Implementing the new software for manufacturing process : The real challenge
Implementing a new software infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges a company can face. A new system adoption and upgrade is key to success for world class performance, and although there’s no single sure-fire route for quick and painless changeover. One of the biggest challenges is scope creep, this should be avoided at all costs as it’s very expensive and difficult to manage.
Project definition should be as specific as possible, avoiding bespoke functionality and considering third party application integration. Selection criteria should be agreed at the highest level and driven from the top down to get buy-in, based on clearly measured criteria and comprehensive response to requirement specifications. There should be need to appoint a competent IT project manager, but favors recruitment from outside the organization, as internal appointees are likely to be pulled elsewhere by former commitments. Consider outsourcing IT project management to avoid hassle, a process flow chart will help focus minds, and close inter-departmental and cross-functional involvement is vital.
Shortlist vendors and applications, visit multiple reference sites, and request in house demos using real data from users across the organisation. Don’t rely on a sales pitch, negotiate hard and consider market stability and the future vulnerability of a vendor when considering final selection,” he says. Pilot the project thoroughly, with realistic expectations. Weigh up the pros and cons of phased implementation or big bang, but recognize, it’s more difficult to run parallel processes than go for replacement.” The importance of separating the ‘must haves’ from the ‘nice to haves’ for successful IT implementation. Defining your business processes carefully is more important than the technology. Success comes with an eye for detail and documenting key user issues, while making strategic decisions. People should define their application needs carefully, a sales demo won’t match your process. You must see the whole picture, and test your own business processes, while ensuring reporting is flexible enough. Make sure the vendor is aligned with your industry, and be very cautions of vendor promises to “close a key gap in your requirements in a future release. Surprisingly, successful IT roll-out is the exception rather than the rule. To get it right, one need obsessive focus on clean master data, well defined and documented conventions with clear accountability, avoid duplication, names and data structure should fit the user’s mind set – and most important, keep it simple, avoid a complex asset hierarchy. Security is also an issue of concern as plc systems are rarely password protected, and software can be downloaded easily. As an increasingly wired society, collaboration with third parties, pervasive networks, outsourcing and home working all have to be considered from a security viewpoint. “Though the probability of attacks may be relatively low on the shopfloor, the potential for harm is high.
The shopfloor is leanly run, and integrated IT systems are used to monitor and measure lean parameters. Consequently the size of the manufacturing footprint has doubled without increasing the size of the store. The enterprise and strategic planning portal gives a snap picture of process plans in real time, and can be drilled down for raw data on margins, P&L and inventory. IT investment must get executive buy-in from the highest level, by stressing business benefits, one need to create a roadmap, documenting where you’ve been, where you are and where you want to go.
