Tackling Roadblocks During IT Implementation

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Many IT implementation projects that organizations undertake get delayed. Some fail to meet the required objectives. No effort is made to identify the reasons behind the success or failure or delay of such engagements. This book unravels the rationale behind successful implementation as well as decodes the principle reasons for failure of IT projects. It covers detailed identification of key roadblocks faced during IT implementation projects. Consulting experience across a broad spectrum of industries is used to describe each of the roadblocks. The book has been written in four parts.

First part provides an introduction to the case on which the second part is based, along with the basic explanation of roadblocks and concerned parties.

In the second part, the book focuses on the case of a management institute along with relevant sample cases from various industries covering consulting, software and related IT/process implementation projects. These cases have been used to cite various roadblocks and the way they were addressed.

Third part has two case studies – one of a premier management institute for whom the ERP implementation was done and other of a Government organization for which a Personal Information System was implemented.

The fourth part provides an Ideal Implementation Model, which can be used as a base to implement any IT or consulting engagement across any industry. This part addresses key aspects like:

• Qualities of a good consultant
• How to constitute a consultant or development team
• Way a consultant can gain faith of the sponsor
• Issues related to implementation
• Sponsors should do to ensure a successful IT implementation and,
• He organizational change to ensure the same

This book is an attempt to unravel the rationale behind successful implementation as well as decode the principle reasons for failure of IT projects.

Characteristics & Attributes of a Process

Process Characteristics
Manageable
Measurable
Effective
Efficient
Triggered by a specific event


Process Attributes
Process will have following attributes:

• Goal (achieve a desired outcome)
• Activities
• People and/or machines
• Interaction between groups, people and/or machines

Process

Process
A process can be defined as a connected series of actions, activities, changes, etc. performed by agents with the intent of satisfying a purpose or achieving a goal.

A common misconception that people have about processes is that the processes are dependent on the tools. People from different quarters have put forth their concern related to the ‘dependency that process has on tools’ to me a number of times. Couple of them even argued to put forth their point. And this misconception existed even in the most experienced of the lots. On all these occasions it took quiet an effort from my side to make them understand that the processes are not dependent on the tools.

To put this misconception to rest I would repeat that Process is not dependent on tool. But on the contrary the tools are dependent on the processes. Tools acts as process enablers and they follow a certain defined process. A process can exist even without having a tool in place but a tool, whatever functionality it provides, will always be following a process.

Elements of a process:

• Process Agent: In order to deliver desired outputs reliably, process agents may include roles & responsibilities, tools, activities, procedures and work instruction.
• Process Enabler: Resources & capabilities required to perform the process.
• Process Control: Planning and regulating a process with the objective of performing the process in an effective and efficient way.

"What Is" And "What Is Not" A Process

Organizations do ‘things’ to achieve its objectives.

Example:

• Managing and handling IT support
• Handling procurement
• Designing new products and services
• Handling recruitment
  
• Others

‘Things’ are:

• Formed by logical and consistent set of organizational activities
• Focused on achieving a desired outcome
• Significantly large

Outcomes of the above example could be:

• Managing and ensuing that the issues/complaints are resolved within the defined time-lines (SLA) efficiently and cost effectively
• Getting the financial & technical details for an item required, identifying & finalizing the vendors, approval for procuring it, and finally procuring it from the selected vendor
• Identifying the new products and services for the market space, its key feature & customer requirements and designing the same
• Respond to the resource needs of the organization by identifying the candidates with right skill set, experience, capability and attitude

These ‘Things’ are processes.


Process is not

• Marketing and sales team
• Finance department
• HR department
• Procurement department
• Others

These are the organizational functions that contribute towards performing a process or an activity within a process.