If you are considering a new software system, the first step is deciding what to implement. The next step is selecting an implementation partner. Once you have chosen the right partner and drawn up a list of requirements, the next phase is to plan for change. This means using a structured approach that’s designed to manage change during deployment so that you can cut costs and drive long-term adoption of the new software.
Know what you want to achieve
- Know what you want to achieve. This is the most important step in any goal-oriented venture, and it’s especially true for a transformation. Before you start thinking about how to put new technology into your company, you should be clear about what success looks like in the first place. Ask yourself what outcomes would make this project worthwhile? For example: Are we looking at better performance metrics? Will that lead to happiness among employees? Will that make customers happier? In turn, what additional benefits could we get from increased revenue or retention rates or employee satisfaction?
- Set goals before starting on a solution. If you haven’t yet defined your goals clearly (see above), now is the time! Rather than jumping straight into choosing a tool or platform, spend some time identifying what problem(s) your new initiative will solve. Then set some tangible goals—like increasing sales by 30% within six months—and develop an actionable plan for achieving them. The more specific those goals are, the better prepared everyone will be when it comes time for execution (and celebration!).
Select an implementation partner
You’re ready to transform your company by deploying new technology. You might be thinking it’s time to hire some new developers and get started, but that could be a mistake. Before you begin working with outside resources, consider these three things:
- Select a partner that has experience in your industry and solution. For example, if you’re looking at deploying an HRIS system (software designed to manage employee data), make sure the integration partner has experience with other companies like yours in the same industry. A good partner will ensure that the product fits well into your organization’s existing systems and workflows; it also should have a track record of success—and support after go-live.
- Select a partner with proven methodology for implementing solutions such as yours in similar organizations; this way they know how best to implement their solution so it works seamlessly within your existing environment without any unnecessary customization or configuration work required on your part (which can cause headaches later).
- Choose a provider who will provide ongoing support after go-live; hiring this type of vendor ensures everything runs smoothly once implemented as well as provides answers when questions arise along the way.”
Use a structured approach that is designed to manage change
- Define the problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, first make sure you understand what it is that you’re trying to solve. Identify the underlying issues at hand and define them in terms of how they affect your business, employees, and customers.
- Create goals that are specific, measurable, achievable and realistic (SMARTER). Set smaller milestones within each goal so that you can track progress along the way—and celebrate success!
- Be ambitious but realistic with your timelines: 3-6 months seems like a long time but when we put things into perspective it isn’t long at all! What are some tangible transformation goals that could be achieved within this timeframe?
Get ready for data migration
Data migration is an essential part of transforming your company by deploying new technology. As such, it’s important to have a plan for data migration before you begin the journey.
Here are some things to consider when preparing for the move:
- Have a plan for ensuring high data quality. Your business needs accurate information in order to make sound decisions and deliver value to customers. Plan out how you’ll ensure quality with tools like data governance or data audit processes that keep tabs on what’s happening with your data throughout the transition process. Don’t forget about integrating old and new sources either!
- Have a plan for managing access rights during the transition period as well (and beyond). Make sure you’re ready with tools like Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) or Azure Active Directory B2C that can help secure access control across your organization while also giving users more flexibility than traditional methods like SAML SSO offer
Ensure that you have user acceptance testing (UAT)
- Ensure that you have user acceptance testing (UAT).
- User acceptance testing is a critical part of the implementation process. It’s a test of the system by the users. It should be done at multiple levels: from individual features to entire applications.
- Make sure that there is a formal process where users can express their opinions on how well they’re connecting with something new before it goes live, or after it has launched but hasn’t been formally adopted yet.
Train your users on the new system and prepare for go live
The final step in the implementation process is to train your users on the new system and prepare for go live. The training should be held at least a week before go live, allowing time for any questions or concerns to be addressed. Make sure that all users have been trained on their new responsibilities within the system, as well as how they can utilize their company’s existing tools with this new system in place.
The roll out plan should include key dates such as when training will begin and end, when you will move into production testing mode and when you expect to go live with your new software solution. You should also write down any issues or concerns that arise during training so that these can be addressed before going into production.
Monitor performance post go-live
When deploying a new technology, it’s critical to monitor the system to ensure that it’s working as intended. You can use this data to identify issues, such as bugs in software or data inconsistencies, so you can fix them before they impact your business.
Monitoring also allows you to track progress toward goals by measuring key metrics such as customer satisfaction scores or lead generation rates before and after implementing the new technology. This will provide insight into how well the initiative is performing compared with other initiatives within your organization and help you determine whether or not it’s worth continuing investing in this technology further down the road (i.e., if there are no measurable improvements).
It’s important that all stakeholders receive regular updates about these metrics so everyone has access to real-time information about what’s happening with their projects—and why certain decisions were made along the way—making them feel involved throughout every step of execution rather than just being told at the end what happened without knowing why things went wrong (or right).
A successful implementation
A successful implementation requires planning, and a structured implementation process can help you avoid issues during deployment, cut project costs and drive long-term adoption of the new software.
The first step in any successful project is proper planning. A well-defined roadmap includes an initial design of the new solution, user acceptance testing (UAT), training, piloting and go-live activities. It also outlines how to monitor performance so that you can make adjustments as needed before going live with your product or service at scale.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to implement new technology at your company, it’s important to plan ahead. This will help protect both employees and the success of the project itself. By taking these steps, you can ensure that everyone is prepared for their role in a successful deployment and get ready for an exciting future with your new software!