What’s going wrong with system implementations

Systems and technology are truly wondrous; there are almost unlimited possibilities and opportunities for making our lives better.  

However, most organisations pursuing new technology can't describe a successful outcome for their last system implementation (new CRM system anyone?), which begs the following questions - what is going wrong? And why would things be different this time? 

Improve processes before systems

Many organisations implement new systems with the aims of becoming more efficient, and to reduce the errors in their work. Unfortunately, their starting position is with poor, error-prone, undocumented, and non-standardised processes. It is assumed that implementing a system will fix this. It won't.  

If you start designing a system around poor, non standardised ways of working, or simply design your system around how things 'should work' (but the reality is that they have never worked that way), your system implementation will fail.

Bill Gates summed this up best when he said: "The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency."

You must have adequate processes and working practices in place BEFORE you introduce any technological enhancement to drive further efficiencies. 

A reality check. Change needs to happen

Whilst most organisations know how to implement an IT system, they don't know how to design good processes and change the way people do things day-to-day. So, what happens is decision makers put their heads in the sand and pretend that millions spent (wasted) on IT systems are justified because they perceive that not having the systems puts them 'behind the curve'.

You've probably heard the phrase, 'no one gets fired for hiring McKinsey.' Well, it seems no-one gets fired for rolling out MS Dynamics. 

It's time to call out and change these practices. If you are implementing an IT system and you haven't already got good working processes and practices in place, you are wasting money. Not money from shareholders' pockets - you're wasting money from tax payers, tenants, donors, and members of the public.
 

If you want to do things the right way, we are here to be your accountability partners. Drop us an email hello@ad-esse.com. If you want to examine why your transformations (of any kind) aren't landing, you can take our free transformation health-check here -->