When implementing a new third-party application, most organizations contract either the software provider or an independent system integrator to handle the activities that require in-depth understanding of the software and its capabilities. IT can increase the success of these initiatives by becoming actively involved with the service provider and taking on overall project management responsibility.
This note covers a number of recommended practices for effective coordination. These include approaches to ensure that:
- The responsibilities of the business units, the system integrator, and IT are clear, complete, and complementary.
- All required software and associated hardware are configured and customized to achieve complete and effective new business processes.
- The project is completed on time.
- The quality of the system at implementation meets expectations.
- Integration timeline and costs are in line with initial estimates.
Reduce the risks of quality, timing, and cost by regularly evaluating integrator progress against organizational milestones.