subject: Planning For Your Companys Peoplesoft Implementation [print this page] Its intentional that we now have two processes in Project Initiation and twenty in Project Planning in line with the Project Management Software Institute. Many organizations make the costly mistake of diving in because there is no time for you to plan. On the contrary, most projects fail in the beginning as planning work is sacrificed for action.
Regardless of the organizations impatience, its your responsibility because Project Manager to educate senior management within the advantages of compiling a thoughtful and reasonable plan before jumping into project execution.
What are the key points to take into account when preparing a PeopleSoft implementation? Here are several things to consider:
1. Scope Definition: Even in the event the organization compiled the worlds best Request Proposal for a suite of software, the entire process of reviewing and verifying those requirements (and discovering new ones along the way) is completely essential for the appropriate scope meaning of a PeopleSoft project. Especially if more than one module will be implemented, requirements must be considered in light of a tightly integrated system. As an example, configuration from the budget and general ledger modules can have a substantial and quite often irreversible influence on the sub-modules of Accounts Payable and A / R. It may be worth dedicated PeopleSoft training for the project team and subject experts to improve their understanding of the system to be able to articulate those requirements more definitively.
2. Work Breakdown Structure: Once their requirements are fully understood and gaps between what is and what really should be are clearly recognized by your seasoned PeopleSoft integrator, the WBS can be crafted with a firm foundation. However, software configuration and modifications to bridge gaps are only two out of potentially hundreds of other work packages like the aspects of communications, stakeholder management, quality, risk management, hardware procurement as well as set up, testing, and training.
3. Project Schedule: Once scope is fully defined along with a solid WBS is at place, employ the ideal experts to define, sequence and estimate required resources and time for each and every work package. Once you develop it to the satisfaction and offer it to management, resist the temptation to fulfill their often unrealistic expectations to implement this type of game-changing system of their timeframes. In the event the timeframe doesnt meet with their approval, craft at a scope which will. Even though the perception of the Triple Constraint (Time, Scope and Cost) is losing favor according to PMI, it's still true in concept. Somethings gotta give!
In the event the above considerations arent daunting in as well as themselves, thats not all. You will find 17 additional processes (according to PMI, that's) that the PM should a minimum of consider before Execution begins in earnest. Again, it is a personal duty to lead your business with these processes even when senior management is questioning what your team does all time.
How does one convince your senior management to get serious effort and time in the planning process? Always take the experts advise onServices.
