Implementation
As Project Leaders, our job is amazing: we have the opportunity to improve people’s lives at work by automating boring tasks and making companies more productive. Rare are the solutions that have such an impact on the people using it.
But implementing a management software is as difficult as it is impactful. Odoo connects all departments, which means a lot of changes and a lot of users relying on you to improve their workflows.
It’s hard to be a great Project Leader... very hard. More than 50% of proprietary ERP implementations fail and only 18% of SME's have deployed an integrated management software, because it’s too complex and too expensive for them. But the constant failures to deliver are actually our opportunity to thrive.
By making implementation projects smooth, predictable and affordable, Odoo is transforming the market and in doing so fulfills a huge demand.
As Eska over the past 10 years, more than 95% of our implementations have been successful, which stands in stark contrast to other solution providers.
To reach to that point, we had a critical look at our approach and at the role of our 5 Project Leaders. We fine-tuned our methodology, analyzed how the top performers behave and realized what makes some projects more successful than others. This guide summarizes our best practices and all the tricks we’ve learned.
Key Concepts
Responsibilities
• As Project Leaders, our top priority is to ensure the project stays on schedule, and on budget.
• The customer defines their business' needs (why and what) and the way to satisfy these is defined by the product through us (how).
• Limit custom developments to the minimum necessary.
Keeping It Simple
• Fewer meetings, less paperwork, faster decisions.
• Limit the number of stakeholders to accelerate decision cycle.
• Limit custom development to the minimum necessary.
• Working on site is inefficient to get things done, but efficient for change management and training. Go on site only when needed.
People
• Project Leaders must be problem solvers, as well as product & business experts.
• Avoid intermediaries who are not decision makers.
• Train the key-users early on in the project. They should be confident in the product and committed to the project.
Project Managers
• The key success factor of any implementation is the Project Manager (aka Project Leader at Odoo).
• Recruit & train the best talent. Retain only the top performers.
• Even the best Project Leaders miss critical details. To limit risk, Odoo Experts should challenge their work at critical steps in the project.
But never forget: Common sense always prevails over any rule!