Debate: Is an IWMS implementation successful when completed within time and budget?
IWMS implementations are complex projects. Project managers are hired to complete a project within time and budget. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the project is successful or does it?
This week’s debate is about what defines a successful project.
Debate
Is an IWMS implementation successful when completed within time and budget?
You can use the comment field below this post for your opinion. I’m looking forward to your comments.
Absolutely not – this only indicates good project management.
An implementation can only be considered successful if it succeeds in achieving the benefits and cost savings outlined in the business case which brought the project about in the first place. Of course, I have assumed here that the IWMS owner initiated the project with due diligence and proper governance, something that does not always happen here in the Middle East market.
However, in the current economic climate it would be remiss of any organisation to embark on the procurement and implementation of such a system (which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars) without a feasibility study and business case. The business case should clearly define the time and cost savings that will be made by the implementation of the system in a way that is measurable over time. After the implementation is complete, the measuring should begin and it is only after a year or so that the savings/improvements can be measured against the original business case to assess success.
There are less tangible benefits which are hard to assess but should also be considered such as higher job satisfaction through reduction in administrative work. These types of benefits mean the implementation has been a success in the eyes of the ground level users too, not just the bottom line conscious managers.
Nothing is successful unless it achieves the original goals, which should not simply be on-time and on-budget.
In fact, measuring projects only based on time and budget is a great way to fail, whether it’s IWMS, construction or simple moves.
For a IWMS implementation, or even a simpler single-system implementation, usability, function, information collection, process integration, user acceptance and actually being able to use it for it’s intended purpose are the goals that should be achieved. These shouldn’t be sacrificed just to meet project management goals.
That means that you can’t just leave it to the project manager. Your continued involvement in the implementation is critical to ensure every step of the implementation supports your goals. If it doesn’t, you need to step back and re-assess the implementation, including the time and budget. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money and will end up with a boat anchor.
Michel Theriaul
Principal, Strategic Advisor
Michel,
I totally agree with you! “Nothing is successful unless it achieves the original goals” and “measuring projects only based on time and budget is a great way to fail”.
These statements are absolutely true for IWMS. However, too often project success is measured based on time and budget.
Yours Sincerely,
Steven