Background
Maxi Zoo had started an upgrade of the existing ERP system and along the way it was realized that the version that was being used would soon not be supported. At the same time, Maxi Zoo found that in some areas, the system limited the company’s optimization and development options. Due to the integration of an acquired competitor, the choice was to pause the project and when the time came to start up again, A-2 became involved as project manager due to their insights into the business. This was to ensure the management of the project at a time when the organization was still focused on a new working day where business had become 50% larger in a short period of time.
The aim of the project was partly to ensure a smooth upgrade with minimal effort, while also getting as close as possible to a standard. Consequently, Maxi Zoo wanted a ‘one-to-one’ upgrade of the existing system, and therefore had not worked on an actual requirement specification. The vendor did not have sufficient solution documentation and readiness either to balance “one-on-one” with the desire for a standard.
Access
Initially, A-2 developed a requirements overview to ensure a management tool for the internal balancing of expectations and managing of the technical deliveries. After this, A-2 designed a project in which the business was first engaged in a focused analysis phase and then the configuration and testing phase. During these phases, A-2 helped to manage the translation of requirements to solution and clarify what needed to be executed and which features from earlier could be used in the new ERP system and where to lean on the standard solution. In addition, during the hyper-care period, A-2 acted as project manager in order to ensure risk minimization in relation to usability as well as satisfaction with the system.
The result
A-2 helped Maxi Zoo achieve a satisfactory and managed go-live after a few postponements.
A-2’s presence throughout the process contributed to a substantial reduction in the risk of further schedule overrun as well as the budget for project implementation after a slightly chaotic initial project start-up.
Maxi Zoo is now able to work further with their various optimization measures which, for many people, depend on or is influenced by the ERP system.