At Book Expo America 2009 we talk to publishers and vendors about successful and unsuccessful implementation experiences. These conversations basically confirmed a few rules for successful projects;
Rule 1. Appoint a project manager.
Rule 2. Appoint an experienced project manager, someone who knows your company and its people. Not a greenhorn that was hired just a week or two ago.
Rule 3. Keep it simple. Ideally, you don't want to customize the software.
Rule 4. Keep it simple. Don't want attempt to integrate a best of breed application that the vendor has no experience with. It will cost you money and time, and may not work.
Rule 5. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Hold weekly status meetings and make sure that the top people - the publisher, the CFO and the vendor's project manager attend.
Rule 6. Don't be afraid to shake the tree. If you have a problem take it to the top.
Rule 7. Keep a single list of outstanding issues. Circulate it. Make sure that its updated. Such a list helps to focus attention on the issues that it presents.
Rule 8. Go for a rapid implementation. The faster that you implement the software the less it will cost you in terms of money and staff time. Moreover, you will see benefits from the software sooner.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment