Tag: Process Improvement

Software Implementation Projects And Six Sigma

Software Implementation Projects And Six Sigma
Tony Jacowski

Six Sigma concepts were originally developed for use in the manufacturing sector, but are now increasingly being used in the services sector as well. Use of Six Sigma concepts in the software industry has become quite common, but what many people do not know is that Six Sigma concepts can also be used in software implementation. People who have experience in software implementation projects know that such projects often do not take off as planned and may be subjected to schedule overruns and recurring problems. This is why many software companies opt for employing Six Sigma concepts during the process of software implementation at a clients site.

Common Implementation Problems

The two most common problems faced during software implementation projects include customer requirement problems and schedule estimation problems. By employing Six Sigma concepts in software implementation projects, professionals can better understand the needs and business objectives of the client. This way, they can make sure that the software implementation project is successfully completed within the stipulated timeframe. Employing Six Sigma will also ensure that no additional costs are incurred during the implementation process.

Understanding Client Requirements

Software products are normally designed for increasing the efficiency of a business process in accordance with the goals and objectives of the client. Most of the problems related to the software arise during the implementation stage when the client finds out that the software is unable to achieve desired objectives. This situation arises when the client passes vague information about requirements to software developers or when developers are unable to clearly comprehend client requirements.

Six Sigma helps in avoiding problems during the software implementation stage by bridging the gap between actual requirements of the client and what is eventually understood by software developers. Many people believe that Six Sigma is only limited to the use of statistical methods. What they do not know is that Six Sigma follows a disciplined approach that can solve any type of problem, whether it is quantitative or qualitative. This is evident from software companies that have successfully employed Six Sigma concepts in solving qualitative problems that arise during software implementation projects.

Generating Schedule Estimates

Schedule estimation is another common problem faced during software implementation. Mistakes in schedule estimation can affect the outcome of an implementation project; as such projects are often required to be completed in a specific timeframe and within available budgets. Implementation projects are often delayed because planners make the implementation schedule without considering indirect factors that might affect the project. Planners often fail to foresee that implementation can get affected due to the size of the software, location where it is being implemented, internal politics, authority, and governance.

Employing Six Sigma concepts in preparing schedule estimations will help planners to effectively include all these factors which may indirectly affect software implementation projects. Based on the past records of the client, Six Sigma statistical tools will generate an efficiency chart, which provides details about all types of problems faced with the client during software implementation projects. The chart displays the time taken to resolve such problems and techniques that were employed to solve such problems.

The chart also displays any additional time or costs that went into the completion of the project. Planners can use the information given in the chart for giving due consideration to all the indirect factors that can affect software implementations. This will help in generating true schedule estimates, necessary for the success of software implementation projects.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

The Importance of Assigning Tasks and Resources in Project Management

One of the key success factors in an ERP, CRM, or other implementation is that there is good project management. This article touches on some of the features of managing the project: managing Tasks and managing Resources.

The Importance of Assigning Tasks and Resources in Project Management
John Reynolds

There are two major ways to estimate the lengths (i.e., durations) of tasks. The simplest way is to estimate the elapsed time of a task.

If someone says it will take him a week to do a particular task, he is probably offering an elapsed-time estimate. They generally mean that it will take him one work week to get a task done, not that it will take them 40 hours. When estimating elapsed time, people generally account for not working on the project tasks full-time, and for working on other, higher-priority tasks first.

In most projects, however, lengths should be estimated based on the amount of work, not the amount of time. That way, adding resources will shorten a task, and using resources only part-time will lengthen a task. Tasks that fluctuate like this depending on the resources assigned are called resource-constrained tasks.

There are several ways to estimate the resource time for a task. One is to let the project manager calculate the estimates based on an employees performance on similar tasks. Another is to let the employees performing the tasks calculate their estimates, generally based on how they performed on similar tasks. A third way to estimate is to use standard metrics for generic tasks.

Although many project managers like to follow the standards established by these generic metrics, their plans are generally more accurate when they and their employees do their own estimating. It usually takes three to five projects to become proficient, but the eventual accuracy is worth the delay. Sometimes tasks will not be resource-constrained and can be estimated based on the elapsed times. Examples would be training classes or project meetings. Even though two or more people may attend a class or meeting, the length of the task does not shorten. These types of tasks are called time-constrained.

Good project management requires excellent communication forms and documentation. Get professional project manager templates to help you with your next ERP, CRM, or other technology project.

If estimates are being provided from standard metrics or project managers, them resources (i.e., employees) should be assigned after task lengths are determined. If estimates are coming from the employees performing the tasks, obviously these steps will be reversed. Regardless of the order of these two steps, one or more employees should be picked for each task that is resource-constrained.

Employees assigned to multiple tasks are often scheduled for too much work while there are simultaneous tasks to complete and not enough work when there are no task assignments. To maintain a consistent workload, resources need to be ‘leveled.’ There are only two main ways to level resource allocations: by adjusting the task schedule or adjusting the resource assignments. Project management packages generally adjust the schedule to increase the amount of time it takes to finish the project.

Remember these basic principles for assigning task lengths and resources to improve your management proficiency.

John Reynolds has been a practicing project manager for nearly 20 years and is the editor of an informational website rating project management software products. For more information on project management and project management software, visit Project Management Software Web.

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Theory H.O.W.: How Organizations could Work

We recently saw a presentation by Howard Cavallaro on the various types of manufacturing companies and how they interact with their supply chain. It was a very good presentation. He now has a new book out called: Theory H.O.W.: How Organizations Could Work
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The publisher’s description is as follows: Theory H.O.W. was written to enable small and medium-size manufacturing companies who want to aggressively challenge the status quo. With more than 40 years of combined experience in manufacturing, supply-chain, and business management, authors Carol Ptak and Harold Cavallaro have developed applicable theories about how to run a successful company. Using the Theory H.O.W. business transformation approach, organizations will be able to formulate strategies that are supported by specific tactical actions, systems, technology, and other tools to achieve a desired, sustainable competitive advantage. The backbone behind the Theory H.O.W. process is actually a combination of key elements–the ability to classify, define, or characterize key business elements and their effects on business performance and your organizations ability to produce greater results.

We are awaiting our copy, but we would suggest that based on the presentation, the book is worth reading!

Improving governance with information systems

One of the key things that ERP Systems provide are process controls. This article examines the issues around IS governance.

Improving governance with information systems
CHRISTOPHER CHAMBERLAIN

Why do we need information systems (IS) governance? Technology specialists tell us that there isn’t a great deal more functionality we can get out of our computer equipment. The next five years will not bring another Internet … revolution or significant changes in equipment size. We should concentrate on getting more out of our existing equipment by using it in a better fashion. IS governance is a framework for better controls.

Controls in the last couple of years have gained an image in the commercial world of excessive overheads and reduced efficiency. That does not have to be the case but it needs an approach different from the existing Sarbanes-Oxley process. Perhaps the future methodology could include more business controls designed to achieve greater productivity and asset control. Logistic controls to help an entity maximise its investment return on inventory usage could be an example.

The modern corporation needs financial controls because

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ISO 27001 – Are your Business Systems Ready?

There is a new standard for Quality Management and it directly affects IT and specifically IT Security.

It is ISO 27001. What is it?

WHAT IS ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 is the formal standard against which organizations may seek independent certification of their Information Security Management Systems, meaning their framework to design, implement, manage, maintain and enforce information security processes and controls systematically and consistently throughout the organizations. The final version of ISO 27001:2005 is available now from ISO or BSI. More information is available at www.iso.org, www.bsiamericas.com and www.xisec.com.

This is a standard for ensuring the quality and integrity of IT Systems. Being certified in ISO 27001 can help with Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX).

Some sources of information on this emerging standard can be found at:

http://www.27001-online.com/index.htm

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iso-27001/

Seven Habits of Highly Efficient Supply & Demand Chains

From QAD’s website: An enlightening article about how to build an effective supply chain and possibly more important, those things that you should not do.

Seven Habits of Highly Efficient Supply & Demand Chains

Supply And Demand Chain Executive, May 2005

By Andrew K. Reese

To go the distance in business you need to take a disciplined approach. Here are some key best practices for making your supply chain hum.

[From Supply & Demand Chain Executive, April/May 2005] Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People first appeared on bookstands in 1990 and went on to sell millions of copies, offering a formula for personal and professional success based on a “paradigm shift” in how people perceive the world and themselves, a focus on character and principle, and the practice of the oft-repeated seven habits.

Seeking to apply the “7 Habits” approach to the supply chain, Supply & Demand Chain Executive asked Jim Tompkins, CEO and founder of Tompkins Associates, a Raleigh, N.C.-based consultancy and systems integrator, to reflect on his 30 years of experience helping companies achieve supply chain excellence and to identify those best practices, or “habits,” that are key to ensuring success in modern supply and demand chains. Our conversation with Tompkins began with the first best practice on his list:

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It’s Still About the Process

Process Improvement must be coupled with ERP implementation. The following talks about this connection:

It’s Still About the Process
by John K. Waters

As enterprise systems evolve from ERP to ERM, adding more functionality to tame and streamline back-office processes, the process of choosing the right solution grows more complex. Use this guide to sort through popular offerings.

Software Magazine – It’s Still About the Process

SAP R/3 Security in the Sarbanes OXley Era – 7 Steps for Better SOX Compliance

An interesting article on how to focus in on Sarbanes Oxley with your ERP:

7 major pointers which can help organizations towards better SAP security in the Sarbanes Oxley Era.Big4Guy – SAP R/3 Security in the Sarbanes OXley Era – 7 Steps for Better SOX Compliance