Over the course of my career I have led many systems implementations. As well as accounting systems, I have also procured and installed several EPOS and property management systems. I’ve also introduced non-financial systems such as Customer Relationship Management and ticketing solutions.
My experience in leading these sorts of projects has been in medium sized organisations, (£5-10m turnover) but I have also worked on projects such as P2P implementation and shared services initiatives in much bigger organisations.
How I can help with your systems implementation project
I can add value at any stage of the project.
I can help you with an initial assessment of your use of business systems and what you might need going forward. If I think that you don’t need an expensive system, I will say so!
If you do decide you want a new system, (or systems), I can work on a part-time basis with your organisation to provide a specification and I can manage the selection process and produce a business case and other documentation.
I can project manage from start to finish and manage the supplier relationship. I also work on the change management side of these projects to ensure a successful implementation.
Case Study: Part-time project management of a new housing management and finance system
I worked with a former employer on a part time interim basis (1 day a week over eight months) to identify and implement a new Housing Management and Finance system.
To initiate the project, I held a series of meetings with stakeholders across the organisation. This was to establish what we wanted to be different and our overall vision for the system. Using this I designed both detailed specification and a short “elevator pitch” – a summary of key requirements to help us identify suitable suppliers. I ran the procurement process, and produced the business case, identifying and quantifying business savings.
I then led the project through to implementation of the core modules. This involved managing the project team and the supplier. It also included more hands on tasks such as preparing data migration files. I organised wider focus groups where necessary to understand existing business processes and plan better ones.
The project was delivered to time and budget, with positive feedback from the project sponsor, the team and the supplier. The teams are already able to do tasks that they could not do before with the old system.
Why you should choose me to help with your systems implementation project
- I’ve implemented lots of systems and every project has taught me something. I’m able to use this experience up front with potential suppliers to avoid pitfalls and major problems.
- I combine an ability to see the bigger picture with a love of the technical detail. Both of these factors are important for successful systems implementation. You need to be able to keep focused on the vision for the project, while also knowing enough technical detail to ask the right questions and understand the answers you’re getting.
- I can do all the usual project management stuff – GANTT charts, RACI matrices etc. I’m also extremely practical and love getting involved in the delivery. For example, in a recent project I was able to use my Power Query skills to extract data from the old accounting system, check and add information from other sources, and transform it perfectly for migration into the new system.
- I’m not connected with any software suppliers and do not have any favourites. I approach each procurement objectively and based on the needs of the specific business.
- I prefer working part time and flexibly, and love sharing my experience and knowledge with others. My focus is on delivering the project as effectively and efficiently as possible, which might mean that I work for a day a week, or that I help you set up an internal project team and then move on.
I’ve written a number of blog posts about my approach to systems implementation.
If you like what you see, contact me now to discuss how I can help with your systems implementation project.