For most organisations, the development of a Business Case for the deployment of a new ERP or business system is only the start of the journey. The whole point of most business or IT project initiatives is to generate value for years to come. However, the truth is that most project leadership teams lose interest in the results shortly after the “Go Live” date and line managers do not see it as their job to preserve the enthusiasm and focus of the project either. In the majority of cases, no one actually verifies that the projected benefits have actually been delivered.
Business Case Development
We actively assist our clients with Business Case Development. CMC tracks and manages the expected benefits of all our projects. To lay the foundation for those benefits, several things can be done in preparation for the implementation of a new system.
CMC recommends the following:
- Business Benefits Realisation Planning – we include this as part of the Business Case as it provides a foundation for measuring project success.
- Continued Monitoring – of project progress to note benefits achieved against planned milestones.
- Post Implementation Review – to focus on project objectives and the Business Benefits Realisation Plan. Benefits not achieved should be identified and reported to the sponsor.
- Continual Improvement – around subsequent activities to ensure any outstanding benefits are achieved.
