MicroNugget: How to Avoid Implementation Disasters

In this video, Steve Caseley covers how to implementation disasters. Longtime project managers will know that a lot can go wrong during an implementation. That's a scary prospect, but with proper planning and preparation, disasters can be avoided.

There's nothing that can remove the effort from an implementation, but there's a lot that can be done in the final days of a project to ensure its implementation is direct and successful.

According to the PMI handbook — the letter of the law for many project managers — a central ethos is to plan early, plan often, and plan thoroughly. So the first step is to create detailed plans that identify every last nuance for a successful implementation.

Next, do dry runs. Performing the implementation in a staging environment lets you test an installation and identify problems ahead of time. In addition to identifying how to get an implementation into production, you can also nail down bringing it back out on an as-needed basis.

Also make sure the maintenance window itself is adequate. You have to allow for a reasonable amount of time during which errors can be isolated and fixed.

Most important of all, make sure you’ve got lots of food and drinks so that no one operates at less than their peak performance.

Start learning with CBT Nuggets:

[cbtnuggets]

Charles, thanks for the feedback and post! We have forwarded this response to Steve.

[CharlesBecket]

Steve, great MicroNugget. Have to laugh, knowing the healthcare.gov debacle is most likely the inspiration for this. And a deserved one at that. It's a disgrace. Also love the way you put the Gantt chart up there, which is critical to track progress and make sure deliverables and time hacks are being met. Only in government can something so elementary get botched at a monumental level. Thanks again.