PROJECT RECOVERY SERVICES

Project Recovery: 7 Keys to Implementation​

 

 

With our proven-successful formula to project recovery, there are seven key steps we take to ensure that a business is back and running on their feet by the time we have finished our work. In order to be successful, it is key to take a look at everything going on in the business - from the micro level all the way up to big picture operations. Find out more about these steps. And, if you think you need help with project recovery, experts like Strategic Solutions Northwest are key to work with because tackling the process can be overwhelming.

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1. Get Rescue Experience

Some people thrive in chaotic environments and some burn out. Make sure your Partner AND project resources have experience doing recovery. These people have proven they thrive in this environment. The last thing you want is for the new help to burn out after the first few weeks and leave. This is going to be a long, rough haul. You need people who are going to stick around to see it through.

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2. Watch Your Cash Flow

Ensure the business has cash flow. If cash flow is blocked, a business can die fast. Identify the processes that are breaking cashflow and target them first. Can’t take orders? Fixing that is your top priority. Can’t take payments? That’s next. Ensure the person leading the rescue has their eye on your current cash flow situation and is prioritizing work to improve it.

 

3. Build Morale

Give your team hope that stability is on the horizon. Identify some wins the new team has created and get ready to talk about them at an all-staff meeting. Give people clear next steps on the path to recovery

 

4. Get a Handle

Gather a body of documentation to track issues against. If the original implementers created a process list, validate it. If not, you’re going to need everyone’s help creating it. Have a specialist lead your team through creating user stories. Ensure each area manager is aware of their responsibility to get and maintain a complete list of processes. Get it to your Partner ASAP to kick-start that learning curve.

 

5. Map Issues to Processes

Do more than just log issues: map them to process flows. Your recovery team will be evaluating the root cause of your issues and many will be in an upstream process. Tag those upstream processes for each issue they are causing. This will help identify which processes need a complete redesign and which can be repaired or improved.

 

6. Mind Your Data

Assess the quality of data in each area and determine the root cause of bad data. In an ERP system, bad data causes wide-scale problems, and fixing knock-on effects can be very difficult. You may even have to consider a re-launch, basically performing a new data migration to a clean system. This is sometimes easier than trying to fix an enormous volume of bad transactions, but only after the sources of your bad data have been fully identified and corrected.

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7. Re-Evaluate Modifications

List all modifications and map them by business process. Identify which mods are invasive versus superficial. For example, changing how MRP or the pricing engine works is invasive. Adding a user-defined field to a document is superficial. Look hard at the invasive mods. Assess whether they can be replaced with out-of-the-box features, superficial mods, proven solutions, or changes to business practices. Reduce complexity and level of effort not only during recovery, but going forward into support and future upgrades.