Objective
Our client, an engineering consultancy, had recently selected a new billing and project management software system – Netsuite. The new software was to replace an unsuccessfully implemented replacement for an old, home-grown projects system. The original system was unstable, but it was universally loved by the directors and staff. The interim replacement was universally hated! Additionally, the cut-over to the interim system had been flawed, with the data transition being incomplete and containing inaccuracies.
Implementing the new billing and project management software would be a challenge. It needed to get business acceptance, as well as fix legacy take-on data from two systems.
They engaged us to assist the business with the implementation. Our primary aim was to assist with process alignment and change management within the business. They also included a secondary aim of providing a plan for completing an accurate data migration on cut-over. Finally, due to our prior contact with the vendor during the selection process, we were asked to fill an advisory role. This would assist the business with vendor follow-up and communications.
Solution Delivery
- We discussed options for a simple change plan to be used by the GM and Directors. The change plan was used to ensure that all staff were engaged in the “story” of the rollout and were aware of what would be occurring. In particular, the communications plan would be an important to tool to address concern regarding current pain points. We put key staff in place as “Process Champions”. They would be used continually throughout the project to be the sounding board for functionality and communications to their teams.
- We attended the initial workshops with the vendor and the business. Our goal was to make sure that all the key functionality required by the business was included. We also “translated” between the vendor and business where compromises had been reached.
- Unfortunately, there were immediate issues with the vendor through their lack of project communications. Curiously, they were billing our client but not doing the right work. We were able to use our alternative vendor contacts to force the communication. Eventually, we were able to push for a change to a more proactive vendor Project Manager.
- The full scoping and functional needs document was produced by the vendor after a couple of months. We assisted with an initial review to check the functionality described met needs. We discovered there were significant misunderstandings and assumptions made by the vendor. We then worked with the vendor and the business to realign the functionality back to meet the business needs.
- We attended all the critical functional presentation or verification sessions with the business and vendor. We leveraged this knowledge to help the GM develop a first-pass functional review session for identified key staff. Feedback from this process was then fed back into the project.
- We assisted the business with preparing end-user training documents, presenting the functional steps in a way that aligned with the staff perception of the business process.
- Throughout the project, a data analysis process occurred to determine the way in which data from the two legacy systems could be combined and brought into the new software system. A method was put together, in conjunction with the vendor, with data dealt with in defined categories. We also provided hands-on assistance with the cut-over process.
Achievements
- There were significant issues with the vendor throughout this project, which meant that constant delays and functional shifts occurred. We helped the business keep the project progressing and have the right information to pin down the vendor.
- Despite the late delivery of customised functionality, we worked with the business to ensure that they still had the right documentation and data scenarios to complete end user training with one hundred staff.
- While there were some challenges with the take-on of 35,000+ current and historical projects, the data came over accurately and balanced at the time of the cut-over, to the best of available knowledge.
- While the business did not make their initial desired cut-over date due to their vendor delays, we helped them push through the tasks to ensure they made their drop-dead date.
- The vendor only delivered key functionality the day before cut-over, by which stage the business still decided to progress. After many months of pain with dealing with the current vendor and unsuccessfully attempting to get them to rectify missing items, we identified a suitable contact at the software vendor, ensuring that the issues could be escalated and resolved.
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