Customers want to work with us because they have a project or a goal they are trying to achieve, and we have the proven expertise to get it done. We all know that a project is a temporary endeavor producing specific results. It creates something that is not part of the daily routine or day to day operations. Developing a new SAP application, implementing a CCOE, upgrading from SolMan 7.1 to 7.2, moving to HANA, etc. Projects must be expertly managed to be developed on scope, on time and on budget to produce desired results.
There are five process groups when looking at starting a project, they are; Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling and Closing.
When you have the project lined up and ready to go, you must be familiar with Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communication, Risk, Procurement, and Stakeholder Management. These areas are very important and when you see one slipping, quickly identify the issue, get it back on line so other areas don’t begin to suffer which could dramatically jeopardize your timeline and your customer’s goals.
Working with our customers, we are organized, passionate and goal-orientated, and we know how to work with a variety of customers on a variety of projects. We use our skills and expertise to make a project and the customer successful. We try our best to work well under pressure and show or flexibility when we work with an ever changing customer environment and vision. We also have the capacity to shift from seeing the big picture of the projected to digging into the details of the task(s) that need to be performed to be successful.
Since we are all so entwined in projects, I plan to continue this series with highlights on several Project Management areas and ideas to keep in our minds while working with customers. If you have specific project you can share your experience and what you learned, please share it with your colleagues as it is a great learning experience and can help those that are working with a customer now.
