How to Control ERP Implementation
ERP implementations can run out of time, exceed the budget, fail to deliver the desired results, and so on. It almost sounds like black hole thinking. Perhaps that’s why I increasingly see on LinkedIn that projects are being shared as live or completed after overcoming difficulties.
The Next Digitals emerged from a different perspective. We want to demonstrate something truly different in practice compared to established players. It’s time to share how we approach the ideal project methodology for an ERP implementation.
A Touch of Reality
I won’t lie— even our projects can unfold differently than intended. It’s not the customer’s fault, nor the technology, not the sales phase, and certainly not ours… it often involves the interplay of various factors. Based on the belief that the same project managed by different project managers can yield different results, the previously mentioned “black hole method” is one of the perspectives we use to efficiently kickstart a project.
In my view, the greatest challenge of an ERP implementation is that it’s inherently difficult to control. Let me illustrate this with a metaphor.
Imagine you’re having a house built. You agree on every detail of how it will be constructed. This works well because the expertise of the architect, the builder, and your own preferences are incorporated into the blueprints, materials, and detailed specifications. If you later decide you want an additional window in the garage, you either pay extra or you’re simply too late. The house is delivered, and from that moment on it’s up to you to furnish it, move in, and make adjustments.
Now consider an ERP implementation. It’s impossible to specify every detail of how it will be built. It’s simply too complex, not very visual, highly context-dependent, and the required expertise varies significantly. If you later request an additional functionality, the impact goes far beyond extra costs. And when the ERP is delivered, it still needs configuration, data migration, and further adjustments.
The key difference between these examples lies in what I call “communicability” and “if it were clothing, we would like to wear it right away.”
Keeping the Goal in Focus
For quite some time, we have taken a proactive approach after understanding our clients’ business objectives. An ERP system is ultimately just a tool—it exists to help achieve your core business goals. That bigger goal must remain the focus during the implementation project.
The most important document in our project is the one that defines this goal. By describing the desired outcome in roughly half an A4 page, we create clarity about what we are working towards. Anyone reading that document should immediately understand why the project exists and when it will be considered successful.
A project simply transforms the current situation into the desired situation.
Note: Methods like the Five Whys can help define the desired outcome more precisely. Vague terms like “more insight” or “future-proof” often act as a smokescreen and should be avoided. If you want to inspire a goal-oriented project team, use strong words—but make sure they are concrete.
Organize Differently
Finally, a proven way to prevent time and budget overruns is to organize planning differently. If we agree on how many days per week we work, which days we collaborate, and which team members are involved, we can execute the project within the desired timeframe.
The framework of the project will always exist, but the content inside that framework can change depending on the success of the earlier described approach. In other words: time and budget are no longer the variable—deliverables are.
I cannot determine in advance how much data, how many workflows, integrations, or reports we will be able to implement. That depends on the success of the collaboration within the team. What I do know is that during the weeks and days we dedicate as a team, we will focus on taking the right steps toward going live.
Going live, however, is not the moment when the work is finished. We know organizations that continue improving their ERP environment for years after going live, including elements that were already identified during the implementation phase. It requires an adventurous mindset—but it is also the most effective one.
By working this way, The Next Digitals increases the feasibility of the project and bridges the gap between implementation and support. Honestly, I no longer see the difference.
If you’d like to learn more about this approach, disagree with it, or want to discuss it further, feel free to leave a comment or contact me.
