In the second of a series of posts by Mark Cooper, CEO of PM Eleven, we will outline what we believe are the essential guidelines for an Ellipse to SAP migration. Using our (PM Eleven team) extensive experience in SAP projects over more than 25 years, we will expose the key lessons learned for application to any Ellipse to SAP conversion.
…. Don’t risk the operation!
Select the organisations & people who best align with your values & goals
In Part 1, we ensured the mandate for change was built on solid foundations.
Assuming you have a mandate for change and engagement of the leaders of the business, then who you place on the starting line as your “Runners” is a pre-race requirement (including System Implementor, Data Conversion team, Training team, Change team, Business Representatives, etc).
You have to imagine all of those parts running together so that they ALL hit the finish line at the same time. They are tied together (irrespective of whether they like each other of not!).
Tip #1
Select your best business people as SME’s. Do not fall for the trap of taking anyone from the business for your project, especially taking someone that is not wanted by their team already.
You will need to target the best business people for the project. The key criteria are that they (irrespective of their position in the company) are “leaders” in their respective discipline, irrespective of their position in the organisational hierarchy.
In other words, to create a successful team, ask your General Managers “who can’t you afford to release?”, as that person is often the only choice!
The person may be junior or senior in their position in the organisation, it does not matter.
Typically, the person holds everyone’s respect and is often the “go-to” person for anything related to systems, processes, moral support or clear-thinking in a crisis. He/she is your person!
Tip #2
Find the person in your SI who will “own” the delivery.
I hate to say it, but some SI’s are masters during at the pre-sales performance but offer little in terms of project delivery ownership.
In fact, many do not have a briefing process between the sales and delivery teams.
Don’t get me wrong, they have incredibly qualified delivery specialists, but if the delivery teams are sceptical about what has been promised, then the outcome is compromised.
Recognise this early, and if concerned, invest in “Independent Advice” to sit on your side of the fence!
People who have done it before yet are not aligned with any provider.
An independent advisory / QA / review service on your high pay-back areas (like Maintenance, Materials or Finance) can secure success in your systems implementation and business improvement initiatives.
Final Thoughts
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