Your implementation partner will handle the majority of the heavy lifting during a distribution management software project to automate and transform your producer operations. However, your internal team's input, documentation, feedback, and approval are needed throughout the process. To achieve a high quality outcome and ensure that the software implementation is designed, configured, and deployed to meet your most granular objectives, your team will need to actively participate throughout the process.
Our distribution management software implementation specialists came together to create this comprehensive guide to preparing for your project. We cover each of the six project phases you will go through, providing clear instructions on how to prepare and a comprehensive timeline spanning the breadth of the project.
The first step is one of the most important in terms of client participation. Here are the 4 crucial things you need to do in preparation for this phase:
One of the most common reasons behind project delays is missing documentation. You must gather all necessary documentation well in advance to reach the kickoff meeting on time.
More specifically, make sure you bring the following documentation to the planning meeting:
During this phase, you will need to set a realistic budget and project schedule so your software implementation (SI) partner can work with clear expectations for timelines and deliverables.
You will also build your internal project team during the first phase of the project. Typically, your team structure will encompass the following roles:
Some of the key stakeholders from your team will work with your SI partner to create goals that target your desired outcomes. This process is meticulous, as your SI partner needs to turn your high level objectives into actionable steps.
Here’s an example of what implementation goal setting looks like:
Finally, during the kickoff meeting, make sure all stakeholders understand the project's goals and their individual responsibilities to prevent miscommunication and delays later. At the same time, use the kickoff meeting to formally introduce the project's objectives and align your internal resources with your implementation goals.
For many teams, the best way to build project buy-in internally is to communicate the benefits they will incur as a result of the new distribution management solution.
After the kickoff meeting, your internal implementation team will participate in discovery workshops led by your SI partner to gather detailed requirements from all stakeholders. During step two, you will begin to identify potential risks, such as data quality issues or resource constraints and subsequently plan mitigation strategies to address them. To ensure the Define phase of your project runs smoothly, your team should be clear-eyed about your business goals and desired project outcomes. Moreover, these objectives should be specific and actionable.
Most importantly, you will need to prepare your data for the implementation of the new solution during this step. The following best practices will ensure the second step of your project runs smoothly:
Some risks are common among all projects, including the following:
On the other hand, some risks will be unique to your project. Your SI partner will work with you to identify all the risks you face, and create action plans to mitigate them.
Provide comprehensive training for product administrators so they are well-prepared to support the system configuration process.
During the project's design phase, your SI partner’s solution architects will work with internal stakeholders to create a detailed design document that includes workflows, integrations, and system architecture. Once you are satisfied with the design, review and validate it with all your stakeholders to ensure that all features and functions meet the needs of diverse users.
Finally, it is important to note that you may need to adjust timelines and project expectations during this step to ensure the finalized design reflects realistic deliverables and resource needs.
During this phase, your IT team will need to support data readiness by providing clean, complete data for configuration. This milestone is why it is vital to begin data preparation early on in the project.
You will also collaborate closely with your SI partner to develop detailed test cases early, documenting potential system intricacies or edge cases. This will simultaneously help ensure your system's configuration suits your specifications exactly while also preparing for the next step in the project.
Avoid introducing new participants during UAT—while you want to ensure your user testing process is robust, bringing in testers who are not versed in the project or software solution often clouds the process. To ensure that UAT focuses on the specific project goals and requirements you set, testers should be involved in your internal project team from the beginning; this serves to foster continuity and minimize rework. At the same time, you can maximize the depth and value of your UAT process by preparing stakeholders for specific test cases ahead of time.
Users should also be familiar with the system’s overall functionality through training early on in the project’s progression. If your stakeholders attempt to learn the system as they test it, the process will take longer, and the rigor of your UAT findings may diminish.
During the final phase of your implementation project, your SI partner will provide your support team with comprehensive system documentation, including an operations guide detailing workflows and troubleshooting processes.
At the same time, they transition the system from the testing environment while also parallel testing as needed to validate system performance. This essentially constitutes the system's deployment. Then, you will need to provide formal approval from stakeholders to confirm the project's completion and success. This statement declares that all objectives have been met and the organization is prepared to transition to full operation.
Successfully implementing distribution management software requires strategic planning, attention to detail, and stakeholder collaboration. By adhering to the steps outlined in this guide—from early preparation to deployment—you can ensure your implementation proceeds smoothly and achieves your project goals.
Your SI partner will be with you every step of the way. Our team specializes in the implementation process and can guide you through each challenge as it arises. If you want to take the first step towards transforming your producer operations to provide the best available producer experience by implementing a distribution management solution today, contact our team to learn more.
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