Not long ago, I told a friend in Guangzhou chat, he is a Taiwan-funded enterprises in furniture, IT manager, is currently doing OracleERP project implementation. As I understand it, this ERP project implementation has been a year or so, now basically in the final stage of project implementation. In fact, this project in the implementation process also encountered many difficulties.

IT managers feel the pressure of project implementation

Recall that this friend OracleERP implementation of the project, I remember in their project started about two months, he told me down grievances, saying it was currently in the process of implementation of the project has been a great pressure, he did not know whether they be able to fight on. He despaired of the main reasons for the project comes from three aspects:

First, as the Party's project manager, he was able to get support too: the chairman at the meeting said that the verbal support, the support, but the chairman of the company usually rare, really need to help other business units when the need to coordinate the chairman, once chairman of the board is not the speaker, he basically can only wait.

Second, Oracle ERP system simple. He fumbled to learn more than two months, staying up late every night, do not say such a big piece of information gnawing, especially there is so much of the information is in English, see now or foggy. Implementation consultant now, he still can ask a person, but withdrew after consultant, he really is worried he could not take over such a platter. Based on the company and responsible attitude, he began to consider the need to find a more experienced person to implement the project.

Third, the company's information base too bad, but the beginning of the implementation of the ERP heavyweights like Oracle products, for the business sector than worry about the quality of personnel, for fear that OracleERP implementation of the project within the foreseeable future. Moreover, during the project implementation process prior to the deployment, has not officially entered the data into the stage, he has heard many dissenting voices. These sounds are from the grassroots to oppose this project because of the surface of this system is too complicated, no one can, simply because they are afraid that after the implementation of the system, may affect the work of junior staff. Especially in this year's global financial crisis is approaching, we put jobs more than anything else, this time that "using ERP to strengthen internal control, improve efficiency", we can think of is to use the ERP naturally after automated, no longer need so many grassroots workers, and employees may have to face layoffs. In the company's mid-level, to carry out the ERP project, making some old rules interdepartmental original was broken, this time in charge of various departments were also afraid of this process of change in the process of losing something. Company executives who'd have put it nicely, saying that the company fully supports the implementation of the project, but the frustration is that the company's executives are busy, the project implementation can play a role is very limited. Make him a man from the company faced middle and grassroots pressure, he felt really bloated.

Implementation of the project's key role in the face of

This friend told me bitter complaint, the process of implementation of these projects the pressure, I think the beginning of the project manager in his own time, which had actually feel too, even to the most critical stage of the project will have a recurring insomnia, and 24 hours a day to think all project-related content. This time I felt very necessary to a friend less about pressure. I thought for a moment, said to a friend: do ERP project implementation, especially for such as SAP and Oracle ERP project more than one million level, you as a business project manager must bear responsibility, but also needs to undergo a temper and transformation process. This process you will be very painful, will be very fan Mans, but early in the project, do a good job focusing, as long as you run a good project, "three horses", plus you continue to learn and adhere to, the success of your project just around the corner .

I'm talking about the project successful "three horses" refers to the three key roles in the project: the boss, implementation consultants and users. Many people have said many factors associated with the success of the project, but also say many cases of failure of the project, of which there are corporate governance factors, but also the quality of employees factors, but also the factors that software vendors products. This friend also said, reading a lot of articles on ERP project implementation, success factors for ERP project said no 100, there are 80 bars. There are so many factors that need attention, how can everything in the project implementation process it? In fact Anyway, bold aesthetic to say that in the ERP project implementation process, the most critical of the three elements (3P), is the People (human), Products (products), Processes (processes). In the ERP project as long as a good grasp of these three key factors, project implementation will have a basic protection. Well, today I want to say "three horses" Whether it is these three factors? Actually not, we need to focus.

I think, in the project implementation stage, all these objective factors have been doomed, and now most of the project variables can grasp only one: people. The human factor is often the impact of ERP project implementation accounted for the majority, became the ERP project implementation success of X Factor. That being the case, we have to focus the X.

How to manage three types of people

First is that how to manage the boss "horse": Oracle's implementation of the project has two distinct characteristics: First, into a larger project, the second is the project a longer period, these two characteristics will determine the implementation of the project is to a protracted war. After a lot of money and human input, the boss may be early in the project to your project with great enthusiasm, but once a long time, the boss better tomorrow, for the attention of your project will gradually decline, the project manager This time think about coordinating the company's resources is more difficult; Similarly, project inputs after a certain period, if the boss was not invested in return, then the project would be in danger. Therefore, this project is the boss of the "Maxima" project run long, to the finish line on schedule, and the "Maxima" feet away, endurance is extremely relevant. And how to manage this horse Maxima it? Of course, the best way to report on only the ground, multi communicate. Just a friend of this project, several days a rare case of the chairman, I think there are two solutions: First, find a principal in the company of people every day to do the leading group in charge of the project, such as the general manager or executive vice president, as a company, someone outside the home, surely someone will of the Lord, the Lord's people are our ideal project chief decision maker. On the other hand, requires diligence report, more communication, the project in question, the progress is reported promptly to the person in charge, reporting is not necessarily written, it can be verbal, but also can be in a meeting, bulletin boards and more hair , so that the project in the company to attract enough eyeballs to keep the heat of the project, achievement of project objectives emphasize the importance of the company's operations, naturally you are able to secure the company's resources even more.

Talk about is the implementation of the second horse is our counselor. Generally in the project implementation consultant in the "mentor" status, but consistent with its objectives with you, but also to be able to on-line as soon as possible to make the project successful, so the implementation of ERP project consultants can also be called the "horse." In this project, they play a role in leading the way, but because it was "foreign monks" not familiar with the company's situation, coordinating resources, limited capacity, so its biggest role is in its own knowledge and experience sharing, once its complete knowledge transfer process, the project's objectives are achieved, will be to complete the task. Therefore, implementation of the consultant in the choice of the time, be sure to find items of experienced, skilled project implementation consultants, in particular, needs to be emphasized here is the need to have good communication skills, because of its historic mission is the "knowledge transfer" and only Good communication in order to ensure the effectiveness of their teaching.

Finally the third horse is our enterprise customers. Because this group regarded as a novice, all rookie level, limited knowledge of the ERP, it can only be regarded as a "pony." They began to eat when not bitter, not be increased volume, and discipline bad, difficult to take a leading role. But in the long speaking, ERP systems this "carriage" is ultimately rely on the "pony" to pull, this time, we have to give full play to "nag" mentoring role and, more to fully with you, as well, "motorist" guidance and control effect. Through the "pony" Li manner with incentives, pumping whip, etc., so your "pony" to remove the wild, return to your ranks. Of course, because the "pony" and uncontrollable factors, so one is not urgent, the second is the pet may not need to have a good boot process. At this time you may wish to ask your "horse" to take on more learn, but also need many with "Maxima" The leaders deterrent and exemplary role, naturally, "pony" will not dare to sprinkle gone wild hoof .