When looking into an IWMS, most companies focus mainly on technology -- spending hours on demos and showing functionality. Basically, companies want to "touch" the software and get a "feel" for what it will be like. Unfortunately, the technology is only 20% of the implementation. Time and energy are focused solely on this 20%, while the remaining 80% go untouched. To have a successful IWMS implementation, attention needs to be given to all aspects of the process. Robert Stephen Consulting is devoted to doing whatever it takes to guide your company through a seamless implementation.
Implementation Methodology Overview
One of the biggest needs for
successful IWMS implementation is to understand what an implementation truly is.
Many believe it is installing software, populating data, developing reports,
and training. While all of this is true, other factors require attention that are
a greater influence to the success of the implementation than just the system
selected.
Knowing that our clients often
understand their needs better than we do, RSC staff listens to our clients to
begin to understand their real needs and the solution that works best for them. Often the solution is more than a technical solution. It involves business
process, technology, and maneuvering through a relational (or political) arena. RSC is equipped
to provide professional solutions with these three factors in mind.
RSCs experience has indicated that most implementations
require attention at the below percentages.
Business
Process
A business process is simply
defined as the way you accomplish work.
RSC examines what is working, what is not working, and what are nice-to-haves. When these are defined, analyzed, charted, and agreed upon, a clear path
to success can be accomplished. RSC understands that business processes are not
always easy to change and should not need to be changed to fit a technical
solution. We focus on making sure the
technology fit the desired process. For
these reasons RSC has always recommended ARCHIBUS as the solution because:
- it is designed from best practices,
- it is open architecture,
- tools are provided to allow process modifications, and
- it leverages existing tools used by your IT department
(i.e. MSSQL, AutoCAD, etc.).
This model allows staff, existing Business partners, or
other Consultants to assist in tailoring the application to meet Business
Processes. Other IWMS software solutions may require Vendor staff (at a high
price) to make these changes. Often the request may not be fulfilled because
the request simply does not fit the roadmap of the IWMS Company. RSC will diagram the workflow so the system will be configured in a way that will fit your business process best.
Relational Environment
All organizations have political drivers. They may range
from cost constraints, manpower needs, higher priorities, or specialized
operations. Recognizing these drivers is a key factor in successfully
implementing IWMS. Each department or cost center may have various and
sometimes conflicting drivers. A clear
understanding of additional process and data needs will need to be driven from
within the organization’s leadership. If the desired outcome is left to the
individual department or cost center managers without a clear understanding of
the desired results the likelihood of having a successful implementation and
achieving those desired results is reduced.
In layman's terms:
RSC helps multiple departments within a company work together for a common cause. Examples of this include collaboration with an HR department and with IT.
- IWMS use HR systems (e.g., Workday, People Soft, etc.) to put people into the space. This can be done manually, but would be a waste of time to re-enter the names and employer identification of all employees within a company when the information is already entered and available within the HR system. Whatever information is entered into the HR system is synchronized to the IWMS automatically. Often times, trouble ensues when reaching out to the HR department. Due to the sensitivity of information contained in the records, HR is hesitant about releasing their information. The IWMS does not need Social Security Numbers, pay rates, or personal addresses, it simply requires the employees full name and employer identification number in order to assign each employee a desk, seat, and resources (e.g., phone, computer, internet connection, etc.).
- IT departments are phenomenal at what they do. They are experts at understanding what technologies they use and how to use it. Rarely, however, do they understand why facilities or corporate real estate need a complex IWMS. It is vital to have a translator between IT and Corporate Real Estate to explain the importance of graphical interfaces versus excel spreadsheets. IT needs to understand the IWMS as well as ensure it is on the server and running 24/7.
Bridging this arena can be complicated, which is why RSC is devoted to creating a smooth transition.
Technology
The technology selected must be
flexible enough to maneuver the Business Process and Political Environment. Installing, populating data, and writing reports are all just a smaller portion
of the successful IWMS implementation. Too often a company will focus on the
features of the technology and ignore the business process and politics. RSC
works with our clients to determine the technology features that are most
important to our clients, our client’s desired business processes, and the
current political climate to ensure the right goals are met.
Not only will RSC ensure our clients have a great IWMS, but that transition into the software is seamless so the system can work the way it is designed to.
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