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Month: March 2018

Conference
Conference Season – Should you go?

Conference Season – Should you go?

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Conference season is upon us. And you’re probably debating whether you have time in your busy work week to go to one. Well, some interesting data came out from Shawn Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage that suggests that you probably should. Go – that is. In his book, he referenced a study of 2,600 working women who attended various conferences for Women. He compared data from this group to a control group of women that were registered for a conference but had…

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shoshin
Shoshin

Shoshin

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Shoshin is a word from Zen Buddhism which means “beginner’s mind”. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level – just as a beginner in that subject would. The idea is that as an expert, you have a limited perspective – like digging a hole deeper and deeper. As a beginner, you have many perspectives and many ways to view a subject. Whether…

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The Masks We Wear

The Masks We Wear

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When you begin an implementation, it’s important to consider the make-up of your end users. Whether dealing with your colleagues and friends or meeting folks for the first time, you’ll want to know the data. And here’s what the data is saying about your end users. The Law of Diffusion of Innovation roughly states that the introduction of new technology (or ideas) follows a certain pattern. Approximately 84% of your end users (the Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards) will resist to…

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No one told us that - Implementation thought
No One Told Us That

No One Told Us That

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The implementation will be more than you thought. It will take more of your time. And be more complicated. It will require way more communication. You will lose a valuable person during the project, and it will force you to adjust. It will force you to include someone you never considered. No matter your expectations going in, the implementation will be more or different than what you thought. It is not the vendor’s fault. Or yours. Or anyone’s. It just…

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5 Questions to Ask Your Vendor About Services

5 Questions to Ask Your Vendor About Services

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When purchasing software and services together, it’s way too easy to overlook what’s included in the services. Because, well, the software is so fancy. But if you are about to purchase software and services together, these five questions will help you get a handle on what you can expect going into the implementation. 1. Do you have a methodology that you adhere to (and can I see it)? If the vendor has done this before, they should have a methodology. This question…

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Fact or Fallacy

Fact or Fallacy

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The project plan should be the basis for getting things done during an implementation. Without a project plan, you might as well buy a Conch and see what happens. Conch? Really? Please tell me that you got that Lord of the Flies reference.  With a project plan, you’ll have some semblance of organization. (With less death on your hands) However, the hardest part of creating and maintaining a project is understanding the reality that should go into it. As reality changes during…

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Idea to Execution
The Move from Idea to Execution

The Move from Idea to Execution

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It’s incredibly easy to have an idea. Thoughts are free. The delivery of an idea has a cost. The cost is often not just financial. The real cost, often, is very personal. It comes when you face an obstacle. The obstacle can be anything but its root is usually the same: Fear. Fear of doing the wrong thing. Fear of making a mistake. Of being found out. Once you overcome this moment, you’ll execute. But beware, it doesn’t go away….

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Vendors vs. Partners

Vendors vs. Partners

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Purchasing software is complicated. Meeting with each vendor is time-consuming. It takes time to get a feel for the product. Not to mention the day job that you probably have on top of being responsible for acquiring new software solutions. But when you do meet with each vendor, don’t just look for features. Look for partners If you want a tool that you’ll replace in a couple of years after investing countless hours implementing, then, by all means, don’t take…

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RFPs are Dumb

RFPs are Dumb

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I know I’m offending the .002% of people who love the RFP (Request for Proposal) process, but I don’t care. I’m throwing caution to the wind on this one. The RFP Process is dumb. The RFP process is a way to get vendors to bid for work, and it made complete sense before the internet was invented. Now, the RFP process is an example of corporate laziness. It creates an absurd amount of work for everyone involved when a simple…

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Book Review: Value As a Service

Book Review: Value As a Service

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He enjoys long walks on the beach and in his spare time, he writes. Please welcome Rob Bernshteyn, CEO and President of Coupa, and author of the book Value As a Service. Side note: I’m not entirely sure he likes long walks on the beach.  Rob poured his years of experience implementing SAAS (Software as a Service) into this book but his cornerstone belief is that Value, not functions and features is what will keep customers. To support this idea,…

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