Articles by James A Robertson and Associates

Sem 02 ERP and IT Procurement that Delivers Results
Created by James on 8/25/2014 1:49:52 PM

Much of what goes wrong with business information systems is that the procurement process is NOT robust enough to filter out lightweight and doubtful bidders and does NOT result in a tough contract that has the teeth to ensure that the successful bidder delivers on their sales promises

Ensuring high business quality,

low risk ERP and Business System

procurement outcomes

ONE DAY MASTERCLASS

Next date to be advised

London, United Kingdom

A concise one day MasterClass which will introduce you to a radically different and better approach to ERP and IT procurement

Enables you(the client) to define “the rules of the game”

Process which is fair to all parties, but focused on safeguarding and protecting client interests

Vital insights into why failure occurs and how to prevent it

Minimize business risk and shed risk to the people who claim to be the experts

A tough business results oriented, engineering procurement approach - based on the approach that ensures that construction projects succeed

See and experience ERP procurement differently

Clearly define roles and responsibilities at the strategic executive level

Equip executives to TAKE CHARGE of their ERP or other Business Information System procurement

Concise business appropriate specifications that are tech free

Directed at ensuring that the net is cast as wide as possible to ensure that the most appropriately experienced implementer AND software are chosen to fully meet the business requirement

Geared to discourage and penalize low bidders - thus preventing unrealistic, low bidding

Structured to permit detailed section by section comparison of offers

Systematic progression of business discovery ensures that contractor fully understands the high level mechanics of the business

Systematic progression of software discovery ensures that the client has a solid understanding of what they are buying

Strategically focused – “essence of the business” bid adjudication – what is REALLY important

Highly structured three stage process progressively selects the most suitable software and service provider for fixed price and fixed business deliverables

Contract implementer and software company team composition – the team you buy is the team you get – including executive involvement

Tough certification NOT sign-off – legally enforceable certificates

Contractually prevent scope creep

Onus of responsibility for business discovery rests with implementer as an accountable professional - strong contractor accountability

All promises in writing and contractually enforceable

Robust, tough contract entered into, to prevent failure and thereby achieve success, including enforceable fixed prices

Substantial master document pack available to delegates at discounted fee

Founded on more than 23 years investigating and remediating failed and sub-optimal IT and ERP procurements and 33 years’ experience achieving high value Business Outcomes – all from an ENGINEERING perspective – “engineers design bridges NOT to fall down”

Attend this Executive MasterClass to understand HOW to conduct TOUGH, LOW RISK ERP and IT procurement that delivers results measured in terms of business outcomes

EXCEPTIONAL VALUE

Overview

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This MasterClass is directed at Executives and Senior managers of enterprises in both the private and public sector, which are about to embark on the procurement of a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Data Warehouse, Business Intelligence platform or other Business Information System or IT software solution, who are concerned about the number of horror stories of failed and sub-optimal system implementations, and who want to proactively manage their procurement to maximize the probability of a successful outcome

The MasterClass is presented personally by Dr Robertson, and throughout the day points are supported by anecdotes and references from personal experience, ensuring that the material is brought to life in ways that delegates can relate to

Delegates will receive a Compact Disk containing a copy of the presentations, together with a diversity of articles and white papers for future reference

This concise MasterClass summarizes the experience and lessons learned by Dr James Robertson -- The ERP Doctor – a Professional Engineer by training, in seeking to develop methods of managing Information Technology related business system procurement in ways that minimize risk to the client, and maximize high value business outcome

This experience includes numerous "Pulse Measurement" investigations into failing and sub-optimal Business Information System and ERP investments coupled, to assist clients to turn such situations around and achieve successful high value outcomes – this has given a deep insight into the factors that need to be managed and contracted at procurement time in order to achieve a high value, low risk business outcome

The MasterClass is structured around a substantial pack of documents that Dr Robertson has developed for procurement purposes coupled to a systematic multi-stage converging procurement approach, geared to achieving a high quality definition of the overall requirement, a clear definition of the project plan, and an enforceable fixed price contract

Delegates will be given an overview of critical principles and then be taken step by step through the various documents in the pack with a discussion of their purpose and what is required to populate them in a robust manner

The overall approach to the execution of the project, including the Business Simulation Laboratory, issue of certificates and other measures will be discussed

On completion of the MasterClass delegates will have the opportunity to purchase a master set of document templates for either a small to medium or medium to large enterprise at a discounted rate

A concise HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW that will EQUIP you to TAKE CHARGE of your procurement

Features

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(An Engineering Approach to Business Systems Solution Procurement)

Are you about to embark on a significant ERP or IT procurement?

Alarmed by the horror stories:
-          Failed implementations
-          Damaged or trashed businesses
-          Massive cost and time overruns
-          etc

Looking for a better way?

A robust and tough procurement process with the right contractual terms is vital to starting the journey on the right foot

Minimize risk

Maximize potential for a high value long life durable outcome

Register for the MasterClass on “ERP and IT Procurement that Delivers Results”

Learn how to:

-          Define the requirement in a way the business can enforce
-          Contract an enforceable fixed price
-          Cast the net wide to ensure you obtain the best possible solution and offer
-          Create a basis for robust “allowables” based payments
-          Create a contractual framework that covers ALL the traditional IT escape clauses that drive “change of scope”
-          Understand the truth about “change of scope” and HOW to manage it
-          Conduct a procurement process that progressively narrows the field until you contract with the most suitable bidder

Delegates to this MasterClass will be able to purchase a pack of proprietary templates for the procurement approach taught on the course at a discounted rate – NOT available anywhere else

Systematic engineered content that will open new insights into how to conduct effective IT and ERP related procurement

1. The ideal -- Questions you SHOULD be able to say "YES" to

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Which of these statements are true about your procurement or planned procurement?

a.   Are YOU, as an executive, firmly in control of the procurement process?   Are You calling the shots?

b.   Is the business outcome clearly contractually documented in a high level strategically focused requirements document that will withstand intense legal scrutiny?

c.   Are you absolutely certain that you will select the most appropriate software portfolio for your business for the long haul?

d.   Are you absolutely certain that you have the most appropriate and most highly experienced Implementer project team?

e.   Are the senior members of the Implementer team contractually locked in for the duration of the project?

f.   Do you have contractual rights with regard to substitution of Implementer team members?

g.   Do you have an achievable and viable twenty year outlook on this investment?

h.   Have you fully realized that “as is Business Process Mapping” is a total waste of time and have you contracted out of it in favour of high level Strategic Discovery?

i.   Have you got “out of scope” contractually managed?

j.   Do you have a high level of confidence that the contract price and deliverables are realistic and solidly and enforceably contractually defined?

k.   Are all documents and conversations presented in plain language YOU understand?

l.   Do you have a totally independent and highly experienced professional advisor who has done this before repeatedly, on your team?

m.   Do you have a document pack that comprehensively defines all your current reports, spreadsheets and custom applications as a point of DEPARTURE for your new system?

n.   Do you have a prescribed and mandatory Table of Contents for bid documents so that allows you to line up tender offers and compare them section by section?

o.   Do you have a structured and numerically rated and weighted adjudication schedule that will allow you to quantitatively assess the relative strength of different bids?

p.   Do you have a checklist of items that are prerequisite for a bid to be considered?

q.   Do you have an extremely detailed Bill of Services that will form the basis of progress payments?

r.   Do you have a detailed and proven step-by-step procurement process that will progressively lead to selection of the most suitable software AND implementer with a realistic negotiated project plan, fixed price and tough, enforceable contract?

s.   Do you have a solid understanding of the impact of configuration precision on the outcome?

t.   Do you realize that some level of custom development is inevitable AND desirable and have clear measures to manage this?

u.   Do you have a clearly defined and robust laboratory based business simulation approach that will ensure that the configuration and customization are comprehensively and rigorously proven to be stable and reliable under ALL possible conditions?

v.   Will ALL reports, dashboards and Business Intelligence functionality that you require in order to run the business at full productivity and effectiveness be proven to work reliably BEFORE commissioning (“go live”)?

w.   Will workflows be proven to work reliably before commissioning?

x.   Will ALL staff be comprehensively trained and competent in using the new system BEFORE commissioning?

y.   Does your procurement process make provision for progressive, robust business discovery by bidders as the field of bidders is progressively narrowed to the final bidder?

z.   Do you have a robust certificate based approach to the approval of any specification, test outcome and, in particular, with regard to acceptance of the final configuration BEFORE authorizing commissioning?

aa.   Does your procurement process make provision for progressive, robust software discovery by the business as the field of bidders is progressively narrowed to the final bidder?

bb.   Is your entire procurement, discovery, specification, customization, configuration, testing, commissioning and operating approach robustly engineered to achieve success by eliminating every possible cause of failure?

cc.   Do you have the SAME level of comfort about the outcome of this project as you would if you were erecting a new factory or office tower?

dd.   Do you have a robust expectation of dramatic, sustainable business improvement as a consequence of this investment?

ee.   Is increased competitiveness and effectiveness supporting accelerated sustainable growth and sustainable profitability the number one consideration when you consider this investment?

If you can say “YES”to all or most of the above questions you do NOT need this MasterClass, BUT IF you said “NO” you should attend the MasterClass and learn how you CAN get to “YES” on all of the above points

Learn HOW to get to 'YES' on ALL the above

2. The reality -- Questions you reluctantly have to say "YES" to

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Which of these statements are true about your procurement or planned procurement?

a.   You know what the required business outcome is but you are unsure whether anyone else has the same picture?

b.   You take a strong position but most of the time you do NOT have a clue what is going on?

c.   You really do NOT know how you will choose the best software for your requirements?

d.   Your requirements definition is unstructured and full of meaningless and spurious clauses like “user friendly” and “must be Microsoft”?

e.   You have abdicated in favour of some mid-level tech fan who you hope has some vague business understanding?

f.   Vendors talk past you with incessant technobabble about “the CLOUD” and other subjects that you do NOT understand and are afraid to reveal your ignorance of?

g.   You have NOT really thought about the Implementers since you really do NOT know how to differentiate and so you are focused on software features as the primary basis for decision making?

h.   This is the first time anyone on your team has undertaken a procurement of this nature?

i.   The only person on your team who claims to have done this before is a recent mid-level recruit from a totally different business who makes extravagant claims about his knowledge and experience?

j.   You are forced to go with the vendors contract because you do NOT know where to start in drafting you own contract?

k.   Your requirements are largely expressed in terms of software functionality with a few vague and general clauses relating to the nature of your business?

l.   You are assuming that all Implementers are roughly the same and there is NOT much to choose between them?

m.   You are assuming that use of the software by a competitor guarantees that it will work for you?

n.   You are assuming that implementation experience with a competitor guarantees that the Implementer will know how to implement for you?

o.   You have a rigid and uncompromising “no customization” policy that is absolutely NOT negotiable?

p.   You are uncertain how you will contain “change of scope”?

q.   You are hoping you can contain scope with bluster and brute strength – but you know you do not have the knowledge to back up your position, so you will crumble eventually?

r.   You are NOT sure how you will compare competing bid documents, let alone adjudicate offers reliably?

s.   You are planning to rely on “gut feel” and “chemistry” to make your final buying decision?

t.   You are unsure which Implementer personnel will actually DO the work once the contract is signed?

u.   You feel that you are a bystander in the process?

v.   You have a rough procurement plan that is being driven more by the bidders than by your own staff?

w.   The bid documents you have received are boiler plated packs of generic documentation that say almost nothing about your business?

x.   Will you finally go with a “big name” Implementer for “safety” even though you hear rumours of dramatic failures – you are hoping that somehow your project will turn out differently?

y.   You are NOT even thinking of strategic gains?

z.   Somehow head count reduction and workflow efficiencies will pay for this?

aa.   You are gearing up for a comprehensive and onerous “as is” and “to be” Business Process Mapping exercise as the KEY to a successful outcome?

bb.   You are relying in large measure on “the integrity” of the bidders?

cc.   This is the first time you have heard anything about the concept of “Precision Configuration”?

dd.   You are NOT sure HOW you will measure progress or approve progress payments?

ee.   There is a real probability that you will have expended far more budget than there has been work done, measured by what is required to complete the project?

ff.   You are NOT really sure how you will know when you are ready to “go live” other than that you will have reached the scheduled date and exhausted the budget, so you really will have little alternative BUT to “go live”?

gg.   You know that in reality you will have NO legal recourse against the Implementer should the project be a mess, or the “go live” be shaky or damage the business?

hh.   You have accepted that you will only be able to test reports ONCE the system has been running for a few months?

ii.   You will actually only be able to look at workflow optimization in practice sometime in the future?

jj.   There will be a few staff moderately well trained, but most of the staff will ONLY get exposure to the system when they are “thrown in the deep end” at go-live?

kk.   You are chasing “sign off” as opposed to seeking formal approval with penalties for unwise signatures?

ll.   You are aware that failure is rift but you are hoping that somehow you will get it right?

mm.   You are lying awake at night, seriously doubting what is going on, but not knowing what to do about it?

nn.   You are seriously considering joining another company BEFORE go-live?

oo.   You are hoping to get five years life out of this investment before you have to start again?

pp.   Implementer team members can leave anytime they feel like it and you have NO say over replacement?

If you said "YES" to many or most of these questions then this Briefing is for you!!

Learn HOW to get to 'NO' on ALL the above

3. The Answer -- MasterClass on ERP and IT Procurement that Delivers Results

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If you answered “NO” to most of the questions in Section 1 or “YES” to most of the statements in Section 2 you will find this Executive MasterClass invaluable

You will be taken through a set of principles and a method which will show you how it IS possible to say “YES” to ALL the questions in Section 1 and “NO” to ALL the statements in Section 2

Please see below for venue and investment details

Click on the “Register” button to send an email to register for the MasterClass and we will respond with an invoice and a copy of Dr Robertson’s book “The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success”

A POWERFUL explanation of the REAL issues associated with achieving high reliability, TOUGH Business Information System (ERP+) procurement

ERP and IT Procurement that Delivers Results

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Delegates to the MasterClass will also have the opportunity to purchase a set of Procurement Document templates on CD for either:

-- Small to Medium Corporations

-- Medium to Large Corporations

For a special fee

Delegates to the MasterClass will also have the opportunity to order a "Pulse Measurement" investigation into their systems or other service for a special fee plus travel, accommodation and subsistence outside of London, UK -- this discounted fee applies to orders placed within 30 days of the MasterClass

Delegates to the MasterClass who attend the full MasterClass and at the end consider that they have NOT received value for money may ask for a full refund of the MasterClass fees provided they return the MasterClass material before leaving the venue

A small investment for a DRAMATIC shift in perspective leading to EFFECTIVE NEW ACTION

Email us for more information

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Dr James A Robertson PrEng The ERP Doctor

Business Systems NOT delivering?

Call the Business Systems Specialist

Dr. James Robinson

Dr James A Robertson -- has been involved in the effective application of Business Information Systems, including but NOT limited to ERP, since 1987 and in the profitable and effective use of computers in Business since 1981.

Drawing on a diversity of experience, including formal military training in Quick Attack techniques at the Regimental Commander level, Dr Robertson has developed highly effective methods of investigating any sub-optimal Business Information Systems situation -- be it an established system or a stalled project or any other source of Executive frustration -- quickly and concisely diagnosing the root cause of the problem and prescribing concise practical actions that Business Executives can effectively act on see the Pulse Measurement page and also the Sample Reports page for redacted real reports.

He has also developed highly effective methods of strategically enriching systems to unlock the full potential of existing investments, see the Precision Configuration page and couples this to architecting small pieces of clever software that harness the full potential of your investment, see the Software page.

If you are having problems with your systems, your project or your IT Department, call The Business Systems Specialist
James@James-A-Robertson-and-Associates.com

Business System Failure is RIFE -- we offer insight into why this happens AND WHAT is required to prevent it.

Failure is at epidemic levels with massive damage done to client companies -- if you are NOT aware of the extent of the problem please visit the About Failure page for a catalog of major failures running to billions of Pounds and Dollars.

All evidence indicates that the established players do NOT know how to deliver stable, reliable high value solutions that WORK.

There HAS to be a better way!

This website provides information relating to that way with a large collection of white papers, presentations, standards documents, etc that you can use to start bringing the situation under control

We also offer high level advisory services with regard to the application of the principles advocated on this website

We offer an ENGINEERING APPROACH to addressing these issues

By Engineering I mean the formal, structured, highly disciplined, highly systematic, highly practical approach that consistently delivers results in ALL areas of human endeavor where formally trained and certified engineers are the ONLY practitioners permitted to operate -- think large buildings, factories, motor vehicles, aircraft -- highly complex systems that work at a level that we take it for granted that they WILL work and where failure is all but unthinkable and, when it happens, attracts immediate public attention and rigorous investigation directed at ensuring that such failures are prevented in the future -- in fact, everything that the management consulting industry that implements complex software systems is NOT

This approach is discussed further on the Engineering Approach page.

Book -- The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success

In 2003 I undertook an in-depth analysis of all the information and experience that I had gathered with regard to the factors giving rise to Business Information System failure including ERP and general IT and classified this information into a number of categories including "The Factors Causing Failure" and "The Critical Factors for Success" based on this I developed a two day Course "The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success" which is still offered today.

Based on this I wrote the book of the same name, which is available in electronic form here for download:

Connect with James Robertson on LinkedIn

James has a very detailed profile on LinkedIn should you require further information about him.

You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/DrJamesARobertsonERPDoctor

James has an open networking profile -- click on "Connect" and use email address James@LinkedIn-at-JARA.com.

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