Tailor-made software distracts managers from the business
issues
Challenging times cause a laser-like focus on bottom-line benefits,
and we will move out of the
"technology-will-improve-everything-in-our-lives" hype arena for a
while. One IT subject on every high level business agenda is
software packages.
In the past, far from being the panacea that customers hoped and
suppliers promised, software packages have not delivered. But they
can now - they can be just the simple and inexpensive, value-driven
solution you were looking for. To find out how, we have to look at
what has gone wrong in the past.
Why have so many installations go wrong? Three reasons:
1. Customers rarely know what they are buying and are
failing to look beyond the hype and expectations raised by the
supplier - problems arise because the business benefits are
unclear
2. The amount of work involved in altering the software, or
changing business processes to meet the way the package works, is
often underestimated. Some of the most spectacular failures have
been when tried and tested solutions have been modified
3. Packages are, by definition, all things to all buyers,
and as business complexity grows few are meeting all of a
customer's requirements. This leads to modifications that result in
a costly and only partially successful application. Companies end
up paying more over a longer period than if they had developed a
solution in-house.
So how can you make sure that packages deliver?
1. Know what you are doing, from a business perspective.
Forget technology and associated hype - what are you, as a company,
going to change or do and what outcome will result? This is not an
IT-led discussion, but IT leaders can facilitate it
2. Do not change the package. If you are wondering how you
will sell this idea to your business colleagues, remember that this
is the only way to deploy technology fast. So, reconstruct your
business processes around the way the package works
3. If you are still reading, thank you. Trust me - this
works. Not only do you save money, resources and time by fitting
your company to the solution, you do the one thing that you have
been trying to persuade your company to do for years, you ensure
that business-driven discussions take place at the right
level
4. As you are not focusing on technology, you can instead
ensure the package "works" - and by works I mean you can invest
time with the most important people, those who will be using it .
Forget "use-training" - think "customer-convincing".
This remains a complex area, but these four actions will make all
the difference. Tailoring the business to the package is not for
everyone. It is only for those people who want to drive out real
bottom-line benefits fast, who want to focus on people rather than
technology, and who accept that at the end of the day technology
matters not a jot compared to people.
What an opportunity to prove that your prime goal is the delivery
of solutions.
For years packages have been one of the so-called "universal
truths" that almost always go wrong. You have an opportunity to
resolve this, once and for all.
I have written about packages often, and the industry figures of
failure continue to rise. If we, as IT directors, leaders and
project managers, do what we have always done, we will continue to
get what we have always got.
It's time for change. A package is the best and most economic
solution, providing everyone is clear about what it can and cannot
do, from a business perspective.
Know what you are buying and only buy a package if you can install
it with no changes whatsoever.
David Taylor is president of IT directors' association
Certus