Your organization just purchased new software that will transform the way you operate.
It’s an exciting time for an organization, but it’s also an anxious time. You may have received assurances from the vendor, or from other users of it, that it will work well. But will the software actually work as you expect it will? What unforeseen problems will arise, and how will they be solved? Is the new software integrated with your other software systems?
These are all valid questions. But if you have the right strategy in place, you can address them all from day one.
The most important thing, before you do ANY technical work, is to plan, plan, plan. Sometimes, people and organizations, especially those without an in-house IT staff, are so excited or eager to install a new software application that they don’t entirely think it through. This can be a fatal error, ultimately, in terms of the value you derive from your purchase.
There are many questions you should be answering in advance, such as:
- What features of the software are most important for adoption? Can you customize the software so that it provides ONLY the functionality you need?
- How long will this migration take, and how much will it cost? Keep in mind that these are not two distinct questions, as the former can impact the latter.
- What impact will the migration have on your users? Will there be significant downtime? How will they be transitioned to the new software? Will they need to use the old system and the new system at the same time for a period?
- What different segments of your organization need to use the software, and for what reason? Keep in mind that different people in your organization might have very different uses for the software, especially when you are dealing with customer relationship management systems and databases. There may also be security issues, in terms of who is authorized to access the application or its data. So develop user profiles that lay out these unique roles and requirements..
- How do you bring over all of your relevant data from your old software to the new platform? How should your existing systems communicate with the new software? This integration aspect of the project is not always as easy as it may seem. In some cases, in fact, it’s quite difficult.
- Who is your point person for this project? This person will essentially be a project manager who is in charge of the whole migration process. Unless you have an in-house IT person or people that can act as this project manager, the person in charge won’t be doing the the actual tech integration work. But that person will be closely monitoring the project’s process, making sure deadlines are met and that nothing is getting lost in translation.
- How will you train the users on the new software? It’s always a good idea to have a team training meeting to show people how to use the software. Often, however, these sessions can be overwhelming for some users, and they don’t retain what they learn. So in addition to live training sessions, it’s important to have some documentation, like a user manual, that all of your employees can refer to when they need help. In addition, your software vendor likely has a huge knowledge base available on its website, as well as training webinars, YouTube tutorials, and a variety of other materials that are available 24/7.
- Who will support the software? Make sure you have a source for tech support lined up. This could be part of your deal with your vendor, or with a third-party. Make sure it’s addressed before you sign anything.
- How will you test it? Do NOT roll out the software until it’s been fully tested and debugged. A shabby rollout riddled with problems is going to have a negative impact on operations, as well as user morale and adoption. Speaking of which…
- How will you encourage employee buy-in? This is often overlooked by many companies who simply roll out new software and never make the case to employees as to WHY they should use it instead, “Because we said so.” Drum up enthusiasm for your new software with your user base. Explain how it’s going to make their lives easier. Or, if it really won’t make their lives much easier, explain why it’s necessary for the company’s success. Detail all of the cool features, and how they will impact people and operations. Try to make it so that the rollout is as exciting as possible, so that people can’t wait to use it.
Depending on how complex your migration is, there are many other things you need to consider and account for. Check out this excellent article that lays a lot of it out (and make sure your eyes don’t glaze over).
Whew, that’s quite a bit to address. The good news is, we at Cloud 9 Strategies can do it ALL for you. We’ve done hundreds of migrations for all kinds of companies and nonprofits, so we know the whole drill very well.
Want some more advice on software migration? Would you like to learn more about our services in this area? Contact us today!