Tag: realization

  • ICG Implementation Solutions, Part IV: Go-Live and Support

    This post is part IV of IV in a series about ICG’s implementation solutions. You can find parts I, II, and III of the series here, here, and here, respectively.

    ICG Implementation Solutions, Part III Go-Live and SupportThe previous three phases we’ve discussed over the last few weeks, project management, business blueprinting, and realization, lead us to the final go-live and support phase with a level of comfort and thorough understanding of how SAP is set up to run. By this point in the process, the staff has been trained, and support is ready to go to improve operations.

    Go-live and support is broken down into four parts, which we’ll detail below:

    Final cut over and execution:

    In this stage, preparations are finalized and SAP production is updated for the processes that were put in place during the realization phase. Data conversions are performed and processes are tested in production. Communications are sent out, and at this point, our new system is in place and ready.

    Validate live business processes:

    Once SAP production is up and running, our professionals will continue to work with your IT staff and business users to review that all the processes are working as intended. We’ll also make sure that all issues and problems are resolved for transition to the production support team. In addition, the change management employed throughout the project, with proper change management procedures established, will continue to help staff become accustomed to the new system. 

    Ongoing production support:

    During the project management phase, we determine how the company is going to continue support—internal, outsourced, or hybrid. Help desk scripts created during the realization stage can help facilitate quick responses. Our professionals will continue to work with your support team to make sure they are comfortable, and have the knowledge to quickly respond and resolve inquiries from your staff.

    Post go-live end-user training:

    Best practices in training will continue to be an important component of a successful system installation, and of ongoing use. New employees, or employees that move to a new area, will need to understand the processes they will be responsible for and how those fit into the overall system end-to-end. This foundation within the company’s workforce is important for any employee changes so that this on-going knowledge transfer is not lost.

    Throughout this entire process, organizations continue to morph, and processes may need to be adjusted as time goes on, requiring new configuration. The project management phase will have identified the continuing education needs so that all parties involved with the change will understand the implications and make proper adjustments to training.

    The go-live date also doesn’t mean the end of preparing documentation. Instead, it is an ongoing process that includes frequent updates throughout the lifecycle of the system in place. From project management to go-live and support, ICG’s implementation solutions are here to help your business navigate the change.

    Want to learn more about ICG’s SAP HCM solutions, and how we can help your business meet its goals in this changing business environment? Get in touch with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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    photo credit: Martin Gillet via photopin cc

  • ICG Implementation Solutions, Part III: Realization

    This post is part III of IV in a series about ICG’s implementation solutions. Over the coming weeks, we’ll cover each aspect of our implementation solutions, from project management to go-live and support. Be sure to check back later for more posts in the series. You can find parts I and II of the series here and here, respectively.

    ICG Implementation Solutions, Part III- RealizationAfter the critical steps of project management and business blueprinting, the next stage of ICG’s implementation process is realization–the final stage before go-live and support.

    Like project management and business blueprinting, realization can be broken down into a few main parts:

    • System configuration
    • Report specification and build
    • Interface specification and build
    • Conversion specification and build
    • Unit testing
    • End user training preparation and delivery

    Realization takes the time and effort put into the business blueprinting stage and enacts the desired outcomes and expected benefits.

    During the project management phase, we identified the resources, and who would complete the configuration efforts by thinking through all of the ways our project affects the organization. With all the processes and requirements fully documented and understood, our professionals work with your staff to configure SAP and deliver projects with better control.

    Knowledge transfer continues through this phase so that the eventual support staff thoroughly understands the implementation and configuration through documentation and/or hands-on training.

    As the configuration is put in place, unit tests are completed, and any adjustments necessary to the configuration are identified and resolved. Adjustments go through the change request process identified during the project management phase, and business blueprint documents will be updated to capture the changes.

    Unit tests, as part of the development process for proper operation, are determined and performed, and will eventually be the foundation for end-user training development and help desk support scripts. Custom code for reports, interfaces, and conversions is written and thoroughly tested in a dedicated testing environment.

    After realization, the process is nearly complete and we can move through to the go-live and support stage. It takes a lot of planning and preparation, but our process here at ICG is meant to evaluate every aspect of our project to enable success after go-live.

    Want to learn more about ICG? Get in touch with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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    Photo credit: Ralph Orlowski/Bloomberg