How to survive your CMMS Implementation!

In the last of our blogs in this CMMS series, we discuss implementation. We explore how to prepare your people, business, and systems to give your CMMS/EAM/ERP implementation the best chance of success.

Introduction

According to PwC research, 75% of projects fail because they don’t adequately address people, organisational, and cultural issues. Implementing a CMMS can suffer this fate, if the change is not managed effectively.

A Plant Manager quoted the following during their CMMS implementation.

“Well, the system is finally in now, but it cost a lot more money and took a lot more time than we were led to believe. It still won’t talk to our other systems, and we can’t see the payback yet. I’m beginning to wonder if it was worth it.”

The good news is your story doesn’t need to end like this one. When planned and executed well, the implementation of a CMMS can add significant value to your organisation. The experienced team at EnterpriseIS can help with the development and execution of your implementation plan.

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Having a system implementation plan is important, but so too is having an effective strategy to support change and foster acceptance. With any change there will be cynics, critics, supporters, and those that lie somewhere in between. The challenge lies in how you propose to win over the hearts and minds of these people, that will ultimately have to live with a new system, process, procedures, and in some cases, a complete shift in thinking or culture.

For the change to be successful your workforce must:

see the need for change
understand the benefits in making the change, and
feel that they are a part of setting the direction for change

Given the effort required, having a project plan to manage the change is essential. Here are some elements to consider when developing your roadmap.

How are you going to sell the change and prepare your workforce?
How will you condition the leadership to adopt the investment in time and resources to implement properly?
Do you need to re-define the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of users that will interact with the system?
How will you develop your training needs analysis, select your methods of delivery, and evaluate competency levels?
Will the training be role based, transaction based, business process based, or a combination of these?
Will you create a network of internal “super users” or “business process data coaches (BPDC)” who become the experts that everyday users can reach out to for help?
Are there ways of mistake proofing or making the user interface intuitive?
Are there any new hardware or devices such as printers required?
How will you develop the training material and documentation? Will there be on-line help?
How will master data will be collated and verified prior to upload into the CMMS/EAM/ERP?
How will the system be configured and customised for specific functions and user needs?
Will existing Master data need cleansing before it’s migrated across into the new system?
Will historical records be migrated across? How much history will be migrated?
What profiles and permissions are required for different users?
What are the authority levels set in the system for each role?
Do you need to develop interfaces to enable communication and integration with other applications?
How will the system be tested and validated? Who will write the scripts for this testing?
What is the cutover strategy i.e will the transition be staged or turned on overnight?
What processes are in place for business continuity during the cutover period?
How will you monitor uptake and correct use? What milestones will be celebrated?
Which KPI’s will be used to determine the initial business process compliance?
What is the plan around ongoing monitoring, auditing and reporting on progress?

Final Thoughts

Irrespective of how much time and effort has been invested up to this point, your CMMS implementation’s overall and ongoing success will be dependent on how the change is managed. There is a significant volume of work in developing and executing an implementation plan, hence why most organisations seek assistance.

The team at EnterpriseIS have a wealth of expertise and experience in CMMS implementation and have helped clients transform their business and realise the return on their investment. If you need some help in achieving your CMMS goals, reach out to the team and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest blog and updates. We will tailor a solution to deliver your goals.