In the coming years only nimble and future-robust organizations can survive the dynamics, complexity and unpredictability of changes in their environment.
Companies that manage to respond fast and flexible to opportunities and threats rise above the competition.
In addition to a scalable workforce, a customizable organizational structure and a collaborative company culture, processes and systems are the most important elements for the realization of an agile and future-robust organization.
Maneuverability, in the form of agility and nimbleness, is required to grab and exploit opportunities as they present themselves. Future robustness, in the form of resilience and resistance, is in addition required to respond to the multitude of profound changes.
Today the lack of maneuverability (agility) and future robustness of organizations is seen by many as one of the major obstacles to growth ambitions.
Especially Business Information Systems, ERP suites come first, leave quite a bit to be desired on the field of agility and future robustness. The older generation ERP systems force organizations in a straitjacket with little room for adjustment of business processes or implementation of new processes.
The future of companies is located in the replacement of these older generation Business Information Systems by agile and robust systems.
Policy makers, however, are very reluctant. Previous implementations often have not brought the desired result and/or costs escalated extremely. The dangers that an intervention in the heart of the organization brings paralyzes many companies.
An agile approach to a future-robust environment can offer a way out here.
An approach where resilience and resistance (robustness) come first and agility and nimbleness (maneuverability) form the basis.
An approach whose objective is the gradual replacement of older systems through process-driven and service-oriented solutions with flexible customizable business rules and integration features.
The power of maneuverability and future robustness in this approach is possible by applying a methodology that combines Prince2 and DSDM and the emergence of process-driven and service-oriented integration solutions and business applications.
The approach ‘Innovation of ERP' is a targeted change and deliberate renewal on the road to maneuverability and robustness.
What are the main features of this approach?
1. LEADERSHIP and COMMITMENT – ALL The Way!
'Innovation of ERP' is taking and wearing the responsibility towards an agile and robust ERP organization.
Without LEADERSHIP and COMMITMENT every ERP-adventure ends in a personal drama. Many failed implementations are a prime example. Everything else put forward as an explanation for the failure has not much to do with it.
The success of ERP is NOT (only) depending on the support (commitment) of the management team BUT (even more) of their administrative involvement ('demonstrated commitment'). Only by high visibility, substantive communication and supportive actions of the management the organization will take ERP seriously and changes can be made.
It is up to the right hand of the management team and confidential adviser of the organization – the project manager, to claim the administrative involvement and to set out and monitor the path to maneuverability and robustness.
Claiming administrative involvement is done by:
- Assigning project responsibilities to the management team, advise them about how they need to execute these responsibilities and make sure they do it too
- Organizing the visibility, communication and actions of the management team
- Delegating responsibilities upward to management
Shaping the path to maneuverability and robustness is done by:
- Not turning our backs on the content but embrace it
- Creating a climate in which everyone wants to collaborate and add value
- Arranging for clarity on the steps to be taken
2. The ERP of the future is ‘for LIFE’
'Innovation of ERP' is creating ‘an ERP for LIFE’ with extensible process and data models and customizable business rules.
Companies must realize that ERP is not (no longer more) a bowl of butter that you buy in the shop around the corner and spread over the organization.
Companies must realize that ERP is not (no longer more) an island within their process and application landscape, as they themselves are no longer an island within the (supply) value chain they are part of.
Companies must realize that ERP is not (no longer more) a car of which you give the steering wheel away.
The cars of the future are all constructed from the same components, they are technology-driven, modular designed and environmental conscious.
the cars of the future fit as a tailored suit around the owners
SO it should BE with the ERP of the future
3. Vision, Conviction, Passion and Trust
‘Innovation of ERP’ floats on 4 core values: vision, conviction, passion and trust
Vision asks that you as a manager know what is happening in your business, where you as a company are good at, where you as an organization stand, where you want to go AND ESPECIALLY what is needed to get there.
Conviction asks that you as a manager know what solutions are out there, understand which approaches are best suited to the future ambitions of your business and customers, realize what it requires of your organization and other stakeholders AND ESPECIALLY dare giving direction by making clear what you don't want.
Passion asks that you as a manager constantly continue to inspire others, that you dare propagate changes that are needed, that you keep looking forward AND ESPECIALLY continue to stress the positive.
Trust asks that you as a manager free up the right people, appoint the right persons in charge, dare to give room for innovation, start an open collaboration with suppliers AND ESPECIALLY be aware actively involved.
4. An agile methodology
‘Innovation of ERP’ is an agile and nimble approach that leans on Prince2 and DSDM. PRINCE2 because of the strong framework for the management and control of the project (governance and management) and DSDM because of the strong focus on achieving business objectives.
Would you like to learn more about this agile methodology continue to follow me. I explain it further in the article "Which approach to follow for the innovation of your ERP?".
It is about a nimble approach to an agile end result
References::
[1] https://www.tcc-net.com/articles/Article-DSDM-Prince2-ITIL.pdf
Delivering IT services using PRINCE2, DSDM and ITIL [Dorothy Tudor]
Dorothy Tudor examines how the use of structured methods and best practices for IT service management and project management can help you manage the IT landscape.
Package Software Implementation and Agile [Sunil Parija, Program Manager, Infosys Ltd]
Sunul Parija describes an Agile approach to deploy ‘package based applications’ like SAP.
Tags: ERP, Prince2, DSDM