What is a Successful Implementation?

If you ask 5 different business owners what they consider their definition of success to be, without fail you will get 5 different answers. Often there would be a common thread in their definitions and perception of success, which are derived from their own thoughts and theirs alone. They would probably include answers such as "To be rich," or "Fulfilling my potential" or even possibly "Achieving my goals in life." These are all very valid answers for them personally and can be brought over to their business as well.

The definition of success in an implementation, although similar in some regards, for the most part is very different than success on a personal level.

A successful implementation encompasses many factors and includes perceptions and goals for more than one organization; with those being the client and the consulting firm. Many organizations view a successful implementation simply as getting a project done on time and on budget. If those two factors are satisfied, success is achieved and the client has to be satisfied. Take two steps back for a moment and think about that concept. Yes, the project was done on time and on budget, but you are still encountering many of the inefficiencies and corporate issues that you had before you exhausted your IT budget for the year on this implementation. Was that project successful? At Synergy Plus Solutions, we can answer that with a resounding answer of NO!

Our definition of a successful implementation is one that implements an agreed-upon solution, which achieves each discussed customer desired result and does so within the specified budget of time, effort and cost.

We feel that if you are not realizing the benefits and process improvements outlined in the planning of the implementation with our team, than the implementation is not a success and analysis must be done to resolve the goals not yet achieved. Many goals can be grouped into a single success of a project. Whether it be inventory turnover time, ROI, reducing carrying time for receivables or possibly even an improvement in cash flow, all of these are goals that must be achieved before a project can be closed and viewed as successful by all parties involved.

Keep in mind for your next software solution implementation not only the outcomes you expect for measurable performance from your consulting firm, but more importantly, the goals and success factors your company desired from the solution.