ERP: Critical Elements for Success

1
ERP Critical Elements for Success

• Janice Johnson
• Garry Sagert

2
Discussion Areas

• Governance
• Organization
• Working Environment
• Project Management
• Vendor Management
• Communication
• Beyond the Tangibles

3
Governance

• Decision making issue escalation
• Core Team
• Leadership Team
• Sponsorship Team
• Issue socialization
• Faculty Forum

4
Organization

• Adjust throughout project to address challenges
  faced at different times
• Need to be flexible
• Select roles based on aptitudes
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities

5
Working Environment

• Co-locate core project teams
• Joint forum for complex issues
• Build strong teams
• Share offices
• Bring food
• Provide slippers
• Celebrate success

6
Working Environment (Cont)

• Encourage people to grow
• Work outside comfort zone
• Start with areas of strong aptitude
• Role of Leadership
• Take responsibility for decisions
• Remove obstacles
• Support team
• Mistakes are learning opportunities

7
Project Management

• Means to an end, not an end in itself
• Adapt methodologies that make sense
• Need to remain flexible, pragmatic
• Articulate vision carefully
• Iterative development
• Waterfall doesnt work
• Impossible to define all requirements
• Keep it simple

8
Vendor Management

• Important partners, but still earning money
• Put arguments in context of revenue
• Deadline-driven billing
• Clear escalation path for issues
• Disengage if not working
• Keep your lever ready
• Never pre-pay for anything

9
Communication

• Use consistent messaging
• Use multiple forums
• University governance structures
• Departmental meetings
• Staple to pay stubs
• Campus newspapers
• Email
• Cannot communicate too much

10
Beyond the Tangibles

• Trust your instincts
• Vendors are not always right
• Keep it simple
• Complex methodologies are difficult to use
  effectively