Rolling out a major implementation project is no small feat—you need experts across a variety of skill sets to successfully and efficiently navigate the project workflows. There are multiple moving parts that require specialist oversight to facilitate a successful implementation. So, above all else, you need the right people in the right roles.
Every successful project hinges on collaboration across departments, with each team bringing something essential to the table. Whether tackling a large-scale transformation or a smaller initiative, understanding the key roles and the time commitments you need can make or break your success.
In this article, our team of insurance and financial services software implementation experts explains who you need on your team and what they should bring to the table.
At the heart of the implementation process is the Project Manager (PM). From day one, they're laser-focused on keeping everything aligned with the project plan, including budget, timeline, scope, and resources. It's their job to spot risks early, escalate issues if team members aren't delivering, and keep everyone on track. PMs are embedded in the project and are often assigned to it as a primary responsibility rather than something they juggle alongside their day job.
The Project Management Office (PMO) might even bring in multiple PMs, especially on larger implementations. One might handle IT, and the other might handle the business side, ensuring the different tracks of the project are moving in harmony. Their involvement can range widely—from 5% to 100% of their time—depending on the size and complexity of the project. But their impact? Always critical.
The IT team plays a foundational role early in the project, particularly during the discovery and configuration phases. They're responsible for building inbound and outbound data integrations and ensuring files can be transferred correctly to systems via secure file transfer protocols or APIs. Once those files are built and everything's flowing smoothly, IT typically takes a step back, only re-engaging if something breaks or changes down the road.
That said, integration timelines often become a bottleneck, so IT personnel must be clearly identified and have the bandwidth to deliver during those early stages. They don't usually participate heavily in User Acceptance Testing (UAT), which helps streamline later phases of the project.
Most day-to-day collaboration happens with the business users—think finance, sales operations, commissions teams, and occasionally marketing. These are the people who know how the business actually runs and what the new system needs to support. They're the source of the requirements and often the ultimate users of the system.
These folks are especially critical during the discovery phase when their input shapes the entire design. They often dedicate up to 25% of their time to the project, and that involvement spikes during UAT. For large projects, business users may spend up to 50% of their day testing the system—roughly four to six hours—ensuring everything works as intended. Even on smaller projects, expect at least a couple of hours a day during UAT.
Testing isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have. Some clients have a dedicated QA or testing lead—either within IT or pulled from the business—who oversees the testing process. But no matter where they sit, testing is the client's responsibility. The business needs to ensure the system performs the way it needs it to, using its own test cases and real-world scenarios.
Team members participating in UAT should block out their calendars ahead of time. Otherwise, they may be unable to stress test the system to its full potential. This is a common roadblock in software implementation timelines, as delays in testing as a result of scheduling conflicts within your team can stall the project.
Executive stakeholders or sponsors play more of a strategic, behind-the-scenes role, but their presence is vital. At the start of the project, they may spend up to five hours a week engaging in discovery meetings and setting the tone. As the project progresses, their weekly involvement usually drops to one or two hours.
Even when they aren't involved day-to-day, these leaders need to stay informed and available. They're the ones who can remove roadblocks—whether by getting IT to prioritize an integration or by convincing a skeptical sales team to align with the new process. They typically stay in touch with a business lead or PM, stepping in as needed to make key decisions or handle escalations.
At the end of the day, software implementations are as efficient and effective as the team working on them. Every role we explored, from the project manager to the executive sponsor, plays a vital part in steering the project toward a successful launch. When each person understands their responsibilities and has the bandwidth to contribute meaningfully, everything runs more smoothly.
While timelines and deliverables may vary, one thing remains constant: collaboration is key. IT lays the groundwork, business users shape the solution, QA ensures quality, and executive sponsors help clear the path. Threading it all together is the project manager keeping things on time and on track.
So, as you gear up for your next implementation, don't just focus on the software; focus on your people. With the right team in place and clear expectations around time and ownership, you'll be well on your way to a streamlined, successful rollout.