How to turn a supply chain implementation project into success

Filed in archive Point of view on March 26, 2008

Panorama Consulting is a small consulting firm which is focused on ERP advisory services. I don't know about their credentials but I was a point of view from their website and I found it quite relevant for SCM system implementation projects.

The question that they mention in their article is: What do you do if you are in the middle of a failed ERP implementation and want to fix it?

They believe if such things happen, it's better to refocus the project not as an IT but as a business process improvement project. The rationale is clear: Because people hate three letter words such as ERP, SCM, PLM, PRM, etc. in such situations.

They also recommend the clients to:

- Develop two-tiers of potential solutions: stop-gap / "quick fix" solutions and long-term solutions. Determine the costs and time required to implement each of the options.

- Prioritize your problem / solution combinations to arrive at the top 5-10 areas where you will realize the most immediate business impact at the lowest cost (low hanging fruit).

- Begin implementing these low-hanging fruit solutions. The goal should be to build organizational momentum and confidence with these "quick wins."

- Once you get some quick wins in place with the shorter-term solutions, begin prioritizing and implementing your long-term, more permanent fixes the same way you did with your short-term problems