Tag Archives: Project

Character Doctor Up grade Project Management within Positive Action

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Article by sturat jeff









Ms Makeup Guaranteed Phase is very useful tool to own challenging massive implementations, especially when the particular undertaking is classified because Organization (for big corporation together with perhaps multi international reputation and more than several areas). It’s also a good aid intended for Standard (where creating to order appraisal does not go over 150 a long time), in addition to Nimble (using anxiety in addition to advanced level regarding tailor made programming, wherever specifications can’t always be produced from the Analysis or even Evaluation stages). Nonetheless, in your opinion re-decorating important project management software application to organize intricate variation up grade, where by buyer will be rediscovering it’s Excellent Flatlands system, replenishes older custom remaking having ISV add-ons, implements fresh web template modules from the focused edition. We will review some details:

Just one. Improve Examination Conclusion Gas Offering. Simply click this switch to adopt consumers accelerator particulars. Within the resources, templates as well as links section for the uppr proper area, assessment this sort of papers as Up grade Assessment with regard to Ms Characteristics Doctor The year 2010, Technological know-how Needs (connection to Spouse Origin), Assistance Pack Produces. Wide open Update Analysis Concept document. It truly is able to be provided with on your project management software team to look on-site and also do check number discovery session, it addresses these issues, as Latest Technique which consists of type, modified type in addition to accounts, customizations, set of the firms (a lot of them may very well be famous so you do not require them in the future model), organizing cross over in order to SSRS reports, Word Web templates (as opposed to old fashioned Statement Article writer revised studies). Machine Introduction section strolls you through these kinds of important check-lists because OS system (which include favorite talk with regards to 64 versus Thirty two touch Microsoft windows Server), SQL model. You can find complex SQL Pieces of software, enabling you to acquire DB room prerequisites (if your Fantastic Flatlands what food was in employ for decade or higher, the dimensions of the organization database might be enormous, and it is crucial that you obtain it resolved within the brand new hosting server requirements opinion). With type Twelve.3 the protection design ended up being improved, plus the doc guides you thru the list of questions upon security upgrade systems. You will find the section with regards to licensing to the latest version, extra features instruction needs, and more

Only two. Specialized Update Venture Things to do. Click Improve project variety within the Sure Move central cell and also there after the top this opened style, click on Complex Upgrade Task Things to do, this certainly will open up Visio Flowchart with Internet Browser. Here update undertaking is demonstrated in normal routines each just about every step: Research, Style, Improvement, Deployment along with Operations. For instance Development period needs to have: Upgrade Program Quests, ISV Options (if perhaps relevant), Customizations, Carryout Assessment

3. Normal Project management software with Confident Stage. If your specifications with the task or maybe your current self-discipline while project management oriented guide assist you to proceed more mls and speed up your Update initiatives in the Guaranteed Step, most of us propose someone to put in this system (it is down-loadable by Companion Resource in ‘microsoft’ Business Solutions site), most likely make education school (or even on the internet instruction), and consider obtaining licensed throughout Guaranteed Move regarding Milliseconds Character. Throughout SS teaching you need these kinds of expertise because basic Project Management theory (using this kind of equipment failures as Threat, Breadth, Matter, Period & Expense, Resource, Connection, Top quality, Purchase and purchasers supervision)

5. Combined Upgrade Undertaking Makeup GP along with Customer relationship management. Microsoft Customer relationship management can be purchased Globally as well as its protection within Positive Step can be quite detailed (as well as Makeup AX, exterior or even the breadth with this paper). Milliseconds Customer relationship management is commonly deployed in your corporate and business head office machine generating open to your worldwide places of work via browser (it will require Microsof company Internet Explorer). There exists very good insurance policy coverage with Ms Mechanics Customer relationship management market being compatible in addition to Proof Notion

5 various. A few words and phrases in Fantastic Flatlands intercontinental upgrade assignments. When Good Plains ended up being handled through Good Plains Software, before the item currently being acquired by Microsoft, Doctor ended up being broadening World Wide, which includes mark vii European union (Portugal, Malaysia, Russia, Poland), Midst Eastern (Persia Planet, English language focused Africa international locations). While Gps device was obtained through Microsof company, the Microsof company Excellent Flatlands Enterprise Answers subdivision ended up being created in the corporation to own Business ERP software development along with contacting organization. Character Doctor SL (ex- Solomon) has been section of the buy, seeing that Gps device received Solomon Computer software annually previous to. Microsof company, nevertheless carried on it is buy action and it obtained Navision Computer software (Denmark centered ERP builder), which in turn extra this sort of completely new Business ERP purposes because Navision (today Dynamics NAV) and also Axapta (at this point Mechanics AX) towards MBS the queen’s. Brazilian along with Mechanics GP was really a sad tale, since we seemed to be engaged to be able to localize Fantastic Flatlands model 7.5 intended for B razil ERP current market. All-around 2008 Microsof company altered the thoughts toward Navision as well as all around late ’06 in addition to earlier 3 years ago AX was at the particular Microsof company pr announcements inside Sao Paolo as well as Brazilian Corporate ERP marketplace

Half-dozen. Doctor inside Se Japan. The following Makeup Doctor should esteem the fact, that will Asian (with hieroglyphs, or even UNICODE up to date personas) is actually favorite, even so British terminology could nevertheless be principal in your working put in place Malaysia, Belgium, Singapore, Philippines, Honking, Taiwan

6. Oceania, Sydney, Completely new Zealand, Nigeria, British isles, Spanish Speaking Latina The usa along with Carribbean. Below Fantastic Plains enhance challenge needs to be accessible. Make sure you, call as well as mail us all with regard to details and we will contact Milliseconds Business Methods to offer your own localization determination position

Eight. Focused type within the improve project. Once we tend to be producing these lines with Goal 2011, the current model can be 2010/11.3, this also is when we wish to enhance for you to

Hunting for. Character Doctor as opposed to AX notices. Former Axapta is apparently more robust in such industrial sectors seeing that Process Creation (mining, meat or even food items processing, that you can not guarantee the level of conclusion merchandise within pounds or perhaps lbs), and still provide Archipelago Operations. There are various selections for equally AX in addition to Doctor in the community associated with Stockroom Management Technique, Barcoding, RFID



About the Author

james is professional content writer he has served a lot of time to search different IT certifiaction and many others hot certification so know more about it see his articles

Jeff has got numerous Information Technology Certification . Jeff has written many articles in different IT certification as well as he has a vast experience in IT industry.In this article Jeff guide the students that how they can pass the exams and how can they get the certification for the latest knowledge this certification exam students click at MB2-866 or visit its MB2-867 its better for your bright future and will helpful to attain the IT certification for more information touch with Jeff.










Avoiding the Hamster Syndrome: 10 Rules to Ensure Steady Progress on Your BPM Project

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Article by Laurel Sanders









In his well-known book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” which is regarded for its timeless insights, Robert Fulghum reviewed some basic lessons of life we all learned as children that are universally true, even at the places where we work and within our social interactions. There’s a reason we invest a good portion of our educational funds in early learning: what we absorb and come to believe during our formative years influences our thoughts and decisions throughout our lives. If you haven’t thought about each of the ten timeless truths listed below in terms of your business process automation goals, it may be time to rethink your ECM strategy. The payoff for ‘getting it right the first time’ is significant.

Here they are, rephrased a bit to help you make the connection:

1. Remember that everything dies. Hamsters, mice, people, and even company projects have limited life spans. Routine business processes, too, ultimately outgrow or outlive their usefulness. Take time to put everything in perspective. What are your company goals? Are your processes still relevant and in line with your vision? Are there processes you maintain purely because things have ‘always’ been done a certain way? Is anything ripe for change?

2. Be prepared. Remember the first day of kindergarten? Probably not, but chances are good that you carried a backpack or bag with everything you needed to address the routine challenges of the day. If you’re investing in technology, give yourself and your staff the time and resources they need to be prepared. You can’t expect miracles from even the best software and hardware. However, if you give your people sufficient time for analysis, planning, and improvement, ECM technology can produce phenomenal results.

3. Play fair. Be considerate. Even if you’re starting with a small project, keep the company’s enterprise goals and other departments’ needs in mind. Although you need to remain dedicated to your own vision, being selfish about your needs, simply refusing to make your project transparent, insisting on your own way of doing things, and similar self-centered practices will hurt your company in the long run. You’ll also miss great ideas for improvement that others could offer. You may have terrific ideas and plans, but someone else’s contributions might help them to prosper more fully.

4. Share everything. Okay… you can’t share a lot of your information because of privacy laws, and some things are better if they’re left unshared. However, you can (and should) share goals and resources everywhere it makes sense. BPM gives you an unmatched opportunity to consider all of the places the valuable data you collect has meaning within your business. Think ‘enterprise’—even if you’re focused on improving a single department or business area. Sharing ideas will help you to develop a broader vision and eliminate the likelihood of having to re-do work later.

5. Look. Open your eyes so you can see your company and its daily business operations for what they are. Recognize your company’s (or department’s) strengths and build on them. Also be willing to admit weaknesses and improve upon them. Look at the resources you have available to support both.

6. Don’t hit people. Putting the blame on others for documents and processes that could be improved won’t advance your game. The tools and procedures your company has now probably were the best solution at one time. Accept the past as past, then concentrate on making meaningful change and improvement for the future. Don’t focus on what could or should have been done. It’s a time waster.

7. Clean up your own mess. …and likewise, give people a chance to clean up theirs. Meaningful process improvement only happens when people at every level have a stake in it. Chances are—unless you’re a one-person shop—those who are involved in the details of everyday routine processing know some things you don’t (and vice versa). Drill down through each process from the top (starting with the broader picture). Then, improve each process from the bottom (starting with the nitty-gritty details). Make sure tactful candor is part of the improvement process every step of the way, starting with your own potential for change.

8. Hold hands and stick together. Make sure your business and IT goals are closely aligned. IT staff needs to understand the business goals of your project. Likewise, business leaders need to understand and accept infrastructure and resource limitations. It helps to remember that you’re all working toward the same goal. Once everyone understands that, make sure you do it!

9. Be aware of wonder. Transitioning from one method to another way of doing things is no small achievement. Change can be painful as staff struggle to satisfy relentless service demands while learning to handle everything using new tools and processes, even if they’re straightforward and simple. If your goals are clear and realistic, and proper training and support are provided to help people to succeed, you should see the results you anticipated when you defined the scope of your project. Communicate your goals clearly and often. Provide needed training and encouragement. Recognize and praise progress. A few genuine and well-placed words will spur continued achievement.

10. Lead a balanced life. Process improvement never ends. Don’t try to turn your company inside out all at once. Although each of your projects should fit into a larger corporate vision, tackle BPM projects one at a time, focusing on the areas that urgently demand change or that promise the greatest reward for improvement. Goals can be ambitious, but they should also be realistic and achievable on a reasonable timeline. It’s better to accomplish less and do it well than to take on too much and get half-baked results. Success is a great motivator. Set ambitious goals that can be achieved, and you’ll be amazed at the staff motivation that follows.

…and last—but not least—walk, don’t run. Just as stalling and distraction can lead to the premature death of your project, running ahead without investing time in analysis and planning results in hours spent later fixing mistakes. Running full steam ahead without clear goals and plans quickly leads you nowhere. Remember the hamster? Make sure your ‘run’ for process improvement has a greater purpose and a longer life than him!



About the Author

Laurel Sanders joined Optical Image Technology as the Director of Marketing in August, 2004 and was named Director of PR and Communications in January of 2008. Business articles by Laurel have been featured regularly in imageSource, Office World News, TAWPI’s today, document, and ECM Connection. http://www.docfinity.com










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Avoiding the Hamster Syndrome: 10 Rules to Ensure Steady Progress on Your BPM Project

Posted on by
Reply

In his well-known book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” which is regarded for its timeless insights, Robert Fulghum reviewed some basic lessons of life we all learned as children that are universally true, even at the places where we work and within our social interactions. There’s a reason we invest a good portion of our educational funds in early learning: what we absorb and come to believe during our formative years influences our thoughts and decisions throughout our lives. If you haven’t thought about each of the ten timeless truths listed below in terms of your business process automation goals, it may be time to rethink your ECM strategy. The payoff for ‘getting it right the first time’ is significant.

Here they are, rephrased a bit to help you make the connection:

Remember that everything dies. Hamsters, mice, people, and even company projects have limited life spans. Routine business processes, too, ultimately outgrow or outlive their usefulness. Take time to put everything in perspective. What are your company goals? Are your processes still relevant and in line with your vision? Are there processes you maintain purely because things have ‘always’ been done a certain way? Is anything ripe for change?
Be prepared. Remember the first day of kindergarten? Probably not, but chances are good that you carried a backpack or bag with everything you needed to address the routine challenges of the day. If you’re investing in technology, give yourself and your staff the time and resources they need to be prepared. You can’t expect miracles from even the best software and hardware. However, if you give your people sufficient time for analysis, planning, and improvement, ECM technology can produce phenomenal results.
Play fair. Be considerate. Even if you’re starting with a small project, keep the company’s enterprise goals and other departments’ needs in mind. Although you need to remain dedicated to your own vision, being selfish about your needs, simply refusing to make your project transparent, insisting on your own way of doing things, and similar self-centered practices will hurt your company in the long run. You’ll also miss great ideas for improvement that others could offer. You may have terrific ideas and plans, but someone else’s contributions might help them to prosper more fully.
Share everything. Okay… you can’t share a lot of your information because of privacy laws, and some things are better if they’re left unshared. However, you can (and should) share goals and resources everywhere it makes sense. BPM gives you an unmatched opportunity to consider all of the places the valuable data you collect has meaning within your business. Think ‘enterprise’—even if you’re focused on improving a single department or business area. Sharing ideas will help you to develop a broader vision and eliminate the likelihood of having to re-do work later.
Look. Open your eyes so you can see your company and its daily business operations for what they are. Recognize your company’s (or department’s) strengths and build on them. Also be willing to admit weaknesses and improve upon them. Look at the resources you have available to support both.
Don’t hit people. Putting the blame on others for documents and processes that could be improved won’t advance your game. The tools and procedures your company has now probably were the best solution at one time. Accept the past as past, then concentrate on making meaningful change and improvement for the future. Don’t focus on what could or should have been done. It’s a time waster.
Clean up your own mess. …and likewise, give people a chance to clean up theirs. Meaningful process improvement only happens when people at every level have a stake in it. Chances are—unless you’re a one-person shop—those who are involved in the details of everyday routine processing know some things you don’t (and vice versa). Drill down through each process from the top (starting with the broader picture). Then, improve each process from the bottom (starting with the nitty-gritty details). Make sure tactful candor is part of the improvement process every step of the way, starting with your own potential for change.
Hold hands and stick together. Make sure your business and IT goals are closely aligned. IT staff needs to understand the business goals of your project. Likewise, business leaders need to understand and accept infrastructure and resource limitations. It helps to remember that you’re all working toward the same goal. Once everyone understands that, make sure you do it!
Be aware of wonder. Transitioning from one method to another way of doing things is no small achievement. Change can be painful as staff struggle to satisfy relentless service demands while learning to handle everything using new tools and processes, even if they’re straightforward and simple. If your goals are clear and realistic, and proper training and support are provided to help people to succeed, you should see the results you anticipated when you defined the scope of your project. Communicate your goals clearly and often. Provide needed training and encouragement. Recognize and praise progress. A few genuine and well-placed words will spur continued achievement.
Lead a balanced life. Process improvement never ends. Don’t try to turn your company inside out all at once. Although each of your projects should fit into a larger corporate vision, tackle BPM projects one at a time, focusing on the areas that urgently demand change or that promise the greatest reward for improvement. Goals can be ambitious, but they should also be realistic and achievable on a reasonable timeline. It’s better to accomplish less and do it well than to take on too much and get half-baked results. Success is a great motivator. Set ambitious goals that can be achieved, and you’ll be amazed at the staff motivation that follows.

…and last—but not least—walk, don’t run. Just as stalling and distraction can lead to the premature death of your project, running ahead without investing time in analysis and planning results in hours spent later fixing mistakes. Running full steam ahead without clear goals and plans quickly leads you nowhere. Remember the hamster? Make sure your ‘run’ for process improvement has a greater purpose and a longer life than him!

Laurel Sanders joined Optical Image Technology as the Director of Marketing in August, 2004 and was named Director of PR and Communications in January of 2008.  Business articles by Laurel have been featured regularly in imageSource, Office World News, TAWPI’s today, document, and ECM Connection.


Article from articlesbase.com

How to Overcome the Top Ten Challenges in ECM Project Management

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Article by Jim Thumma









Nothing worthwhile comes easily. It’s especially true in business, whether you’re targeting a new market segment, relocating, or releasing a product. Such changes require careful research, surveying those who will be affected, then creating and following a detailed plan. Since your documents and their content are among the most important tools you have to run your business, why would you embark on enterprise content management (ECM) without a clear blueprint and the resources necessary to succeed?

Project management is one of the most decisive factors in ECM success. Regardless of who is leading the charge – your vendor, IT manager, or a project champion hired to fill the role – decision makers too often give lip service to project management. Eager to see results, but unwilling to spend time and money for careful analysis, planning, implementation and testing, their haste typically leads to disappointing outcomes.

Project managers (PM) possess enormous responsibility. They must be intelligent, driven, diligent, meticulous about details, and outstanding communicators. It’s a tall order. Yet if your company’s ECM blueprints reflect your needs, you place a strong PM at the helm, and you understand common pitfalls, there’s no reason to fail.

ECM traps to avoid:1. Budgeting inadequately

The outlay for ECM technology is typically insignificant compared to the human resources needed to succeed. If you expect results, you must budget adequately for planning, consulting, designing, testing, implementing, training, evaluating, and improvement. In addition to hardware, software, and consulting services, your total cost of ownership projections (TCO) should include:

infrastructure upgrades required for optimal performance; professional services fees for customization and systems integration; staff resources to create configuration plans, indexing schemes, process designs, test plans, and anything specific to your implementation; temporary staffing for initial scanning, back-file conversion, and file indexing so employees can remain focused on customers; and ongoing training expenses. It’s better to start with a small project and to do it correctly than to take on a larger project with inadequate funding or human resources.

2. Failing to see things through from start to finish

A slow ECM implementation can send a welldesigned project to the graveyard of irrelevancy. Although ECM plans should be flexible enough to accommodate unanticipated obstacles, you shouldn’t alter the scope of a budgeted project. If goals constantly change or become elusive, the implementation will take too long and the business needs probably will have changed by the time the solution is in place. Create a detailed plan and stick to it. Morale will plummet if the project is too hard to pin down, too ambitious to be accomplished, or delivers disappointing results.

3. Dropping the ball

Solid project management plans have clear objectives; strategies and timelines for fulfillment; measurement tools; communication plans to make sure each tactic is executed on time, on task, and on budget; and agreed-upon recourse if the vendor or client fail to meet timelines or commitments. Problems occur when assumptions are made, plans aren’t followed, or there is insufficient follow-up. Stand firmly behind your project. Demand the same precision and accountability from yourself as you expect from your project manager. Be clear, concise, consistent and available to ensure questions are answered as they arise and to make sure messaging is consistent.

4. Staffing inadequately

Changing marketplace conditions, demanding customers, and miscommunications ignite business fires that need immediate attention. Yet if your PM constantly faces challenges that take priority over your ECM project, s/he will struggle to bring your project to fruition. You know what challenges typically interrupt your daily business. Plan accordingly. Put extra resources in place so your PM can focus on your ECM implementation.

5. Interrupting with 1001 questions

Although accountability is critical in any ECM project, interrogating your PM constantly can jeopardize progress. Ask thorough questions during the planning phase and build accountability measures into your plan. Establish periodic meetings for progress review. Between meetings, let your PM concentrate uninterrupted on the next objective.

6. Cutting corners that compromise the solution’s performance

It’s better to plan a smaller project, implement it thoroughly, and realize the full benefit than to cut corners on an overly ambitious project and get mediocre results. Conduct a thorough document analysis, create logical indexing schemes, study existing processes for potential streamlining and improvement, and re-design processes for automation. The care you take now will be reflected in the results. If extra time is needed for re-examination or more thorough testing, honor the request. Reworking plans after implementation is costly, resulting in inefficient processes that demand correction, additional training, and damaged morale.

7. Poor communication

Whether you’re planning a single, departmental implementation or engaging in an enterprise-wide rollout, involve every department from the start to maximize the benefit to the enterprise. Document content, security rules, and processing styles often differ among departments, yet usually some content can be shared and common needs can be uniformly addressed. Inefficiencies arise when too many chiefs struggle to control a project or are unwilling to invest in the communication that’s needed to address organizational inefficiencies. Opportunities must be provided for crossdepartmental communication, and expected outcomes must be clear. It’s the only way to avoid inevitable data silos that obstruct true efficiency.

8. Insufficient training

Even superior ECM technology won’t perform well unless you provide adequate training. Most of us miss opportunities for efficiency when we use common applications such as MicroSoft Office or email software because we aren’t aware of 95% of their potential. ECM implementations are similar. Yet with the prospect of cutting costs, improving service, and competing more effectively in the marketplace, why would you sacrifice 95% – or even 25% – of ECM capabilities by investing too little in training?

Workers change companies and positions frequently, so expect ECM training to be an ongoing expense. As employees watch their productivity increase and experience success, they’ll take greater ownership in improving company outcomes.

9. Inadequate testing

The value of thorough testing and training can’t be overemphasized. It’s far less expensive and time-consuming to discover configuration errors, processing design flaws, or system bottlenecks during testing than after a solution is in place. Even if it means you will miss your target implementation date by a few days, take time to test everything thoroughly. You’ll lessen your project cost by discovering and fixing weaknesses proactively and your staff will see positive results more quickly.

10. Insufficient backup and disaster recovery planning

Efficient information access is the most common driver for digital storage and process automation. Ensuring 100% access to your data at all times – even in catastrophic circumstances – is vital. This unique benefit of electronic access is only foolproof, however, when backups and disaster recovery plans are in place.

Understand the value hierarchy of your business information so critical content can be scheduled for immediate restoration when disaster strikes. Include backups and disaster recovery in your plans, and give your PM support and time to ensure they are tested thoroughly. Don’t let hurricanes, pandemics, brownouts, employee turnover, and other major events threaten your business operations. Be prepared so your business can continue without interruption, no matter what happens.

SummaryManaging an ECM implementation properly is a major undertaking, and a determining factor in ECM success. With executive support, thorough planning, comprehensive budgeting, a strong PM, and transparent communication every step of the way, you have every reason to succeed.



About the Author

Jim Thumma has over 20 years of experience working with industries that use document management software and has leveraged that experience to help businesses and organizations advance not only their technology, but their processes and, ultimately, to be more successful. Thumma is a frequent presenter and has authored numerous articles that can be read in Integrated Solutions magazine, ECM Connection, document, TEQ magazine, and other industry publications.










How to Overcome the Top Ten Challenges in ECM Project Management

Posted on by
Reply

Nothing worthwhile comes easily. It’s especially true in business, whether you’re targeting a new market segment, relocating, or releasing a product. Such changes require careful research, surveying those who will be affected, then creating and following a detailed plan. Since your documents and their content are among the most important tools you have to run your business, why would you embark on enterprise content management (ECM) without a clear blueprint and the resources necessary to succeed?

Project management is one of the most decisive factors in ECM success. Regardless of who is leading the charge – your vendor, IT manager, or a project champion hired to fill the role – decision makers too often give lip service to project management. Eager to see results, but unwilling to spend time and money for careful analysis, planning, implementation and testing, their haste typically leads to disappointing outcomes.

Project managers (PM) possess enormous responsibility. They must be intelligent, driven, diligent, meticulous about details, and outstanding communicators. It’s a tall order. Yet if your company’s ECM blueprints reflect your needs, you place a strong PM at the helm, and you understand common pitfalls, there’s no reason to fail.

ECM traps to avoid:

1. Budgeting inadequately

The outlay for ECM technology is typically insignificant compared to the human resources needed to succeed. If you expect results, you must budget adequately for planning, consulting, designing, testing, implementing, training, evaluating, and improvement. In addition to hardware, software, and consulting services, your total cost of ownership projections (TCO) should include:

infrastructure upgrades required for optimal performance;
professional services fees for customization and systems integration;
staff resources to create configuration plans, indexing schemes, process designs, test plans, and anything specific to your implementation;
temporary staffing for initial scanning, back-file conversion, and file indexing so employees can remain focused on customers; and
ongoing training expenses.

It’s better to start with a small project and to do it correctly than to take on a larger project with inadequate funding or human resources.

2. Failing to see things through from start to finish

A slow ECM implementation can send a welldesigned project to the graveyard of irrelevancy. Although ECM plans should be flexible enough to accommodate unanticipated obstacles, you shouldn’t alter the scope of a budgeted project. If goals constantly change or become elusive, the implementation will take too long and the business needs probably will have changed by the time the solution is in place. Create a detailed plan and stick to it. Morale will plummet if the project is too hard to pin down, too ambitious to be accomplished, or delivers disappointing results.

3. Dropping the ball

Solid project management plans have clear objectives; strategies and timelines for fulfillment; measurement tools; communication plans to make sure each tactic is executed on time, on task, and on budget; and agreed-upon recourse if the vendor or client fail to meet timelines or commitments. Problems occur when assumptions are made, plans aren’t followed, or there is insufficient follow-up. Stand firmly behind your project. Demand the same precision and accountability from yourself as you expect from your project manager. Be clear, concise, consistent and available to ensure questions are answered as they arise and to make sure messaging is consistent.

4. Staffing inadequately

Changing marketplace conditions, demanding customers, and miscommunications ignite business fires that need immediate attention. Yet if your PM constantly faces challenges that take priority over your ECM project, s/he will struggle to bring your project to fruition. You know what challenges typically interrupt your daily business. Plan accordingly. Put extra resources in place so your PM can focus on your ECM implementation.

5. Interrupting with 1001 questions

Although accountability is critical in any ECM project, interrogating your PM constantly can jeopardize progress. Ask thorough questions during the planning phase and build accountability measures into your plan. Establish periodic meetings for progress review. Between meetings, let your PM concentrate uninterrupted on the next objective.

6. Cutting corners that compromise the solution’s performance

It’s better to plan a smaller project, implement it thoroughly, and realize the full benefit than to cut corners on an overly ambitious project and get mediocre results. Conduct a thorough document analysis, create logical indexing schemes, study existing processes for potential streamlining and improvement, and re-design processes for automation. The care you take now will be reflected in the results. If extra time is needed for re-examination or more thorough testing, honor the request. Reworking plans after implementation is costly, resulting in inefficient processes that demand correction, additional training, and damaged morale.

7. Poor communication

Whether you’re planning a single, departmental implementation or engaging in an enterprise-wide rollout, involve every department from the start to maximize the benefit to the enterprise. Document content, security rules, and processing styles often differ among departments, yet usually some content can be shared and common needs can be uniformly addressed. Inefficiencies arise when too many chiefs struggle to control a project or are unwilling to invest in the communication that’s needed to address organizational inefficiencies. Opportunities must be provided for crossdepartmental communication, and expected outcomes must be clear. It’s the only way to avoid inevitable data silos that obstruct true efficiency.

8. Insufficient training

Even superior ECM technology won’t perform well unless you provide adequate training. Most of us miss opportunities for efficiency when we use common applications such as MicroSoft Office or email software because we aren’t aware of 95% of their potential. ECM implementations are similar. Yet with the prospect of cutting costs, improving service, and competing more effectively in the marketplace, why would you sacrifice 95% – or even 25% – of ECM capabilities by investing too little in training?

Workers change companies and positions frequently, so expect ECM training to be an ongoing expense. As employees watch their productivity increase and experience success, they’ll take greater ownership in improving company outcomes.

9. Inadequate testing

The value of thorough testing and training can’t be overemphasized. It’s far less expensive and time-consuming to discover configuration errors, processing design flaws, or system bottlenecks during testing than after a solution is in place. Even if it means you will miss your target implementation date by a few days, take time to test everything thoroughly. You’ll lessen your project cost by discovering and fixing weaknesses proactively and your staff will see positive results more quickly.

10. Insufficient backup and disaster recovery planning

Efficient information access is the most common driver for digital storage and process automation. Ensuring 100% access to your data at all times – even in catastrophic circumstances – is vital. This unique benefit of electronic access is only foolproof, however, when backups and disaster recovery plans are in place.

Understand the value hierarchy of your business information so critical content can be scheduled for immediate restoration when disaster strikes. Include backups and disaster recovery in your plans, and give your PM support and time to ensure they are tested thoroughly. Don’t let hurricanes, pandemics, brownouts, employee turnover, and other major events threaten your business operations. Be prepared so your business can continue without interruption, no matter what happens.

Summary

Managing an ECM implementation properly is a major undertaking, and a determining factor in ECM success. With executive support, thorough planning, comprehensive budgeting, a strong PM, and transparent communication every step of the way, you have every reason to succeed.

Optical Image Technology offers an integrated suite of imaging, document management, and workflow software, including document archiving, lifecycle management, electronic forms, and email management products. To learn more about our products and services visit our website at www.docfinity.com, email info@docfinity.com, or call us at 800-678-3241.

Jim Thumma has over 20 years of experience working with industries that use document management software and has leveraged that experience to help businesses and organizations advance not only their technology, but their processes and, ultimately, to be more successful. Thumma is a frequent presenter and has authored numerous articles that can be read in Integrated Solutions magazine, ECM Connection, imageSource, document, TEQ magazine, and other industry publications.


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