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How
To Avoid PM Tool Implementation Failure
By Dennis Sommer (www.dennissommer.com)
Business and IT executives need to understand why enterprise
project management tools have failed in the past before
they move forward with a new EPM initiative. It’s
more a case of the organization’s need and culture
than the tools themselves.
There was a time, years ago, when very few organizations
thought of integrating project information into one view.
Back then, the organizations and IT departments were smaller
and fewer projects were in process at the same time. There
was no need for an enterprise project management solution
since there was always one person who knew everything
about every project going on in the company.
Today, your organization may have hundreds of small projects
going on simultaneously and the projects tend to move
quickly. It is impossible for one person to keep up to
date on all the projects, let alone make an important
enterprise decision based on this information.
Senior executives find the idea of seeing a real-time
“Dashboard” of project information very appealing.
Managers like the idea of analyzing a single database
of project information concerning staffing, schedule impacts,
and project impacts to the business like production, inventory,
costs, etc.
This “Enterprise Visibility” trend has the
project and process management vendors building enterprise
solutions. Every vendor today demonstrates how their solution
will provide executive management with a “Dashboard”
of project information.
So, why have these enterprise project management tool
implementations failed?
EPM Tools
are not able to meet everyone’s need within the
company
Executives, managers and project teams within
departments have different information needs. One tool
often does not provide the necessary data required by
each department and management level.
Many of the failed projects were sold to the executives
and then pushed down within the organization as the “project
management standard” that will be followed by everyone.
The concept of one standard, improving project efficiency,
reducing costs, and improving quality was the key selling
point. Unfortunately, the staff who actually perform the
work and generate the information were not consulted on
how this strategy would affect the distribution of project
information. Generally, project teams are productive only
when they have tools that are suited for their particular
purpose. Different industries, departments, and project
teams may require unique processes and data metrics to
be most efficient.
Solution 1: Improved
Software Evaluation
All levels of the organization must be involved
in the decision process. Before any tool can be discussed,
the business needs and requirements must be gathered from
the executive level down to the actual project teams using
the data and then across all departments and business
units within the organization. Each team should be represented
in the requirements gathering, scope definition, and evaluation
process. Tools evaluated by staff close to the actual
work are almost always better suited to select a tool
that will improve their productivity and ultimately improve
quality and reduce costs.
Solution
2: Vertical Market Specialties
Enterprise Project Management vendors are adjusting
their product strategies to counter these project failures.
All purpose, project management suite vendors find themselves
going back into specialized markets. We now find enterprise
packages that use best practices specializing in Automotive,
Construction, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Application Development,
etc. Solution options have now expanded, with the option
to have one enterprise vendor who handles many vertical
project management markets.
Summary
Therefore, are we going back to a Best of Breed
solution approach? The answers is, if one vendor can provide
an integrated solution that meets the different needs
of your vertical markets/departments, there are many advantages
to an integrated tool suite. If one vendor can not meet
your needs, it would be best to implement a best of breed
solution. For those organizations that require a single
“Executive Dashboard” and can not get this
through a Best of Breed solution set, this can be developed
using a Portal tool to consolidate information and distribute
throughout the organization.
At the end of the day, consolidated enterprise project
management information will add value to the organization.
Your approach to the product purchase and implementation
will determine if the project is successful.
About The Author
- Dennis Sommer
Dennis Sommer
is the founder and CEO of Executive Business Advisers,
a management consulting firm specializing in business
growth, sales and profit improvement. www.executivebusinessadvisers.com
Dennis helps companies increase sales revenue, reduce
sales and marketing costs, improve marketing ROI, and
drive new business growth by improving and optimizing
their sales, marketing, company strategy and financial
health.
Dennis is a highly sought after business keynote and seminar
speaker www.dennissommer.com
and author of several highly popular sales, marketing,
leadership and professional development international
articles and books www.advisersecrets.com
.
Contact Dennis at 800-627-6512.
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