Tips for Software Migrations: Part 2 - Execution and Management

Project management methodology

The most simplistic way of looking at a project is as a series of tasks that need to be accomplished in a certain order, you can try using different techniques and ways to make this more efficient, but it always comes down to the basics:

• have a clear plan up front which is agreed by all key stakeholders. If the plan changes at any point, ensure all stakeholders are aware of this.
• communicate early and often – the good and the bad. Well defined steering committees and weekly/fortnightly status reporting are non-negotiable.
• plan your tasks carefully and be militant about maintaining an accurate and up to date plan.
• don’t be afraid to adapt to changing circumstances, be open and honest when challenges arise and work through them as a collective to define an appropriate path forward.
• remember the triangle of balance – scope, time, budget. There is no silver bullet no matter how hard you try and find one.
• sometimes the right thing to do is to stop the project and re-evaluate.  Hard decisions are hard for a reason and underlying problems don’t magically get better with time.

It’s not the software’s fault!

I have seen many good software products tarnished or been given a poor reputation simply because they were not configured correctly or in line with the ‘to be’ business processes. Systems can’t answer back and as such they tend to be an easy thing to blame, but behind every piece of software are the people who developed, configured, or maintained it.  Always remember that when something isn’t working the way you would have hoped. Having people accountable and responsible for all aspects of the various business processes and/or functional areas will ensure a sense of ownership and pride in the outcomes being delivered, then there is less chance of it being ‘the software’s fault’.

The word 'surely' is a slippery slope to nonsensical discussion

When any stakeholder or team member starts a sentence with ‘but surely’, know that common sense is about to disappear out of the window and any pragmatic or practical debate is not possible.  These are the times that knowing when not to speak is possibly the greatest, and most challenging, discipline to have in business.

Be honest and transparent with dates

Don’t have a date the executive is working towards and a date that is communicated to the team, it doesn’t engender confidence in the team and risks losing the trust of staff if and when they find out (which they inevitably do) that there were in fact two sets of dates being worked towards.

Risk management

Maintain a risk register specific to the project, include the standard elements such as likelihood and consequences etc.  It isn’t the most exciting topic and as such is one that that usually falls by the wayside early in a project, be disciplined with this and keep it current and up to date (ideally fortnightly but monthly at the very least) to ensure all stakeholders have a clear picture on the risks associated with the project and follow the path of open and transparent communication.

Change management

The always ignored but perhaps most important element of any successful project. Overcommunication shouldn’t be frowned upon, in fact it should be embraced if the information is clear, tangible, and effective. Place a focus on the recipient question ‘what’s in it for me?’ when crafting the communications.

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‍This article was crafted exclusively by human expertise, without the use of artificial intelligence.

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Part 3 coming soon...