* Assemble the Project Team and Leader
* Define Your Business “Pain” and Why It Exists
* Define System Scope and Implementation Phases
* Gather and Define System Requirements
* Structure the Implementation and Prepare for Change
* Prepare People
* Data Integrity and Migration
* Test the System
* Run and Refine the System
* Don’t Implement without Them
http://www.mrpconsulting.com/methodology/process.html
Introduction: Enterprise Systems for ManagementKanishka Gopal
The document provides an overview of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, including their evolution, components, benefits, and limitations. It discusses how ERP systems integrate various organizational functions and processes through a single database. The document also outlines the ERP implementation lifecycle and key factors for a successful implementation, such as change management, vendor selection, and project management.
The document discusses human factors in automated systems, optimized production technology, and modeling, optimizing, and simulating manufacturing systems. It provides details on:
- Considering human factors like workload and situational awareness when designing automated systems.
- Optimized Production Technology (OPT), which aims to maximize throughput through balanced flow and minimizing bottlenecks.
- Modeling manufacturing systems, products, and capabilities to improve efficiency. Optimization aims to find the most cost-effective performance given constraints.
- Using simulation to analyze and obtain information on manufacturing systems, such as parts production, inventory levels, and equipment utilization.
1) World Class Manufacturing (WCM) originated from the Toyota Production System and focuses on eliminating waste. The seven main types of waste are transportation, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, overprocessing, and defects.
2) WCM aims to bring manufacturing close to customers by reducing lead times, improving quality, and implementing total preventative maintenance. Key aspects of WCM include just-in-time production, total quality management, and value stream mapping.
3) India is emerging as a manufacturing hub, with many global companies outsourcing production there due to its large talent pool and improving quality and productivity. Indian companies are adopting global quality standards and winning international awards.
When IT doesn't work in its business use, referring to how IT is structured in supply is no longer enough of an explanation. Regardless of any ITSM orthodoxy, the business needs its demand perspective to define how "configuration" of IT makes logical business sense. That perspective must shape the next normal CMDB.
Change and configuration management are closely linked processes, but an organization does not need to have a fully mature configuration management process in place before implementing change management. While configuration management takes longer to fully implement, an organization can start change management by filling in missing details normally provided by configuration management, like using existing systems to scope changes and creating back-out plans. An organization can also phase in elements of configuration management over time by applying it to new projects and services. Bringing infrastructure under control requires balancing the costs of extra change management efforts with the benefits of formalizing the processes earlier.
Xamtrex consulting ems benefits documentSHYAM DIXIT
Enterprise Modeling System (EMS) is a Web based computer application for enterprise users to use on a day to day basis to collaborate effectively to achieve enterprise goals, strategy and mission. EMS acts as a magnifying glass through which an enterprise can look closely into the Process, Organization, Location, Data, Application, Business Rules, Requirements and Technology (Enterprise-Entities = Golden Heptagon).
Spanning people, processes, and technologies: The business case for Collabora...IBM Rational software
This document discusses the business case for a collaborative DevOps approach between development and operations teams. DevOps at IBM takes a broader view than just deployment automation, aiming to improve automation, integration, collaboration, and optimization across the development and operations lifecycle to achieve better business outcomes. Key benefits of collaborative DevOps include aligning metrics and priorities between teams to reduce conflicting incentives, adopting a shared view of technical debt to minimize costs passed between teams, and gaining efficiencies across the entire software development and delivery process.
This document discusses business continuity and disaster recovery. It defines key terms, noting that business continuity focuses on restoring business processes while disaster recovery focuses on restoring IT infrastructure. A business impact analysis is identified as the first step in developing a business continuity strategy. This involves assessing critical business processes, resources, impacts of downtime, and recovery time objectives. Finally, the document outlines developing a business continuity plan, including identifying recovery locations, procedures, and resources as well as the importance of testing plans.
Introduction: Enterprise Systems for ManagementKanishka Gopal
The document provides an overview of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, including their evolution, components, benefits, and limitations. It discusses how ERP systems integrate various organizational functions and processes through a single database. The document also outlines the ERP implementation lifecycle and key factors for a successful implementation, such as change management, vendor selection, and project management.
The document discusses human factors in automated systems, optimized production technology, and modeling, optimizing, and simulating manufacturing systems. It provides details on:
- Considering human factors like workload and situational awareness when designing automated systems.
- Optimized Production Technology (OPT), which aims to maximize throughput through balanced flow and minimizing bottlenecks.
- Modeling manufacturing systems, products, and capabilities to improve efficiency. Optimization aims to find the most cost-effective performance given constraints.
- Using simulation to analyze and obtain information on manufacturing systems, such as parts production, inventory levels, and equipment utilization.
1) World Class Manufacturing (WCM) originated from the Toyota Production System and focuses on eliminating waste. The seven main types of waste are transportation, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, overprocessing, and defects.
2) WCM aims to bring manufacturing close to customers by reducing lead times, improving quality, and implementing total preventative maintenance. Key aspects of WCM include just-in-time production, total quality management, and value stream mapping.
3) India is emerging as a manufacturing hub, with many global companies outsourcing production there due to its large talent pool and improving quality and productivity. Indian companies are adopting global quality standards and winning international awards.
When IT doesn't work in its business use, referring to how IT is structured in supply is no longer enough of an explanation. Regardless of any ITSM orthodoxy, the business needs its demand perspective to define how "configuration" of IT makes logical business sense. That perspective must shape the next normal CMDB.
Change and configuration management are closely linked processes, but an organization does not need to have a fully mature configuration management process in place before implementing change management. While configuration management takes longer to fully implement, an organization can start change management by filling in missing details normally provided by configuration management, like using existing systems to scope changes and creating back-out plans. An organization can also phase in elements of configuration management over time by applying it to new projects and services. Bringing infrastructure under control requires balancing the costs of extra change management efforts with the benefits of formalizing the processes earlier.
Xamtrex consulting ems benefits documentSHYAM DIXIT
Enterprise Modeling System (EMS) is a Web based computer application for enterprise users to use on a day to day basis to collaborate effectively to achieve enterprise goals, strategy and mission. EMS acts as a magnifying glass through which an enterprise can look closely into the Process, Organization, Location, Data, Application, Business Rules, Requirements and Technology (Enterprise-Entities = Golden Heptagon).
Spanning people, processes, and technologies: The business case for Collabora...IBM Rational software
This document discusses the business case for a collaborative DevOps approach between development and operations teams. DevOps at IBM takes a broader view than just deployment automation, aiming to improve automation, integration, collaboration, and optimization across the development and operations lifecycle to achieve better business outcomes. Key benefits of collaborative DevOps include aligning metrics and priorities between teams to reduce conflicting incentives, adopting a shared view of technical debt to minimize costs passed between teams, and gaining efficiencies across the entire software development and delivery process.
This document discusses business continuity and disaster recovery. It defines key terms, noting that business continuity focuses on restoring business processes while disaster recovery focuses on restoring IT infrastructure. A business impact analysis is identified as the first step in developing a business continuity strategy. This involves assessing critical business processes, resources, impacts of downtime, and recovery time objectives. Finally, the document outlines developing a business continuity plan, including identifying recovery locations, procedures, and resources as well as the importance of testing plans.
This document discusses considerations for implementing an enterprise content management (ECM) system. It recommends looking beyond just initial process improvements to consider how an ECM system can provide access to legacy systems, improve compliance initiatives, and manage organizational change. The right ECM system that is built on web services can integrate all of an organization's software applications and ensure the organization is no longer dependent on obsolete technologies. An effective ECM implementation requires choosing a manageable initial project scale, focusing on short-term needs as well as long-term goals, and enlisting user involvement to facilitate adoption of the new system.
A Decision Support System Based on RCM Approach to Define Maintenance StrategiesCONFENIS 2012
The document proposes a decision support system (DSS) to help define maintenance strategies based on reliability centered maintenance (RCM) principles. The DSS has two modules: a physical module describing production system components, and a functional module using failure analysis and criticality assessment to recommend strategies like scheduled maintenance, discard/redesign, or condition-based maintenance. The DSS provides a logical process for defining customized strategies while considering factors like costs, quality, and production performance. Multicriteria decision methods can also influence the analysis and definition of maintenance actions. The DSS is intended to support operations management and recommend strategic activities grounded in decision theory.
The document discusses Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), which is a type of software that integrates and manages a company's overall resources. ERP links different business functions like sales, inventory, production, and finance. It allows a company to track important business resources like cash, materials, production capacity, and customer orders. The document outlines the main benefits of ERP, which include improved efficiency, decreased costs, and better decision making through integration of systems. It also discusses some common challenges to implementing ERP, such as high costs and potential failures if not set up properly.
How an integrated management system (IMS) helps companies to remain competitive Etienne Venter
To thrive in global competitiveness and to survive in today's markets, organizations and companies need to look at every aspect of their business processes. While providing quality products and services, they should consider other management standards as well i.e. Quality Management, Environmental Management, Safety Management, Energy Management, Information Security Management, GDPR & Food Safety Management. Thus, an integrated management system will enable organizations to work as a single unit with unified objectives. These management standards can be integrated by embedding them with the core business processes of the organization. With Symbio this is straight forward and easy to achieve.
Allegro Opportune Success Factors For Etrm System Implementationrobertjparker
There is no “Silver Bullet” to ETRM system implementation success. Each software solution has strengths and weaknesses, and success is highly dependent on tight project execution and the extensibility of the system to scale with the trading environment. Project execution areas critical to successful delivery and deployment are discussed in this paper.
Configuration management (CM) involves identifying system components, controlling changes, tracking status, and auditing configurations. It aims to manage changes in a planned, systematic way. CM is important throughout the software development lifecycle and provides benefits like stability, empowering decision making, and introducing standards. While CM requires effort, poor CM results in issues like heavy maintenance costs, unwanted surprises, and dropping service levels.
The DevOps promise: IT delivery that’s hot-off-the-catwalk and made-to-lastPeter Shirley-Quirk
DevOps promises rapid delivery AND stable operations by integrating business, development, test, deployment and operations into a cohesive workflow with a rapid feedback cycle. So how is that possible?
This document provides an overview of effective quality management systems. It discusses the benefits of implementing an automated quality management system, such as saving time and improving profitability. It also compares building your own system versus buying a pre-existing system from companies like MasterControl. Finally, it outlines several quality management tools, including check sheets, control charts, Pareto charts, scatter plots, Ishikawa diagrams, histograms, and others. The document provides examples and definitions for how to use these various quality management tools.
Towards a Software Framework for Automatic Business Process RedesignIDES Editor
A key element to the success of any organization is
the ability to continuously improve its business process
performance. Efficient Business Process Redesign (BPR)
methodologies are needed to allow organizations to face the
changing business conditions. For a long time, practices for
BPR were done case-by-case and were based on the insights
and knowledge of an expert to the organization. It can be
argued that efficiency, however, can further be achieved with
the support of automatic process redesign tools which are few
at the moment. Process mining as a recent approach allows
for the extraction of information from event logs recorded in
different information systems. In this paper we argue that
results driven by process mining techniques can be used to
capture the various types of inefficiencies in the organization
and hence propose efficient redesigns of its business model.
We first give an outline on the current directions towards
automatic BPR followed by a review on the different process
mining techniques and its usage in different applications.
Then, a specific framework of a Software tool that uses process
mining to support automatic BPR is presented.
Chapter 7 E R P Implementation Lifecycle Alexis LeonSonali Chauhan
The document outlines the typical lifecycle of an ERP implementation project. It discusses the key phases including pre-selection screening of vendors and software packages, package evaluation, project planning, gap analysis, reengineering, configuration, implementation team training, testing, end-user training, and post-implementation support. The goal is to carefully select the right software package, configure it to the business needs, train teams, test the system, launch it live, and ensure ongoing support after completion.
The document introduces the Enterprise Application System Test (EAST) technique for optimizing testing costs and schedule while delivering high-quality products. EAST focuses testing on 5 key areas: (1) the application release and its new features, (2) the enterprise application context and interfaces, (3) enterprise information flow and delivery, (4) underlying business processes, and (5) input from business partners on functionality and rules. Applying EAST helps prioritize test scenarios based on importance and risk to ensure quality within budget and timeline.
Enable process visbility: The Value Proposition for SAP customers IBM WebSphereIndia
This presentation was given by Joe Kaczmarek, Worldwide Sales Leader, IBM Business Process Management and Operational Decision Managemnt.
It was presented during Impact 2012 in Mumbai on the 1st of June, 2012.
6. The Usefulness Of Erp Systems For Effective ManagementDonovan Mulder
This document summarizes a research paper that examines the usefulness of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for effective management. The paper studies, through a questionnaire, the reasons why companies adopt ERP systems, the impact on management processes including implementation problems, and the benefits derived from ERP systems. The empirical evidence confirms several benefits of ERP systems for management processes but also implementation problems encountered. The results provide a basis for future research on fully exploiting the potential of ERP systems for more effective business integration.
Energy trading and risk management software budgets are declining even as new regulations increase demands on ETRM platforms. The survey found that 67% of respondents plan to invest in ETRM software this year, but only 28% have larger budgets, with 27% facing cuts. Compliance with regulations like Dodd-Frank and EMIR is a major focus, but only 20% feel ready and software vendors face challenges developing compliant solutions by the deadlines. Flexibility is important as rules evolve.
The document discusses a proposed Decision Support System (DSS) using a Management Information System (MIS) for Eljay Engineering India Pvt. Ltd. It outlines the objectives to support decision making, maintain service level agreements, and improve efficiency. It describes the existing manual system and limitations. The proposed DSS system would automate processes, easily generate reports, reduce errors, and help meet goals by facilitating timely resolution of client tickets. A feasibility analysis found the necessary technology exists to create a functional DSS that satisfies the company and client requirements.
CRM 2016 : A business process flow lets you create more efficient and streamlined sales, service, and other business processes. Having high performing processes in place will help you to increase your win rates, improve customer satisfaction, and grow your revenue.
Towards a Software Framework for Automatic Business Process RedesignIDES Editor
A key element to the success of any organization is
the ability to continuously improve its business process
performance. Efficient Business Process Redesign (BPR)
methodologies are needed to allow organizations to face the
changing business conditions. For a long time, practices for
BPR were done case-by-case and were based on the insights
and knowledge of an expert to the organization. It can be
argued that efficiency, however, can further be achieved with
the support of automatic process redesign tools which are few
at the moment. Process mining as a recent approach allows
for the extraction of information from event logs recorded in
different information systems. In this paper we argue that
results driven by process mining techniques can be used to
capture the various types of inefficiencies in the organization
and hence propose efficient redesigns of its business model.
We first give an outline on the current directions towards
automatic BPR followed by a review on the different process
mining techniques and its usage in different applications.
Then, a specific framework of a Software tool that uses process
mining to support automatic BPR is presented.
This document discusses the role of information technology (IT) in business process reengineering (BPR). IT capabilities like shared databases, expert systems, and decision support tools can help reshape how business is done and make BPR and IT natural partners. IT can act as an enabler during process design, a facilitator while designing new processes, and an implementer after process design is complete. Specific IT roles include enabling transactions, linking geographically dispersed resources, increasing speed, enabling automation, facilitating analysis, and managing information and knowledge. The principles of reengineering proposed by Hammer emphasize organizing around outcomes, having end users perform processes, treating dispersed resources as centralized, and capturing information once at the source.
FoxMeyer was a large drug wholesaler that implemented an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in 1994 to integrate its business functions and gain efficiencies. However, the implementation faced major issues including an overambitious project scope, lack of business process reengineering, insufficient testing, and lack of end user involvement. This led to failures in inventory and billing systems that caused major financial losses and the bankruptcy of FoxMeyer in 1996. Better planning, testing, stakeholder involvement, and change management could have prevented this ERP implementation failure.
Finding success from on‐premise to off‐premiseCRM Vision
1) The document discusses strategies for successfully implementing a move from an on-premise software system to a Software-as-a-Service model.
2) It recommends deploying the new system gradually by functionality and user groups to allow for problem-solving and enhancements between phases.
3) A key strategy is to simplify top business processes, deploy them in phases, and track results to compare performance before and after migration.
8 steps to Successful Accounts System Selection - Xledger WhitepaperXledger UK
Looking at a new Finance or Accounts system?
Perhaps your current system is no longer supported or your business has simply outgrown it and needs something more suitable to support future growth.
What steps can you take to ensure your business makes the right choice and derives all the business benefits associated with a modern finance system?
With over 6,000 successful accounts system implementations behind us we outline our 8 Steps to Successful System Selection.
This document discusses considerations for implementing an enterprise content management (ECM) system. It recommends looking beyond just initial process improvements to consider how an ECM system can provide access to legacy systems, improve compliance initiatives, and manage organizational change. The right ECM system that is built on web services can integrate all of an organization's software applications and ensure the organization is no longer dependent on obsolete technologies. An effective ECM implementation requires choosing a manageable initial project scale, focusing on short-term needs as well as long-term goals, and enlisting user involvement to facilitate adoption of the new system.
A Decision Support System Based on RCM Approach to Define Maintenance StrategiesCONFENIS 2012
The document proposes a decision support system (DSS) to help define maintenance strategies based on reliability centered maintenance (RCM) principles. The DSS has two modules: a physical module describing production system components, and a functional module using failure analysis and criticality assessment to recommend strategies like scheduled maintenance, discard/redesign, or condition-based maintenance. The DSS provides a logical process for defining customized strategies while considering factors like costs, quality, and production performance. Multicriteria decision methods can also influence the analysis and definition of maintenance actions. The DSS is intended to support operations management and recommend strategic activities grounded in decision theory.
The document discusses Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), which is a type of software that integrates and manages a company's overall resources. ERP links different business functions like sales, inventory, production, and finance. It allows a company to track important business resources like cash, materials, production capacity, and customer orders. The document outlines the main benefits of ERP, which include improved efficiency, decreased costs, and better decision making through integration of systems. It also discusses some common challenges to implementing ERP, such as high costs and potential failures if not set up properly.
How an integrated management system (IMS) helps companies to remain competitive Etienne Venter
To thrive in global competitiveness and to survive in today's markets, organizations and companies need to look at every aspect of their business processes. While providing quality products and services, they should consider other management standards as well i.e. Quality Management, Environmental Management, Safety Management, Energy Management, Information Security Management, GDPR & Food Safety Management. Thus, an integrated management system will enable organizations to work as a single unit with unified objectives. These management standards can be integrated by embedding them with the core business processes of the organization. With Symbio this is straight forward and easy to achieve.
Allegro Opportune Success Factors For Etrm System Implementationrobertjparker
There is no “Silver Bullet” to ETRM system implementation success. Each software solution has strengths and weaknesses, and success is highly dependent on tight project execution and the extensibility of the system to scale with the trading environment. Project execution areas critical to successful delivery and deployment are discussed in this paper.
Configuration management (CM) involves identifying system components, controlling changes, tracking status, and auditing configurations. It aims to manage changes in a planned, systematic way. CM is important throughout the software development lifecycle and provides benefits like stability, empowering decision making, and introducing standards. While CM requires effort, poor CM results in issues like heavy maintenance costs, unwanted surprises, and dropping service levels.
The DevOps promise: IT delivery that’s hot-off-the-catwalk and made-to-lastPeter Shirley-Quirk
DevOps promises rapid delivery AND stable operations by integrating business, development, test, deployment and operations into a cohesive workflow with a rapid feedback cycle. So how is that possible?
This document provides an overview of effective quality management systems. It discusses the benefits of implementing an automated quality management system, such as saving time and improving profitability. It also compares building your own system versus buying a pre-existing system from companies like MasterControl. Finally, it outlines several quality management tools, including check sheets, control charts, Pareto charts, scatter plots, Ishikawa diagrams, histograms, and others. The document provides examples and definitions for how to use these various quality management tools.
Towards a Software Framework for Automatic Business Process RedesignIDES Editor
A key element to the success of any organization is
the ability to continuously improve its business process
performance. Efficient Business Process Redesign (BPR)
methodologies are needed to allow organizations to face the
changing business conditions. For a long time, practices for
BPR were done case-by-case and were based on the insights
and knowledge of an expert to the organization. It can be
argued that efficiency, however, can further be achieved with
the support of automatic process redesign tools which are few
at the moment. Process mining as a recent approach allows
for the extraction of information from event logs recorded in
different information systems. In this paper we argue that
results driven by process mining techniques can be used to
capture the various types of inefficiencies in the organization
and hence propose efficient redesigns of its business model.
We first give an outline on the current directions towards
automatic BPR followed by a review on the different process
mining techniques and its usage in different applications.
Then, a specific framework of a Software tool that uses process
mining to support automatic BPR is presented.
Chapter 7 E R P Implementation Lifecycle Alexis LeonSonali Chauhan
The document outlines the typical lifecycle of an ERP implementation project. It discusses the key phases including pre-selection screening of vendors and software packages, package evaluation, project planning, gap analysis, reengineering, configuration, implementation team training, testing, end-user training, and post-implementation support. The goal is to carefully select the right software package, configure it to the business needs, train teams, test the system, launch it live, and ensure ongoing support after completion.
The document introduces the Enterprise Application System Test (EAST) technique for optimizing testing costs and schedule while delivering high-quality products. EAST focuses testing on 5 key areas: (1) the application release and its new features, (2) the enterprise application context and interfaces, (3) enterprise information flow and delivery, (4) underlying business processes, and (5) input from business partners on functionality and rules. Applying EAST helps prioritize test scenarios based on importance and risk to ensure quality within budget and timeline.
Enable process visbility: The Value Proposition for SAP customers IBM WebSphereIndia
This presentation was given by Joe Kaczmarek, Worldwide Sales Leader, IBM Business Process Management and Operational Decision Managemnt.
It was presented during Impact 2012 in Mumbai on the 1st of June, 2012.
6. The Usefulness Of Erp Systems For Effective ManagementDonovan Mulder
This document summarizes a research paper that examines the usefulness of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for effective management. The paper studies, through a questionnaire, the reasons why companies adopt ERP systems, the impact on management processes including implementation problems, and the benefits derived from ERP systems. The empirical evidence confirms several benefits of ERP systems for management processes but also implementation problems encountered. The results provide a basis for future research on fully exploiting the potential of ERP systems for more effective business integration.
Energy trading and risk management software budgets are declining even as new regulations increase demands on ETRM platforms. The survey found that 67% of respondents plan to invest in ETRM software this year, but only 28% have larger budgets, with 27% facing cuts. Compliance with regulations like Dodd-Frank and EMIR is a major focus, but only 20% feel ready and software vendors face challenges developing compliant solutions by the deadlines. Flexibility is important as rules evolve.
The document discusses a proposed Decision Support System (DSS) using a Management Information System (MIS) for Eljay Engineering India Pvt. Ltd. It outlines the objectives to support decision making, maintain service level agreements, and improve efficiency. It describes the existing manual system and limitations. The proposed DSS system would automate processes, easily generate reports, reduce errors, and help meet goals by facilitating timely resolution of client tickets. A feasibility analysis found the necessary technology exists to create a functional DSS that satisfies the company and client requirements.
CRM 2016 : A business process flow lets you create more efficient and streamlined sales, service, and other business processes. Having high performing processes in place will help you to increase your win rates, improve customer satisfaction, and grow your revenue.
Towards a Software Framework for Automatic Business Process RedesignIDES Editor
A key element to the success of any organization is
the ability to continuously improve its business process
performance. Efficient Business Process Redesign (BPR)
methodologies are needed to allow organizations to face the
changing business conditions. For a long time, practices for
BPR were done case-by-case and were based on the insights
and knowledge of an expert to the organization. It can be
argued that efficiency, however, can further be achieved with
the support of automatic process redesign tools which are few
at the moment. Process mining as a recent approach allows
for the extraction of information from event logs recorded in
different information systems. In this paper we argue that
results driven by process mining techniques can be used to
capture the various types of inefficiencies in the organization
and hence propose efficient redesigns of its business model.
We first give an outline on the current directions towards
automatic BPR followed by a review on the different process
mining techniques and its usage in different applications.
Then, a specific framework of a Software tool that uses process
mining to support automatic BPR is presented.
This document discusses the role of information technology (IT) in business process reengineering (BPR). IT capabilities like shared databases, expert systems, and decision support tools can help reshape how business is done and make BPR and IT natural partners. IT can act as an enabler during process design, a facilitator while designing new processes, and an implementer after process design is complete. Specific IT roles include enabling transactions, linking geographically dispersed resources, increasing speed, enabling automation, facilitating analysis, and managing information and knowledge. The principles of reengineering proposed by Hammer emphasize organizing around outcomes, having end users perform processes, treating dispersed resources as centralized, and capturing information once at the source.
FoxMeyer was a large drug wholesaler that implemented an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in 1994 to integrate its business functions and gain efficiencies. However, the implementation faced major issues including an overambitious project scope, lack of business process reengineering, insufficient testing, and lack of end user involvement. This led to failures in inventory and billing systems that caused major financial losses and the bankruptcy of FoxMeyer in 1996. Better planning, testing, stakeholder involvement, and change management could have prevented this ERP implementation failure.
Finding success from on‐premise to off‐premiseCRM Vision
1) The document discusses strategies for successfully implementing a move from an on-premise software system to a Software-as-a-Service model.
2) It recommends deploying the new system gradually by functionality and user groups to allow for problem-solving and enhancements between phases.
3) A key strategy is to simplify top business processes, deploy them in phases, and track results to compare performance before and after migration.
8 steps to Successful Accounts System Selection - Xledger WhitepaperXledger UK
Looking at a new Finance or Accounts system?
Perhaps your current system is no longer supported or your business has simply outgrown it and needs something more suitable to support future growth.
What steps can you take to ensure your business makes the right choice and derives all the business benefits associated with a modern finance system?
With over 6,000 successful accounts system implementations behind us we outline our 8 Steps to Successful System Selection.
The document discusses the process of developing and implementing an effective accounting information system. It covers the following key points:
1. The system development life cycle includes planning, analysis, design, and implementation phases. Careful planning is important to avoid costly mistakes.
2. Analysis involves understanding organizational goals, surveying the current system through data gathering and analysis, and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
3. Design specifies outputs, processes, inputs, and control requirements. Outputs are designed first based on user needs, then processes to produce them, and finally inputs required.
The document discusses the process of developing and implementing an effective accounting information system. It covers the system development life cycle which includes planning and analysis, development, implementation, and feedback. It describes the key phases of planning and investigation, analysis, design, and implementation, follow-up, and maintenance. It also discusses important aspects of each phase such as understanding organizational goals, conducting a system survey to gather and analyze data, and evaluating the technical, operational, schedule, legal, and economic feasibility of potential new systems.
In today’s global marketplace, successful companies must be able to integrate and quickly view quality audit information from their manufacturing sites all over the world. This strategic capability has become even more important as manufacturers have moved offshore and have become more complex. The value and immediacy of quality assurance data is a critical element to the survival of competitive manufacturing organizations. Software systems can address these issues.
Source:
Lyons Information Systems, Inc
http://www.lyonsinfo.com
The document provides an overview of IT project management. It discusses systems development, understanding business needs through business process modeling, the roles of various participants in system development including users and specialists. It also covers the systems analysis and design process, guidelines for systems development including developing accurate cost and benefit information, and maintaining flexibility. Project management tasks like defining, planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and reporting are also summarized.
The document discusses three options for an organization's content management integration strategy for 2015-2016: 1) Allow systems to grow organically and risk increased silos and inefficiencies, 2) Replace all systems with a single vendor solution at high financial and operational risk, or 3) Take a federated approach to integrate existing systems. The federated approach involves less risk but requires analyzing and integrating disparate systems. It recommends using the Qtility MOVE tool to help integrate systems by automating migrations and enabling search, records management, and compliance across systems.
Section 1: PROJECT INTRODUCTION
Section 1: PROJECT INTRODUCTION
Project Deliverable 1: Project Plan Inception
CIS 499 – Information Systems Capstone
Background
In the last two years, the ACME Company has experienced continued growth. This growth is expected to continue in the very near future. Specifically, the company is expected to experience a 60% growth in the next eighteen months. This rate of growth has presented new challenges for the company. It now has to redesign its information systems for the larger office space occupied. The continued growth has also highlighted the need to set up the company to deal with more data and ensure for safety and security for its clients. The ACME Company is currently valued at $25 million but is expected to experience significant growth in the future.
Type of Business
The ACME Company collects data using Web analytics and combines it with operational systems data. Increasingly, businesses have appreciated the competitive edge presented by analyzing market data. However, the successful use of data in decision making is a long process that has greatly influenced the growth of information systems. Some of the major steps in this process include collecting information and interpreting its significance. This is intended to compare the external and internal environments of a business and propose better practices that would benefit as a whole.
ACME based its information technology on a hybrid model where some of the systems are hosted and other in-house. This method was initially done with the goal of minimizing costs. However, a lot has changed in the business that necessitates major changes to be made.
Skilled Information Systems Personnel
At the moment, there are only four employees in the company dedicated to the Information Technology department. ACME has adopted a hybrid solution to information technology where much of the systems used by the company were hosted by other entities. This was believed to be part of cutting costs. As the business has continually grown, its information technology needs have expanded and redesigned to meet its current obligations.
The personnel at the company will need to be trained to use any other systems introduced at the workplace. Although all the workers are trained information technology experts, it will be important to involve them in the development of the new design to facilitate its effectiveness. This is primarily intended to ensure that all the qualified personnel at the organization are well-informed about the information technology changes occurring at the workplace.
Types of Data
ACME collects web analytics and combines it with operational systems data. Web analytics includes all the data tha.
The document discusses criteria for assessing traditional design methods (TDMs) for information system design. Five key criteria are identified: 1) User involvement, 2) Change/process analysis and data modeling, 3) Test-running, 4) Post-implementation review and maintenance, and 5) Interconnectivity between design stages. Each criterion is then discussed in detail with explanations of why it is important and how it relates to developing a quality information system that meets user needs.
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The system, the goal, the goal tree and validating the measuring system in th...Ricardo Anselmo de Castro
The document discusses defining a system, its goal, and a supporting strategy using a goal tree. It begins by explaining the importance of clearly defining the system and its boundaries. Next, it discusses defining the system's goal, noting there should only be one goal defined by the system's owner. A goal tree is then presented as a tool to visually map the goal, critical success factors (CSFs), and necessary conditions (NCs). The document emphasizes validating the measuring system to avoid conflicts among metrics that could harm performance. It provides an example goal tree and discusses analyzing metrics to check for relationships and potential conflicts between CSFs.
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This document provides an overview of building an information system. It discusses the various phases of developing an information system including initiation, development, implementation, operation and maintenance. It also covers strategic approaches like operational excellence, new products/services, customer intimacy, decision making, and competitive advantage. Key participants in system development are identified as stakeholders, users, managers, and specialists. The importance of information system planning and aligning goals with corporate objectives is also emphasized.
The document discusses Just-in-Time (JIT) and Lean manufacturing models and why they cannot be effectively implemented in Egyptian organizations. It outlines the key elements and requirements of JIT, including eliminating waste, continuous improvement, total quality management, parallel processing, Kanban production control, JIT purchasing, step-up reduction, and repetitive manufacturing. However, the author argues that JIT is not suitable for Egypt due to its heavy reliance on organizational leadership commitment, resources, and human factors that are difficult to achieve given Egyptian culture and circumstances.
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The document discusses how applying systems thinking concepts can help address common problems that arise when using process improvement frameworks like CMM and CMMI. It describes two systems archetypes - "fixes that backfire" and "shifting the burden" - that are useful for understanding issues. For the "fixes that backfire" archetype, it provides examples of how overfocusing on maturity levels or process for its own sake can unintentionally worsen problems. Addressing only surface issues without a deep understanding of the root causes can lead to negative long-term consequences.
This document discusses various types of information systems used in businesses including transaction processing systems, business support systems, knowledge management systems, and user productivity systems. It describes how these systems support different organizational levels from top managers to operational employees by providing relevant information to help with strategic planning, decision making, and day-to-day job functions. The document emphasizes the importance of integrating these systems to enable information sharing across business processes.
The document discusses a case study of Space Age Furniture Company, which is facing a problem in its manufacturing operations. As the Operations Officer, Coral Snodgrass is responsible for generating value through goods and services while balancing supply and demand. The document examines how operations managers are crucial to running a business efficiently and the challenges faced by Space Age Furniture Company.
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The document also summarizes status of TOC implementation in India. As, India and other Emerging Economies struggle with unpredictable macro-economic conditions, managing the TOC way, is proposed as a strong antidote, in realizing their dreams of reaching up to the prosperity of developed nations.
Assignment mqanagement information system 0047amol_dongare
This document contains an assignment for a Management Information Systems course. It includes 3 questions asking students to:
1) Define MIS, its characteristics and functions, and disadvantages of MIS.
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3. How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 1
>>
>>
No two organizations ever implement the same manufacturing system in the same way. Combine the vagaries of different companies,
business processes, people, and systems, and “the directions” for how to implement a manufacturing system take on the wandering
complexities of James Joyce’s Ulysses. Yet just as the Joyce epic has crib notes, so, too, does manufacturing system implementation.
In simplest terms, a successful implementation boils down to managing a handful of key activities:
> Assemble a cross-functional project team with a respected project leader.
> Understand why the organization needs the system (i.e., define your business “pain”) and why the pain exists
(e.g., system issues and/or business-process issues).
> Define the scope of the system.
> Establish phases for system implementation.
> Gather and define the organization’s requirements of the system.
> Prepare the organization for change.
> Prepare people and data.
> Manage “scope creep.”
> Thoroughly test the functionality of the system.
> Run and refine the system.
Assemble the Project Team and Leader
Implementation requires assembling a cross-functional project team with constituents from all business units likely affected by the new
system. At the heart of this group is the project team leader. Many personalities can fill this role, but good leaders always:
> Know when to say “no” or at least “not right away.”
> Possess the energy to question everything.
> Are part diplomat and part drill sergeant.
> Are disciplined and do what they say.
> Deal deftly (and swiftly) with whiners, nay-sayers, and bullies.
> Have enough authority to manage the project.
> Make or find the time to do the project right.
Every implementation project also requires an executive steering committee to keep the team focused and to occasionally play “bad
cop” to the leader’s “good cop.” Lack of top-executive participation in the project through a steering committee (or in smaller
companies, through a key executive) is the primary reason for implementation failures.
Define Your Business “Pain” and Why It Exists
Every company typically has three to five business “pains” that call for a manufacturing system antidote, such as an inability to expand
operations, an inoperable system, or an eroding customer relationship. A common driver of system change is the pain caused by
changing customer requirements, as clients demand improved service levels or better systems integration. Pain can also come from the
supply chain as a company attempts to manage materials more efficiently or to integrate supplier systems. External pains frequently are
the manifestation of internal pains, such as an outdated system that can no longer manage production and thus fails to satisfy
customer cost, quality, or deliverability needs.
Recording and defining pains allow an organization to justify the need for a new manufacturing system, provided the underlying issues
are indeed system-related. For example, a company may fail to satisfy customers (pain) because it ships late, its inventory is
inaccurate, and its investment in inventory is too high or not enough (issues). The company realizes it must better manage its
inventories (business objective) but first needs to understand the root causes of its inventory difficulties. Is it a system problem? A new
system must positively impact the issues that cause the pain and help achieve business objectives, or it risks merely making old,
mistaken-laden processes run faster – at higher costs.
4. Define System Scope and
Implementation Phases
The scope of the project is determined by the
business objectives your organization hopes to
achieve, the issues it hopes to resolve, and the
functions impacted by those resolutions. (Scope
can also be influenced by political or technological
concerns.)
Scope is delineated by duration or phases, and,
depending on the breadth of your project and
organization, the implementation could go live in a
single day or extend over months as various
departments and/or physical locations turn on
their systems. Factors to consider in selecting a
start sequence include ease of implementation,
site accessibility to the project team and partners,
and location of the best-prepared staff and most-
thoroughly tested functionality.
Project teams typically organize implementation
phases by department, according to support of
business objectives and how live departments will
impact the processes of other connected but non-
live departments. For example, if the business
objective is to maintain inventory accuracy,
obstacles to overcome may include inaccurate bills
of materials (bad data), poor inventory-movement
procedures, and unorganized warehouses. Given
those issues, an MRP implementation would likely
proceed through Phase 1 – financial modules to
get the transactional elements in place that impact
inventory data; Phase 2 – planning functions, such
as master scheduling to begin feeding new data
into the system; and Phase 3 – tactical functions,
such as shop-floor scheduling where new, accurate
data is a system imperative.
Gather and Define System
Requirements
While business pain triggers the need for a
manufacturing system and an issues analysis
helps to establish business objectives and system
scope, these steps won’t determine the specific
requirements or design of the new system. A solid
plan will carefully gather requirements from all
departments within the system’s scope.
Remember that a new system may be an antidote
for an organization’s pain, but the implementation
team is not a band of faith healers capable of
miraculous achievements. Managing unrealistic
expectations and requirements is a critical step
and demands a rigorous review of all system and
How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 2
>>
>>
>> CASE STUDY
Assessing Pain
Multiple drivers of change
The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, Talladega, Ala., had several
reasons for pursuing implementation of a new manufacturing system. The
not-for-profit AIDB consists of numerous entities including Alabama
Industries for the Blind, which employs blind and visually impaired workers
to manufacture and sell products. AIDB’s entities were running different
manufacturing applications; its primary pain was the need to standardize
on one system and to get all production units talking to one another.
“From an IT perspective, one of the first mandates that I had when I took
over as director was that I wanted to find some way we could move
everybody into a system that met the needs – or 95 percent of the needs –
of every entity within AIDB,” says Henry Segalas, AIDB IT director and
implementation committee leader. “That was really a dream, but as we
started to face more and more dysfunction in existing systems, we realized
this dream had to be a reality.”
Missing functionality
At Knelson Concentrators, Langley, B.C., a manufacturer of gold-mining
equipment, the pain was easy to define. The manufacturing and
distribution functionality of its current system provided standard costing
capabilities but could not track actual costs. As Knelson’s business
migrated toward make-to-order production, the company gradually realized
the old system could not accommodate actual costing – and that Knelson
could not succeed without it.
Down and out
Mid-Continent Instruments, a Wichita, Kans., manufacturer of aircraft
instruments, realized that its current MRP system simply didn’t work. It
was releasing manufacturing orders to the floor with incomplete
production pulls, delaying orders so drastically that 15 percent of
shipments were late. A new system was a necessity – a clear example of
system issues.
Process visibility and IT benefits
Gibson Guitar Corp., Nashville, Tenn., has more than a dozen divisions in
the U.S. and Europe. All offices were using Microsoft Business Solutions
financial and distribution applications, but Gibson also needed a
manufacturing system – in part to migrate from an old COBOL system that
rode on two servers and consumed 15 percent to 20 percent of IT staff
time. Gibson also required a new system to establish greater visibility of
its processes and inventories, especially for tracking of finished-goods
inventories as required by a lender.
>>
5. How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 3
data requests. Too many organizations bend over
backward to accommodate old processes or
reporting methods that are archaic, wrong, or
simply unnecessary. Successful project leaders tie
requirements to the established objectives – e.g.,
standardization, real-time plant data, or improved
materials management – and not to old processes.
By limiting system selection and design to
requirements based on old processes and
methods, many companies unwittingly saddle
themselves for another five years with inferior
practices and missed opportunities.
In system design sessions, prioritize requirements
by viewing them within the context of current
pains, issues, and a flowchart of current
processes, while at the same time developing a
vision of future processes and necessary
requirements. These sessions should give weight to
all departments impacted by the system so that
you can assess all functionality required of the
new system and its integration throughout the
organization.
As the vision develops, begin documenting system
procedures. Record exactly how the system will be
used for every step of any business activity it
touches, such as releasing a manufacturing order
to the floor or updating sales forecasts; this will
help to create training documents and new
procedures.
The requirements planning process will be critical
to system selection, and it also will help develop a
cost/benefit analysis. At the very least, your team
should calculate total cost of ownership (e.g.,
maintenance fees, staffing), which can prove
helpful when comparing system vendors. When
evaluating systems, some companies emphasize
return on investment (ROI) calculations that assess
quantifiable measures (e.g., costs) and qualitative
measures (e.g., improved productivity).
A key component in the cost/benefit analysis and
the success of the implementation is selecting the
right partner, with particular emphasis on both
parties understanding the partner’s role. While this
role may vary, the ideal partner will come with
significant experience in manufacturing, in your
industry, and with the system you’ll eventually
implement.
>> CASE STUDY
Rolling Up Requirements
Individual needs to collective requirements
AIDB project leader Segalas originally identified the opportunity for a
system change based on anticipated “de-support” notices for existing
systems, as well as awareness of arising needs in the organization. He
created a draft proposal outlining the potential of a new integrated system
and then invited each department affected by the system to add to his
proposal. This collaborative list of requirements and priorities was then
reviewed, narrowed down, and agreed to by all departments. An
implementation committee (which incorporated one member and a backup
from every department) then used the completed proposal to evaluate
vendors and systems.
Prioritizing needs
Knelson mapped its current processes through all departments and came
up with a requirements list for every area, says Pat Thornton, systems
manager and project leader. The project team then reviewed and prioritized
the list into a first phase of implementation. Although the project team took
care to acknowledge every user request, it was realistic – and clear – about
what could actually be implemented quickly and efficiently.
Departmental balance
Gibson Guitar Corp., Nashville, Tenn., implemented its financials and
distribution applications in one massive project across all 13 of its office
sites, but chose the headquarters location as the first to deploy the
system’s manufacturing application. Gibson initially focused solely on the
requirements of manufacturing, which resulted in the accounting
department quickly responding, “You can’t do that.” After Gibson placed the
requirements of manufacturing and accounting on equal footing, the
implementation proceeded more smoothly.
>>
6. How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 4
Structure the Implementation and
Prepare for Change
Your implementation success will hinge less on
technology itself than on creating new, more
efficient processes enabled by technology. As
such, treat the system launch like the most
important strategic project you’ll ever manage –
because it probably is. This will require a
disciplined project-management schedule that
includes an aggressive timeline, quality checks
and milestones, and mandated attendance for
team members at weekly meetings (all meetings,
not just those that impact their departments, in
order to provide peer scrutiny and pick up best
practices from other departments).
The implementation team must now begin to
describe for all users the objectives, when they will
realistically occur, new processes and system
procedures, and the role of each department in
training and testing. Be prepared for resistance.
Some departments can be coaxed into
compliance by educating them about specific
improvements, while others may request system
workarounds to ease process transitions; still other
departments may require personnel changes.
Realize that no matter how well you’ve prepared
the organization, change will be difficult,
particularly if you have unique, long-standing
processes.
Prepare People
Before system training hits the front lines, the
project team needs to be fully trained as early in
the implementation process as possible
(immediately following project planning). The
project team members must be well-versed in
order to design the system, train end-users, and
define system procedures.
All others affected by the system should receive
some level of system training. How much training
is a matter of debate. While some companies opt
for large-scale training that includes an overview of
the entire system with deep-dive breakouts for
specific modules, most organizations have trouble
devoting the time or resources for such exhaustive
measures.
>> CASE STUDY
Change Management Issues
Transitional satisfaction
Knelson soothed the acceptance of changes between their old and new
systems by establishing short- and long-term process changes. In the short
term, the implementation team didn’t argue too much over why someone
would want the system to work a certain way (e.g., the way the old system
worked). Instead, they tried to find a temporary solution that worked for the
individual and then returned six weeks later to reassess the workaround.
Those that worked and made business sense, stayed; those that didn’t were
discarded in favor of new processes.
Speak now
AIDB project leader Segalas put a premium on trust and respect, and
formalized that into a “Rules of Engagement” for the implementation
committee. Paramount was the mandate that no committee members
complain or denigrate the project or process outside of the committee
without first giving their peers an opportunity to respond. Segalas did not
want subversive comments, no matter how casual, to erode the
organization’s confidence in the new system – and wasn’t shy about calling
committee members out when they voiced frustrations outside the
committee.
Partner perspectives
Gibson’s handcrafted production environment created a unique situation in
that most staff were familiar only with Gibson processes and systems; they
had never worked in any other type of facility. As a result, Gibson looked to
its technology partner to offer process changes as the implementation
progressed. According to Gibson project leader Mathew Mullins, if the
company had done the implementation themselves, they probably would
have designed a system very similar to their previous configuration – and
without significant process improvements.
>>
>>
>>
7. Instead, most organizations will provide – or users will demand – training based
around specific job functions and the screens that affect an individual’s work.
This can involve formal sessions delivered by the project team, meetings
conducted within departments, or one-on-ones guided by a team member.
Differences between the old and new systems as well as employee familiarity
with the new system will indicate the appropriate level of training. For example,
manufacturing personnel may have steeper learning curves because functions
and processes that never occurred on the shop floor may now take place at
new production-level terminals.
Frequently, though, the problem isn’t who and how much to train, but
convincing employees of the need to get trained in the first place. Think out of
the box, and use whatever methods necessary to get users up to speed. And
budget in far more training time than you think you’ll need.
Data Integrity and Migration
Data migration is critical (i.e., garbage in, garbage out) and offers a
tremendous opportunity to ease the transition and improve process efficiencies
going forward by deleting unnecessary or redundant information. Data can be
classified into one of four categories prior to migration:
> Irrelevant data that can be left behind;
> Questionable data that should not be transferred but retained;
> Pertinent data that may prove useful and must be retained and
cleansed; and
> Priority data upon which the new system will rely and that must be
thoroughly scrubbed.
Start data migration as early in the implementation process as possible in
order to train and develop the system using as much real data as possible and
to ensure ample time to test data integrity. Remember that during data transfer
it’s helpful to have staff well-versed in both the old and new system. Successful
implementers also advise that you select a launch date that coincides with the
start of a fiscal reporting period, preferably the fiscal year. While this can add
to organizational stress by requiring you to close the books while booting up a
new system, it prevents some data transfer issues and allows a fresh start with
new data.
Successful implementations follow these migration steps:
1. Define the scope of the data migration;
2. Identify the amount of data cleansing required;
3. Clean the data to be migrated;
4. Map legacy data to the new system;
5. Develop necessary data-migration tools;
6. Conduct initial data migration;
7. Run data-integrity checks;
8. Perform data-migration tests;
9. Make necessary changes;
10. Retest; and
11. Perform final migration.
How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 5
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>> CASE STUDY
Training
Increase awareness
Pat Thornton, systems manager at Knelson,
says greater participation from people in
training and testing would have significantly
aided his company’s implementation. Knelson
had a particularly tight implementation
timeline (September to February) that
crossed through the holidays, which may have
impacted employee commitment. Knelson
eventually required that its executives sit in
on training to underscore its importance
while also conducting daily “Lunch and
Learns” for users. Each luncheon session
covered a specific microtopic, which enabled
Thornton to get live feedback from users
about their requirements.
Never enough
Although Mid-Continent spent ample time
training their staff, even that could have been
supplemented with additional learning using
real data. Because the company completed
its data conversion just before going live with
its manufacturing module, training and
testing were done on sample data. In
hindsight, Mid-Continent wishes it had opted
for real data during the training.
Training by committee
AIDB did not conduct formal training
sessions, but instead relied on
implementation committee members to work
within their departments to train peers on the
screens specific to their job functions. Says
Segalas: “Their defined role was to prepare
the people in their departments to do their
jobs.”
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8. Manage “Scope Creep”
No implementation proceeds without suggestions to alter or expand the original project. This “scope creep” requires a project team
leader with both the authority and strength to make original decisions stick and, where the scope creep is legitimate to achieve
business objectives, to revise the project. The steering committee is critical when creep arises because it carries veto power.
In considering scope revisions, it’s vital that everyone understand what is native in the system and which additional functionalities will
require a modification or integration with a third-party solution. This requires two steps:
> Assess whether there is a gap between the new needs and the current system’s out-of-box capabilities.
> Determine if an alternative to modification or third-party integration is possible, or if modification or third-party integration
can be postponed.
At each implementation milestone, you and your technology partner will manage scope creep and develop a list of gaps that still exist,
along with corresponding solutions and timelines.
Test the System
As the system launch grows closer, it’s important that users adhere to a testing
schedule and vigorously track and follow up on issues that arise from testing.
This testing must be thorough and as close to post-launch conditions as
possible; one successful method is the use of monitored sessions under the
guidance of the implementation team – “conference room pilots” – that simulate
real-world usage. If testing can’t occur in pilots, team members must monitor
individual testing sessions and ensure that no integration issues exist.
Run and Refine the System
Once the system is up and running, the refinement process typically consists of
clean-ups to solve small problems, review of previous workarounds, a look at
postponed issues and new issues that may have arisen, and planning of
subsequent phases. Above all, make sure that a myopic focus on “the system”
hasn’t blinded you and your staff to the need to deliver improved processes that
achieve your business objectives.
Lastly, if you’re the project leader, be sure to have a worst-case-scenario plan
that will enable the organization to perform necessary business activities if
serious problems occur. You may never need it, but the very process of preparing
it will make you realize what could go wrong – and how to fix it. You want your
implementation to be remembered not for its glitches, but for the business
objectives you achieved – today and tomorrow.
Don’t Implement without Them
As you move forward with your implementation, make sure you follow the proven
steps outlined in this paper. They have been proven many times in many projects
and in many industries, and they’ll continue to lead to success, provided you
start and finish every project with the following must-have components:
> Strong-willed project leader with time and resources;
> Representative project team with time and resources;
> Well-defined list of business objectives;
> Rigorously critiqued list of system requirements;
> Realistic but aggressive timeline;
> Thoroughly documented system procedures;
> Partner that is the right strategic fit with industry, manufacturing, and system experience; and
> Thorough testing that can uncover any problems and ensure a smooth kick-off.
How to Implement a Manufacturing System >> Microsoft Business Solutions 6
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>> CASE STUDY
Testing
Conference room pilots
Knelson Concentrators held a conference room
pilot session seven weeks before the planned
go-live date. “We simulated a typical week at
Knelson; we had all the users come in and
practice based on the documentation we
created on how to do the jobs they were doing
in the old system in the new system,” says Pat
Thornton. Among the issues identified by the
test was the lack of readiness among staff
who had not adequately tried to learn the new
system. After additional training, a second
conference room pilot was conducted three
weeks prior to go-live with the owner of the
company and the VP of finance in attendance.
People involved in this pilot knew that they as
well as the system were being tested, and it
went off without a hitch.
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