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March 2004 - #2004-7
This week's article:
Ten reasons software installation projects fail
To improve your project success, avoid ten key reasons that cause projects to fail.
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IT Manager Institute update
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Ten reasons software installation projects fail
One of the best ways to improve on something is to understand what can cause it to fail. You can work thorough such an analysis with almost anything - people, processes, projects, etc.
In looking back on my career, some of my best learning experiences have occurred as a result of a failure. Although the failure was painful and frustrating, the lessons are invaluable because they help you grow and mature as a professional.
There is an old story about the senior IBM manager who was asked if he was going to fire the manager that just made a major mistake and cost the company a lot of money. His answer, "Of course not. Our company has just invested a million dollars in developing this manager."
No, neither of those managers was me.
There is a strong lesson here. Learn and improve from your mistakes.
Project failure usually means the project missed it's delivery date or exceeded the planned budget.
Software installation projects fail for many reasons. Most of the time, failure can be prevented, especially if you are aware of what to watch out for. Here are ten key reasons why many projects fail:
1. Failure to check references
One of the easiest things to do but is often bypassed is to check a software vendor's references. Ask for a complete list of references and talk to or visit several clients to validate what you are trying to accomplish is actually being done by someone.
Ask for clients that are actually using key features of the software that you have deemed important for your business. Too many times, new features are described to be part of the vendor's functionality but when you start implementing you find it works very different than how you thought it did. The client may also provide valuable insight that helps you in your efforts.
Take time to check critical feature/function and talk to clients about their implementation experience with the vendor. If there are problematic issues, learning about them before starting the installation is when you want to hear about them.
2. Unrealistic expectations
Often, operational units of the company are dead set on certain functionality and sometimes without even understanding what and how the feature actually works in an operational setting.
Another scenario is the concept that the new software will eliminate all of our old problems and make it all better.
A third situation exists when users want so much feature/function, they don't realize the amount of complexity they may be introducing into their work environment.
Take a close look at what the expectations for a new software program are and be sure the investment is made to fully understand the ramifications of these decisions.
3. Lack of planning
Counting on the vendor to handle the project is the same as the ostrich burying his head in the sand when trouble approaches. It doesn't work.
The IT department and the user departments must be fully involved in the project. Clear tasks should be developed with specific responsibilities, timeframes, and prerequisites.
To insure success, there should be a project leader on both the vendor side and from your company. Planning is a dynamic process, not an event. Once the project is planned and started, you have to focus on it consistently and adjust as needed to meet your stated objective.
4. Lack of testing
The quick way to install any software is to simply load the software, build the files, and "turn it on". That's also the quickest way to disaster. It may surprise you that this actually takes place in many companies.
Testing and validating your assumptions is a critical step at every juncture of the installation. You may need to:
- validate master file data
- balance and verify transaction data
- test certain features to validate configuration settings
- test certain operations to determine operational processes to use for
productivity and best practices in using the new software.
Test plans should be defined so you know that every aspect of the new program works like you think it should when you "go live".
5. Lack of committed resource
Lack of committed resources can occur at any stage of the project. It can occur from the vendor, from the User Departments, or even from your IT Department. It can also result from unforeseen circumstances such as illness, reassignment, etc. Losing a key resource can create a huge obstacle to the project.
When developing the project plan, be sure to work through the staffing plan for both critical skill and timing of when those skills are needed. There is usually some flexibility in a big project but watch this one closely.
The project manager needs to anticipate needs constantly to insure the project is getting the right resources at the appropriate time to keep the project on track.
6. Not establishing specific milestones
Large projects need to have specific deliverables that will be met at certain timeframes, I.e., milestones. Part of the reason you do this is to help the team realize the success being made but also to set a framework that helps you manage big bottlenecks and to get certain prerequisite steps completed that position you to move forward.
7. Unaware the project is getting off schedule
You can't be aware of everything taking place, or not taking place if you aren't having regular project status meetings. They don't need to be long drawn out affairs but you need to validate on a regular basis that people are getting the things done that they are assigned to get done. Otherwise, there is a high probability the project is getting off track and will not meet its due date.
8. Not anticipating the bottlenecks
Bottlenecks are everywhere. A good project manager knows how to sniff them out and to anticipate issues that may lead to potential bottlenecks. Eliminating one bottleneck leads to two others; great project managers are really good at this part.
9. Insufficient training
Training on how to use and manage a new software application is critical. In large complex applications. Configuration management is especially important because the setup can have all kinds of ramifications and can even cause a department to lose hundreds of hours of productivity or large amounts of data.
You should include your smartest and best people in the configuration setup and management training and limit it to just a few people. You must determine how business application decisions will be made and who will implement such changes when it means changing the setup files or certain data definitions of your master files.
Large companies will have data administrators that are accustomed to these issues, but small companies are often surprised by the amount of work, knowledge, and effort required to manage a new application.
10. Plan that is too aggressive
Strong project managers know to build in buffers that help them deliver a project on time. They know that things will happen and that you are going to need extra time at some juncture of the project.
Projects that are built with schedule and staffing that expects everything to go just as planned are doomed for failure from the start. Murphy's Law of "if it can go wrong, it will go wrong" was probably created by a project manager.
Summary
There are many other reasons that will cause a software implementation project to fail. Being on guard for these ten culprits for any type of project will help you improve your project successes.
Best of success.
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