The document provides guidance on successfully implementing a new workflow management system. It recommends starting with an assessment of the current state and desired future state before defining requirements. Key steps include identifying stakeholders, prioritizing requirements, evaluating options, selecting a system, training users, and getting feedback during implementation to improve the system and documentation. The goal is to leverage new systems and processes to exceed client expectations.

1. Successful Workflow
Systems Projects
The Foundation,
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and the Elevator to the Top
the Floors,

2. The First Step: Step Back!
 Why? Because systems aren’t your
mission, exceeding your clients’ expectations is
your mission
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 First things first: Current State Assessment
Know who you are and where you are
 SWOT Analysis
 Client focus groups and satisfaction surveys
 Interviews with upline managers
 Internal team satisfaction surveys
Foundation Work

3. The First Step: Step Back!
 Next things next: Desired Future State
Know who you want to be and
where you want to go
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 Develop department vision or mission statements
 Develop supporting goals and objectives
 Now you can envision how a system can help
you get from where you are to where you want
to be.
Foundation Work

4. The First Step: Step Back!
 One more thing: Processes! Workflow systems
are all about process
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 Do you have standard processes for your work?
 Are they documented and well known?
 Are they efficient? Do they represent the best path
of execution from point A to point Z?
 Process mapping, review, and optimization
is a must

5. The First Step: Step Back!
 Don’t overlook any processes
 Billing or accounting
 Administrative processes – payroll, HR reporting
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Systems will leverage process clarity and
efficiency to great effect
 The Key Takeaway Here:
Systems will leverage process confusion and
inefficiency to great effect too!

6. Defining Your Project
 Identify the project owner
 This is usually the one who is paying for it
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 Identify the constraints
 Budget, Time, IT Requirements
 Identify the stakeholders
 Those who will be effected directly or indirectly by
your system
 Identify the required approvals

7. Defining Your Project
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 Identify and quantify the resources that
will be needed
 From within your team: mainly, time
 From outside your team: IT, accounting
 Identify the project leader
 Someone with adequate time – these projects have
a large footprint
 Someone who understands your overall operation
 Someone who can serve as primary liaison between
your team, other stakeholders, and the system
providers

8. Defining Your Project
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 Assign the direct contributors to the project
These folks will make up your project team
 Each “hands-on” work group should be represented
 Include “power users”
 Include any key players from outside your team
 Keep the group to 8 people max
 Identify the project champion(s)
 Who can help you sell your system?
 This can be the project owner, a key client, or an
internal team member

9. Functional Requirements List
 If you are replacing an existing system, you can
start with a list of its current functions
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 What does it do well that you want to keep?
 What does it do poorly that you want to improve?
 Rely heavily on your current and future state
assessments to build out your list
 What functions will help solve problems that exist in
the current state? What functions will enable the
capabilities of your desired future state?

10. Functional Requirements List
 Core Functions
 Project Management, Time Tracking,
Approval Management, Accounting/Finance, Media
Planning & Buying, Asset Management
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 Other functions to include
 Customizability
 IT Requirements/Ease of IT Deployment
 Data migration
 Integration with other systems
 Data ownership
 Intangibles

11. Functional Requirements List
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 Prioritize each functional requirement
Critical – “must-haves”
Important – key function
Marginal – “nice-to-haves”
 Publish a formal requirements document
 Provides clear specifications that can be sent to
system providers
 Serves as a structured tool for rating systems

12. The System Search
 Resources to help with this
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 Fellow IHAF members
 Provider websites
 Industry blogs, forums, LinkedIn groups
 Cella Technology Providers List

13. The System Search
 Narrow the field
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 Exclude those that do more than you need
 Note that some systems are modularized
 Choose 3-4 systems to evaluate
 Send your functional requirements list to each
provider
 Schedule an initial demo with each
 Exclude those that can’t perform all of your
functional requirements

14. Initial Demos
 The entire project team participates
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 Have your formal requirements document in hand
 Each team member rates each functional
requirement as it is demonstrated
 Ask questions – especially about requirements you
didn’t see demonstrated
 Don’t be distracted by the “shiny key”
 Have a brief discussion after the demo
 Select the two highest rated systems as finalists

15. Finalist Assessments
 Send each finalist a representative project
 An actual project you have recently completed is a good
candidate
 Send key documentation: project request, creative brief,
estimate, schedule, specification, billing report
 Take out acronyms and company jargon
(or at least provide a glossary)
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 Ask each finalist to “work” your project
 Re-rate each of the functional requirements
 Ask for detailed pricing and the licensing
agreement

16. System Selection and Approval
 The Overarching Criteria: Value
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 A function of capabilities and cost
 Do a complete cost analysis of both systems
 Consider the functional ratings for each system
 As a project team, determine which system
provides the highest overall value
 Secure necessary license agreement approvals

17. Implementation
 Keys to a successful implementation phase
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 Documentation – create an official manual and keep
it updated
 Ease into it! Implementation is a process, not an
event
 Keep your project team in place
They will become your subject matter experts for
each work group
 Training
“Train the trainer” approach
Single team member trains everyone
Provider trains everyone

18. Implementation
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 IT installations and infrastructure changes
 Preliminary System Setup
 Add and train a short list of users
The project team is a good place to start
 Start with a few trial projects
Select projects to work using both your old and new
system/method
 Get feedback, solve problems, modify, and
update your documentation

19. Implementation
 Increase the number of trial projects
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 There are some things you will not encounter until
there is sufficient volume to expose them
 Get feedback, solve problems, modify, and update
your documentation
 Add and train new users as necessary
 Everyone On Board!
 Celebrate! Recognize your team
 Continue to get feedback, solve problems, etc.
This will go on for awhile

20. Client Adoption
 Implementation is a bumpy road
It’s probably best not to ask your clients to travel on it.
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 Add a trial client or two
 Start with your “best” clients
 Start with trial projects
 Get feedback, solve problems, modify, and update
your documentation

21. Operations Effectiveness
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Dan Buckhout
214-334-3484
dan.buckhout@sbcglobal.net
linkedin.com/in/danbuckhout
Operations Effectiveness
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From Performance Metrics to Technology
and Everything In-Between
Workflow Management Systems
Assessment and Implementation
Process Mapping and Optimization
Quality Improvement Programs