Over
the years, I have spoken with many companies implementing BPM solutions. I asked them what contributed to their
success. What follows is a list of things
that worked for them.
Champion - Identify a champion for this project. The champion doesn't have to be a VP level
person, but should be well respected around the company. That person will be the internal sales person
for the project.
Project Manager - A good project manager can make this project so
much easier. A bad project manager can
lead the project to failure.
Cross Functional Team - Gather a group that can help with the design of
the solution and will have some ownership in the result. If there is a person in your company that
tends to be negative, get them involved as well. One person with a bad attitude can kill
projects like this.
Manage Change - People hate change. Make this as easy as possible for employees
and have the Champion persuade them that the change will be good for them too.
Culture - Take into account the culture of the
company. Changing the culture may just
be too big a project to take on and may not be necessary.
Corporate Politics - Understand the politics of your company and work
within its constraints if at all possible.
Management Support - It is always easier with management
support. Work with the champion to
garner management support.
Define Success - Start with a goal in mind. If at all possible, find a measurable metric
so that it is easy to see if the project is successful. Start with a smaller, visible process to
prove success. The company will be able
to see the success and will be more favorable to moving on to the next process
(s).
These
tips will make it easier to have a successful BPM project. Go for it!
Your thoughts...
What
have you seen with your BPM project?
Internal red tape and corporate politics are often the reason any initiative, not just a BPM project, fails. You've got to get everyone on board or you're constantly fighting an uphill battle that gets you no closer to progress.