Happy new year! 2020 brings us into a new decade, new planning processes and new projects. When companies are looking to begin a new project implementation, there is a lot of planning involved. However, it is common to spend not enough time planning for or anticipating risks that may come up from beginning the new said project. Today’s blog post talks about how to increase the chances of having a higher success rate of project implementation right from the start, specifically when it comes to software and other technology projects.

Have a Solid Plan and Methodology

This plan must be clearly communicated to all involved in the project. This includes outlining why the project is taking place, who is involved, and what each person’s role(s) and responsibilities/deliverables are. Without clear communication and a plan, the implementation is bound to have issues.

Monitor Progress

Building a schedule and outlining key milestone dates is important for the success of any project. If there is little to no monitoring of progress, the project implementation may end up taking much more time (and money) than expected. Although a project manager may lead the assigned resources, it is important for the whole project team to hold each other accountable and ensure that the scheduled work is being completed.

Ensure there are Sufficient Resources

As mentioned earlier, projects are generally planned according to specific calendar dates. But what if something goes wrong or you run into a problem mid way through? If not enough resources, including people, time and money, are allocated to the project, one minor hiccup can cause the whole implementation to go awry. Building in some buffer time and ensuring your project team has enough time to complete their regular every day work as well is important.

Account for time to Test the Implemented Software/Technology

No project should be completed without first doing user acceptance testing (UAT) or a soft launch. This is a great way for the end users to test how the technology will be used in their every day work. Equally as important as completing the testing is monitoring it. If users are finding the system crashes or there is some small (or large) item that needs to be fixed, this should be documented and communicated ASAP. UAT testing is great for identifying potential issues that need to be taken care of before project completion.

So, what are the keys to a successful project? Planning, communication, teamwork and strong leadership. All of these elements will help ensure that your project leads to a successful ‘go live’. At True Sky, we recognize that implementing a new budgeting software or system can be intimidating. With our team behind you, we promise that your new system will be implemented successfully and effectively, and that we’ll support your finance team and users as required through testing and support. If you’re interested in learning more, give us a call today at 1 855 878 3759, or visit out website www.truesky.com.