Definition

In many ways definition is the most crucial stage of an implementation. The lack of a clear understanding of your aims and objectives for the project can and will lead to many difficulties in the process. If you get the basics right now you will be able to manage problems much more easily later on.

Having established the ground rules you will then move on to specifying the details of how you intend to achieve your aims.

To get things moving you need to answer questions over a broad range of topics. Here are some examples:

• What are our aims in implementing a new system?
• What is the scope of this project? What can be realistically achieved?
• What constraints do we have to work under?
• What processes will be supported by the new system?
• How will other systems relate to the new one?
• How will we measure our success or failure (e.g. key indicators)?

This stage will require plenty of consultation with staff at all levels. If you don't start involving people at this stage you will have an uphill battle on your hands later persuading them to 'buy in' to the system. A potential project team may also emerge from this consultation period.

You will also want potential users to get a feel for the system you are implementing by providing overview training to let them experiment with the software.

This phase will see the production of a Project definition that gives a high level view of what you want from a maintenance management system and how you intend to get there. With the structure in place you can now move on to detailed planning.

Engica are very keen to be involved at this early stage of the project and this is usually achieved through a Project launch meeting. By bringing together your expert knowledge of your business with our maintenance management experience an effective partnership can be established right from the beginning that will help you achieve your aims.

You will want to bring the key players from your company who may form the project team responsible for the implementation. Engica will normally be represented by the project manager and account manager. Other staff with specific knowledge will attend as required.

These are the key stages the meeting will usually go through:

• The maintenance processes of your company are identified and explained
• The software is gone through in detail to see how it well it maps to your maintenance processes
• Areas for software customization are identified and discussed in as much detail as possible leaving no room for misunderstanding. A change management process will also be agreed.
• It is established how the system will be set-up and run on a day to day basis. Integration to other systems is also covered
• Data sources will be identified and agreement reached on how the data will be configured in the software. Structures, coding and lookup tables will also be defined
• Report requirements will be defined
• Training requirements will be identified
• The arrangements for a pilot scheme will be agreed if required
• Acceptance Tests for software installation will be established
• Roles and responsibilities will be established for the project from both sides
• Broad agreement will be reached on the phasing of the project and the milestones by which success will be determined

It is not unusual for some of these stages to be covered in follow up meetings. It all depends on how well your requirements are defined and understood at the beginning of the project

While the momentum and mutual understanding generated by our meeting is still there now is the time to produce the user requirement specification and the detailed project plan. There may also be other documents required such as software configuration and data configuration specifications, and training documentation. Engica have the skills required to do much of this work for you. This kind of assistance could be critical to the success of your implementation, particularly if you have resource problems.

You will also need to start developing working procedures defining how the system is going to be used day to day. Once again you need to involve the people who are going to use the system. It can be a good idea to get them write procedures so that they start acquiring a feeling of ownership for the system

This stage has seen a whirlwind of activity (sometimes compressed into a short space of time) but it has laid down solid foundations for a successful implementation.