Employees are the relevant factor for the success of an ERP project. Why? Because the project management ERP implementations are a complex task that requires participation at all levels. The demand on the commitment of those involved is increased if the project is to be carried out in an agile manner.
Why does no one want to do it again?
Volunteers. And then no one comes forward. This is how most searches for Key users for ERP projects. But why are these positions so difficult to fill?
Mostly the employees have already had bad experiences with previous IT projects. Day-to-day business has suffered from the additional tasks and additional tasks are always difficult to calculate anyway, especially when it comes to major changes. Many employees also have no experience with project management and therefore shy away from the task.
The worst option of all is to simply appoint those responsible over the heads of those affected. Especially in agile projects, responsibilities should not be distributed, but a feeling of self-determined responsibility should be created. But how?
Include where possible
Everyone involved must have the feeling of being part of the process from the outset. This means involving employees in the decision-making process. Those who feel that they have been involved in a decision are more likely to feel responsible for it afterwards.
Of course, this also means that all project participants are informed about the framework conditions, project scope, deadlines, contact persons and contractual regulations. It is particularly helpful for those with less project experience to create a calendar with regular dates that mark where the company is currently at in the process. Additional motivation can be created by illustrating which advantages are created for whom by the innovations. If possible, also in the project process. For example, employees in their area of specialisation can ERP be an important support in adapting the software in favour of the company.
Agile planning
The need for calculability of tasks and the agile way of working can quickly get in each other's way. However, especially in the case of ERP project Too strict schedules are a source of frustration. That's why it's better to say goodbye to standardised deadlines, tasks or dependencies. Handing over is the keyword, which is particularly unfamiliar for project managers. An approximate timeline for everything does no harm, but the individual teams or managers should create individual plans.
Create team spirit
Employees often also have concerns about the additional workload. In this case, project managers should ensure clarity right at the start and, for example, discuss a regulation for recording overtime. Options should also be defined that can be taken in the event of an overload. Involving project managers in the problem discussion often leads to employees feeling that their concerns are being taken seriously and are therefore more interested in constructive solutions. Secondly, they then prefer to help each other out. This initial problem debate can be an important cornerstone for further meetings at which the project participants inform each other about the current status, celebrate successes and discuss problems. This can also be very helpful after the new system has been implemented, as employees know exactly who to contact about which issue. If necessary, employees can also train each other on their specialist areas, which makes a much more individualised introduction possible than a ERP provider could ever make possible. The employees are also much better suited to working with the system as a central point of contact.
Motivating employees to participate in an agile project on their own responsibility may therefore require more effort in terms of team-building measures and a little trust. In the long term, however, this unfamiliar input is worthwhile and it also contributes to a more agile working attitude at.
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