The above cartoon was first created nearly 20 years ago. It’s incredible how appropriate it still is. Since its creation in 2003, several websites have expanded on the story. See http://www.projectcartoon.com/create/ if you want to create your very own version. What’s great about the cartoon and has made it last as long as it…
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…
Apple is notorious for being a “measure twice, cut once” kind of company. It works for them. On the other hand, Google is more “launch and iterate” in their approach, which works for them. When you implement Subscription-based software, you have a choice about which approach works for you. Therefore, it’s worth a moment…
The job of the implementation core team and program lead is to deliver the success criteria. But, for some, that is not enough. It’s not enough because they also have to ferret out the hidden success criteria for the project to be truly called a success. Hidden success criteria can be obvious but not…
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…
You know the ending of that blockbuster movie where the bad guys are finally destroyed, the president is saved, and all of the Executives start fist-pumping and high-fiving each other. That is what it’s like every time you implement new software. That’s why we all do it. That and the ridiculously high salaries, the…
Do you remember countless celebrities photographed with the iconic milk mustache from the 90s? That was, essentially, phase two of the Got Milk campaign. We have Goodby, Silverstein, and Partners to thank for phase one and the creation of “Got Milk?” as a campaign. Before that, Milk’s primary campaign was “Milk. It does a…
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 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…
When purchasing software and services, it’s 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…
The phrase “to leave your foot in” in soccer is analogous to behavior we sometimes see in software implementation. “To leave your foot in means to first go for the ball but continue after the ball has been won, or lost, and kick the opponent. The ‘in‘ in the phrase refers to the tackle, giving ‘in…