History shows us that implementing enterprise software can be a hassle, especially in larger organizations. Most projects exceed initially estimated costs and completion dates. Even the best software solution company would admit that this has become commonplace in modern enterprise software projects. This article highlights the main reasons as to why enterprise software projects fail to be implemented in good time or within the initially proposed budget.
Unrealistic Timeline Estimates
Timelines are purely determined by the organization’s business processes and the amount of effort required to complete the project successfully. For instance, the purchase order approval process in a small company with a few employees will be short and straightforward whereas a larger enterprise would have a large number of employees and complex procedures with multi-level tiers for payment approval.
A simple implementation could turn out to be a complete opposite. Enterprise systems normally support hundreds of business processes, products can scale at a rapid pace hence resulting delaying implementation as a whole. Identifying and determining the organizational workflows that require the enterprise systems along with the effort required for project completion during the design phase of the project is vital in making a reasonable timeline estimation.
In order to prevent the underestimation of project timelines, ensure that the implementation team makes a realistic assessment of business processes. Requirements must be clearly set out at the beginning of the project. The goals must be communicated to the implementation partner during the planning phase. This will give your organization a clear idea about the direction you want to take, both the implementation team and your organization must be on the same page. Communication is key to avoiding delays and additional costs.
Extended Timelines and Extenuating Circumstances
Most enterprises, large or small would love to have their enterprise software operational as quickly as possible. The entire organization would look forward to the new system but you should know that instant results with such projects cannot be achieved. Pressuring or pushing the implementation partner to rush to the implementation phase is recipe for disaster.
The development company will usually do their best to stick to the project completion date. You should however, ensure that your staff provide all the necessary support to complete project objectives. Remember that software development requires cooperation from both parties, the customer and the developer. Unexpected delays are normal when it comes to developing software but ensure that there aren’t many repeated bottlenecks as this will significantly impact the project completion date and the budget.
In order to avoid too many delays, ensure that your organization’s team makes decisions within the deadlines provided in the project plan. Consider having backup staff for days where your regular staff are not available. In some instances, timeline slips may not be due to mistakes from your organization but rather the failure of your implementation partner. It is imperative that you conduct due diligence and research at the beginning of the project prior to choosing a software development company.
Change Requests that cause Scope Creep
Scope creep takes place when new changes are requested from the implementation partner, late change requests that were not discussed in the planning phase of the project. Companies with limited technical expertise are notorious for making many late change requests as they do not understand the constraints of software development. These changes will delay the project and result in excessive expenditure. A thorough planning phase reduces the chances of this taking place. It is vital that the software developer and the company purchasing the software agree on timeline, budget constraints, and change requests prior to project initiation.
In conclusion, a good way to control delays, project scope creep and excessive expenses would be to use a templated implementation methodology that reduces the decisions needed to get the software operational in your enterprise.
