Archive for March 2008

Need Identification

The ‘GO’ for a Packaged Software solution is one of the biggest challenges faced by organizations. While some parties will be advocating for its importance others will be more interested in the failure issues evident in history. The solution to this decision should always lie in a comprehensive business case the new system. The merits of an of enterprise systems implementation are as huge as the failure implications. If business managers only concentrate on the expected benefits thereby neglecting possible failures, it can lead to the collapse of the company.

Packaged Software adoption process requires as stated earlier requirements definition and other business drivers. These drivers could be seen as a migration from an already existing system to an enterprise-wide system. The ‘need’ is defined by the following migration processes:
 From Intra-Company to Inter-Company
 Reaching out to Suppliers
 Reaching out to Customers
 Reaching out to alliances
 Reaching out to Competitors
 Social Integration through global networking
 Technology of Extended Reach
 Beyond fax –Electronic Document Interchange
 Inter-Company Databases and Applications
 Online Collaboration

The migration process has impacted companies with both negative and positive consequences. The implications of cost and the accompanying benefits put most at risk. From above, it could be inferred that the highest point to attaining a competitive edge is by integrating all functional areas of the business. Research in business integration, have for the past been on the integration of marketing, R&D and sales. This proved useful but with the emergence of information system, it has been observed that integrating marketing with technical functions (IT) provide excellent results and also, increases company-wide initiatives. Also, without efficient interaction, an effective integration will not be achieved and it is enhanced by information flow. Organizational systems need to interact with both people and processes of the organization with all being in phase. Organizations are today operating in integrative environments that include competitors, suppliers and partners.

This makes it sound good, if customer data and the cost of developing new applications are available to many to share. The Packaged Software implementation decision could be from either the attainment of business process efficiency, technological push as depicted by the competition, or an information technology perspective. In any of the three scenarios, it will be better for organizations to define the need critically with reference to the current situation, future prospects of the organization, and a comprehensive business case.

IS the CD ROM Alterable?

Ask me who gave the CD-ROM to the NDC and I will say it was the EC. And again, why the EC did also give a CD ROM to an opposition party like the NDC without write-protecting it. I mean “write”. I believe you understand all these abbreviations but if not wait a while I will direct you to the appropriate directory. The emerging issues relating to the voters’ data CD is quite funny and I think as a country (

GHANA), we need a national working IT policy to safeguard every citizen interest. Also, how our politicians are educated would be my first questions, others to follow might be like, are they up-to-date with IT and when did they start using computers. The answer to these question will help us understand how they communicate in the way they do.  

What went wrong with the CD ROM.? A CD ROM is a Compact Disk Read Only Memory. This means that one can only read information on it but can not alter its content while working on the CD ROM.  But could it be copied and recopied? The answer to this is YES. So, Mr. and Mrs. NDC what the hell is this confusion. The solution to this is the returned of the said CD ROM for verification which the country is endowed with the basic human skills to do this.

Packaged Software Selection

Selecting the right mix of software to enhance a business process is critical to corporate success. In this, organizations spend much time debating some of the requirements that they require to achieve their desired growth target. Much so others are constantly repeating errors that have become routine in their selection strategy.

By definition, a software selection project involves four main phases viz:

 

§         Need Identification

§         Requirements Analysis

§         Business Case Development

§         Vendor Selection

 

The trend has been that organizations due to cost constraints are bedeviled with a straight-move attitude that makes them encounter severe errors during implementation and Go-Live. Some requirements are either not well documents or undervalued while others are mistakenly included as essential though they are just desirable ones.

 

Following the principles and guidelines set at B.i.G consulting, organization can be certain that any vendor’s product that is elected as one meeting their desired need will for sure deliver the expected benefits. A software selection project should be accomplished with the right mix of stakeholders present to appraise each vendor that present a demo.  During a demo, there are certain issues that need to be addressed by individual vendor according to the requirements detailed in the business case. This could be complex but its worth the pain if the desired benefits are to be realized.

 

B.i.G Consulting assist organizations with this - working as external consultants.

 

www.bigconsultingservices.com

 

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