5 Project Management Lessons to Learn when Implementing ERP

Rubenstein / Justman Management Consultants (RJMC) has been providing Project Management services to our clients for over 30 years.  We learned the lessons of good project management the hard way and welcome the opportunity to share them.  These Lessons to Learn will assist you before you head down the ERP implementation road and will contribute to making our project a success.  Of course you can always reach out to RJMC and we’ll be there for you.

Successful ERP implementation requires strong project management centered on clear scope definition, dedicated resources, robust data migration, active change management, and comprehensive training. Avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep and ignoring user adoption is crucial, as is establishing realistic timelines and engaging stakeholders early to ensure the system supports business processes.

Here are five key lessons for successful ERP project management:

• Define a Strict Scope & Goal Setting: Clearly define project scope and goals (using SMART criteria) before starting to avoid scope creep and ensure the system meets business requirements.

• Allocate Dedicated Resources & Best People: Assign your best employees to the project and provide backfill support to manage their regular workloads. Successful implementations often require in-house subject matter experts rather than relying solely on external consultants.

• Prioritize Data Migration & Quality: Underestimating the effort involved in data cleansing and migration is a leading cause of delays. Begin this process early to ensure the new system isn't populated with inaccurate, old data.

• Execute Active Change Management: ERP implementations fail more often due to people issues than technical ones. Actively manage user resistance by fostering clear communication, training, and involving key users early in the process.

• Establish Strong Governance & Risk Management: Create a steering committee for timely decision-making and project tracking against milestones. Monitor risks proactively to address potential bottlenecks, such as integration issues, before they delay the go-live.

  
  

Most Important Lesson - Celebrate your ERP Implementation Success!

Effective project management means treating the ERP deployment as a business-driven initiative, not just an IT project. 

Rubenstein / Justman Management Consultants (RJMC) prides itself on managing ERP implementations to show practical and tactical results both in the short-term and the longer-term.  A successful ERP implementation requires an engaged and experienced project management team to realize project success.  Engaging with RJMC is the best way to achieve your desired results!