most conflicts occur, so be
ready for it, and stick with the plan. As you move through this phase a constant review of your

6. success criteria will help keep the organization focused. I will usually make a review of this
criteria part of the weekly progress review. But this is where the success starts to pay off!
This is where the Return on Investment is achieved and where a process could be easily
adapted to new technologies as the technology is available.