Technology is not everything The true Recipe
for Success of your
Project Preparation

The New Technology: the Decisive Factor for the Success of your Project?

In practice, there is a consensus that the choice of software solution is ultimately responsible for less than 50 percent of success in CRM or ERP projects and in the context of digital transformation. Nevertheless, market research still focuses mainly on technology-related aspects of these projects.

At the same time, other important success factors are underestimated and this ultimately leads to additional project risks.

If you want to implement your project successfully, there is a whole range of aspects that also require your full attention. You lay the foundation for your success in the preparation phase. This is where you make important decisions that are critical to success.

These Aspects determine the Success of your Project - right from the Preparation Stage

1. Clear business objectives that underpin your strategy

   What do you want to achieve with the new implementation? And how do these goals relate to the overall strategy of your company? Ideally, you should define your goals using the SMART method:

   • S - Specific:

     Formulate your project goals precisely and concretely so that there is as little room for interpretation as possible. Use the W questions as a guide:

     • Where do we currently stand?
     • Why is the project important for our success?
     • What exactly do we want to achieve - in the short and long term?
     • Who is involved in which steps?
     • How do we structure the project?
     • Which sub-goals must be achieved by when?
     • What is the project budget?

     The goals should also always be formulated positively.

   • M - Measurable:

     You must be able to objectively check whether the respective goal has been achieved. To do this, define reliable metrics - such as quarterly revenue, the conversion rate per month or sales figures per day. For goals that cannot be measured quantitatively, use qualitative metrics that you can record using a scale.

   • A - Attractive:

     Your goals must offer all employees attractive incentives so that they are motivated to achieve the goal.

   • R - Realistic:

     Stay realistic. You can be ambitious when defining your goals. However, it is important that your employees see themselves in a position to meet your requirements. If the goal seems utopian, this will destroy motivation.

   • T - Time-bound:

     Set clear deadlines for all goals. If your employees can see the goal line in front of them, this motivates them even more. It also prevents them from putting off unpleasant tasks.

   

2. Effective communication that makes the “why” the topic

   This aspect goes hand in hand with the specificity of your goals. It is best to define your goals in such a way that each individual employee not only understands them without gaps, but can also explain them at home. This increases the motivation of your employees.

3. Active involvement of management, so that processes and mindsets change sustainably

   Surely you don’t expect your IT department to change the business processes and mindsets in your company? That was and still is the task of management. It is essential for your success that management actively participates in the change.

4. Modernized business processes that focus on your customers

   Today’s customers want to be at the center of everything you do. You must be prepared to create a customer-centric organization and invest budgets to do so. Modernizing your business processes is a crucial factor in this.

5. Well-trained end users who understand your entire IT platform

   When you put your customers first, you need well-trained and motivated end users. In the past, it was the norm for end users to be trained on just one application. Nowadays, however, it is imperative that they understand and have an overview of the entire IT platform. You have to think of a company as an ecosystem in which the different specialist departments work closely with the same platform system on a daily basis.

6. An organizational change management that involves your employees right from the start

   Every change in the company starts with your employees. However, people are usually skeptical about change. Concentrate on your change management to start right here. Pay particular attention to these points:

   • Involve your employees as early as the preparation phase and emphasize communication at eye level.

   • Ensure that your employees can build up all the necessary qualifications in a timely manner. Put together a team of core staff and new visionaries. These complement each other and provide new impetus and food for thought.

   • Take the worries and fears of your employees seriously. And convey a sense of security that the project will move the company and employees forward. Also proactively address possible stumbling blocks in the project.

   • Provide your employees with the budgets and sufficient time to implement the change.

The 5 Roles in Change Management: How to guide
your Employees
through a Change Process

For Sustainable Project Success: shift your Focus to Technology, Processes and People

If your project preparation is still mainly focused on the functions and features of the technology, it’s time to change your strategy.

Focus your preparation more on your employees and the company processes. This is where goal-oriented change management with SMART project goals, an empathetic communication policy, tailored training and a proactive approach come into play.

Adhering to these non-technology related aspects will increase the likelihood that your project will be successful in the end.

In the preparation and implementation of your project you will be supported by experienced strategic partners - ideally in the long term.