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As I engage companies looking to either upgrade their existing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system or begin a new ERP implementation, one thing becomes clear and that is, too many companies enter into the task of adopting ERP without identifying key process facts that could ultimately drive the entire project off track. In my25 years in helping companies with their ERP adoptions I now recommend we begin with a detailed Blue Print as the starting point that if executed properly will lead to a greater number of successful ERP Implementations.
A properly designed Blueprint will provide a functional layout that will align the business processes and information systems, while empowering companies to achieve end results that not only create but extend enterprise value. Companies should check team resource resumes that ensure each of their selected team of professionals possesses deep industry and technology experience.
My most successful ERP implementations use a Blue Print that defines clear business and technology strategy, systems design and architecture, applications implementation strategy, network infrastructure using industry best practices and services
Business owners, executives and even middle managers will sometimes skip the Blue Print as they already think they have the business process issues identified and as they progress through the implementation they will deal with them as they come up. Unfortunately, that “perception” is far from complete and even if it was, no one else on the team shares that perspective or has access to it as critical decisions need to be made.
Consider the benefits of a Blue Print as defines business processes and information systems while allowing employees to access the right information at the right time, empowering them to achieve end results that create enterprise value.
A properly prepared Blueprint will:
Some of the best Blue Prints that I have seen will have several parts that define key elements of a successful ERP project in advance and provide answers to difficult questions that are proactively defined and available to the team as they progress through the project.
Here are what I consider the top ten examples of what I am talking about when defining a Blue Print.
1. Get a clear picture of the overall Program Management process
The overall focus of the Program Management process is to provide a definition of Project Planning and Control, Integration, Change, and Technology Management. The function of this section is to provide the team with answers to the following questions:
2. Be sure your Blue Print properly defines (and you agree upon) your company’s current business issues
Make a list of all business issues that are being considered for change throughout the project. This information should go into its own section of the Blue Print. Following that should be a Business Assessment sub-phase.
This sub-phase is designed to consistently monitor current vision and the enterprise strategy is understood and the current state is determined. Using business process analysis and current financial and operational metrics, the company is evaluated for potential performance improvements. These improvements are identified and a preliminary prioritization of the opportunities prepared in the vision and strategy objectives section of the Blueprint.
Business Assessment sub-phase of your Blue Print should include definitions that:
The major deliverables of the Business Assessment sub-phase you can expect are:
3. The Blue Print should define the overall Project Scope Start with the proper project preparation definition.
The process for creating this definition will involve several interviews with key business process owners and will be conducted as part of the Blueprint phase of this project. We propose the interviews be conducted with focus groups of individuals directly associated with each of the work streams outlined in the “Deliverables” section of the Blueprint SOW to ensure compliance with stated business improvement objectives. During these interviews, each of the business requirements identified in the SOW will be considered as topics for discussion. Interviews will be grouped by a (priority based) combination of revenue stream improvement potential and other general requirements and will be divided into As-Is process interviews and To-Be process discussions, thereby enabling a clear definition of the business requirements.
4. Project Organization, Standards and Initial Project Planning
This section of the Blue Print will assist in defining the following areas listed below.
5. Strategy Development and Design
This phase established to develop strategies that reflect the organization’s revised vision and new strategic initiatives. The next step is to develop a future state concept of operations including people, process and technology changes aligned with the organization’s vision & strategy.
Responsibilities for the Strategy Development and Design Phase
The following activities are performed in the strategy development and design sub-hase:
The major deliverables of the strategy development and design sub-phase are as follows:
6. Business Case & Roadmap Development
This phase develops the foundation that defines financial impact and risk. This phase is intended to engage the company’s executive management and requires an Executive Kickoff meeting. In the kick off meeting the initiatives are documented with a priorities list that is sequenced based on both economic returns based upon the company’s strategy & objectives. These documents are also used to support funding requests.
The following activities are performed in the business case and roadmap development sub-phase:
The major deliverables of the business case and roadmap development sub-phase are as follows:
7. Benefits Realization & Strategy Management
The focus of this phase is to ensure that targeted benefits are driven into the Design, Build and Deploy phases and to establish the performance measurement process and platform. Accountability and responsibility is established for the project by mapping targeted benefits and performance metrics to business units, departments, and employees responsible for delivering results. This phase can also be used to establish incentive bonus targets for meeting or exceeding performance targets for the project.
The following activities are performed in the benefits realization and strategy management sub-phase:
The major deliverables of the benefits realization and strategy management sub-phase are as follows:
8. Benefits Realization Measurement & Management
This phase is where the continuous process of measuring and tracking results occurs. These results are compared against expected results and conclusions with defined recommendations are measured, monitored and reported to management.
The major deliverables of the benefits realization measurement and management sub-phase are as follows:
9. IT Transformation
This section should define the role and governance of IT as the IT team attempts to transform business operations. While profound changes are being made to the overall core business operations, IT operations must likewise be transformed in order to meet future business needs and objectives
IT Transformation includes the delivery of a Technical Requirements Plan that enables Anderson’s IT leadership team to accelerate the transformation from a reactive cost center environment to an organization with world-class service delivery capability and maximum value impact on the business.
The Technical Requirements Plan addresses:
10. Data Definitions, Integration, System Configuration and User Testing
This section should include data conversions, integration planning, master data setup, data quality testing and any other data definitions in an effort to identify potential improvements. This effort involves all team members, including both functional and technical resources, in order to refine all definitions and control the development effort. Optimizing the definitions described above and using object-oriented guidelines for reusability of code eliminates unnecessary development effort, thereby reducing the time taken to develop a high quality deliverable.
1- Project Definition and scope
2- Analysis and Requirements Gathering.
3- Design documents (should be approved by customer/Management).
4- Development and Internal Testing
5- Training and UAT.
5- Production Go Live and Post Production Support .
Apart from all phases as mentioned by Muhammad Rafi ". Project Establishment2. Gap analyses3. Design4. Procedure Development5. Application Software Customization6. Acceptance Testing7. End User Training8. Trial9. Live10. Support contract" ----- Practically you need a good chart of account then every single module successful set-up e.g inventory, accounts, HR, etc....
Discovery and Planning, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, and Ongoing Support
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