From Obsolete to Optimized: A Successful Software System Upgrade
Challenge
A transportation client’s financial software system was reaching end of life. The limits of the dated software created a ripple effect of imposed restrictions on customer billing and other receivables as well as in core supply chain systems. These technological constraints began to limit the client’s ability to keep pace with industry and customer expectations.
The engagement objectives included:
Upgrade the financial software to take advantage of the latest product functional capabilities.
Deliver the desired technology upgrades while avoiding business interruption and adhering to financial reporting regulations.
Seamlessly integrate best practices and address internal project management resourcing constraints.
Approach
Forum Solutions Associates worked quickly and comprehensively with client stakeholders to stand up a flexible, scalable project management structure and to establish project Key Performance Indicators. Several best practices were applied, including:
Creating an integrated project plan of tasks, milestones, and team members for work tracking and status reporting
Formulating a RAID (Risks, Actions, Issues, Decisions) log, a centralized repository to track essential project information
Establishing communication expectations and templates across the stakeholder community including C-suite leaders for consistent engagement and to support change management throughout the project.
During the initial assessment period, Forum Associates also studied tools and practices in-use at the client and incorporated those most relevant to project needs to maximize synergies and maintain consistency across the client’s project portfolio.
In addition to focusing on tools and practices, Forum Associates proactively and swiftly established relationships with client stakeholders, including core team members responsible for project delivery, leaders invested in project success, and representatives from end-user groups impacted by changes to technology and business processes. Forming this cohesive team at the start of the engagement built trust and enabled effective communication and conflict resolution throughout the project.
The project also required extensive coordination with multiple 3rd party vendors supporting project implementation. The Forum team used the practices and tools noted above to drive external alignment and accountability to project scope and timeline.
Results
Delivering Value Despite High Complexity
The complexity of project scope required a multi-phase implementation plan led by the Forum team. Daily coordination with the core project team members and regular engagement with business leaders and project sponsors ensured the effort began smoothly and quickly found an effective rhythm to manage risks and deliver on key project phases such as requirements gathering, design, build, test, user training, and ultimately deployment.
Managing Change and Maximizing Opportunity
During the project, the Forum team worked with stakeholders to repurpose surplus project funding to enhance Change Management planning & execution, resulting in expanded engagement with the end user community and a robust communication and training effort to ensure effective business team adoption of new tools and processes.
Results
The required business capabilities and risk mitigations were ultimately delivered on the planned timeline and within the planned budget, with minimal downtime and no significant business disruptions. Tools and practices which had been at risk of obsolescence and negative financial consequences were successfully upgraded and enhanced, positioning the client to expand business efficiencies into new areas and drive effectiveness up and down the financial and supply chain landscape. Investing in change management helped project stakeholders to understand and adopt the implemented solution, reduced disruption and transition time, and ultimately maximized the impact of the project as part of a long-term business strategy.
Forum Solutions is a management consulting company dedicated to crafting and delivering transformational outcomes for our clients, our colleagues, and our community. With our help, clients become more agile, resilient, and connected, bringing great ideas to fruition with brilliant results. From start-ups to the Fortune 50, business leaders rely on Forum Solutions to help them form and realize their strategies. Our company is a certified Woman Owned Business that believes in developing and growing our colleagues, company, and region in a socially conscious way.