The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many institutions to advance their digital transformation plans. According to the latest CIO Outlook Report that surveyed CIOs on the most pressing issues, 77.3% of respondents rated digital transformation as the top priority for 2021. An important part of any deployment project, however, happens before implementation even begins. Getting stakeholders aligned on the project prior to kick off is key to a smooth deployment and successful go-live.
Deploying new software is and of itself transformative, but digital transformation projects are more than the software. A key contributor to success is developing leadership buy-in. Leaders set the tone for any digital transformation, and help in the reimagining of new processes as your organization grows with its new system, especially when deploying an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution.
ERP solutions bring together finance, HR, and planning in a single system that evolves with the business. As more organizations embrace true cloud, unified SaaS software system for finance, human capital management (HCM), planning, professional services automation, project management, and analytics and business intelligence, the upfront work is critical to ensure current needs are met and that the technology can grow with the organization for the future.
Developing a plan for what your ERP will do for your organization and aligning business goals is an important part of transformation. Recognizing your organization’s readiness for the cloud will improve both the selection of new software and the deployment processes to keep things running smoothly across the project life cycle.
Another key element in the planning phase is change management. New systems require the workforce to do something different, including following new processes or procedures. Consider implementing change management strategies as early as possible in the deployment process, and start with the end in mind. Change management strategies built on Prosci® research, data, and concepts can help employees adopt new software, feel involved in the project, and the success of your project.
With all transformation initiatives, the work done before a kickoff can make a significant difference in the overall outcome. By planning ahead, getting buy-in from stakeholders, and involving employees through change management strategies, ERP projects can be on the road to success and keeping your organization on a path toward modernization.