6 Critical Steps to Implementing Data Management

Todd Cummings, Vice President of Research & DevelopmentSynergis Software

Introduction

Avid fan, student, and evangelist of data and data management solutions and benefitsYears of experience in data managementInvolved in product design, development, production, marketing, implementation, training, support, business development, and partner technologies

Autodesk Vault

Developed by the worldwide leader in CAD software

Three-tier solution to meet the needs of a variety of clients across many industries

Synergis Software

Synergis Software has been

developing, implementing and

supporting engineering data

management solutions for more than

two decades

More than 40,000 worldwide users

across many industries benefit from

our flagship product, Adept

Your Data Management Experts

A proven partner with a

long history

Unmatched depth,

expertise &

experience

Consultative approach

Implementation services

• Assessment and systems design

• Implementation and configuration

• Legacy data import

• Workflow consulting and optimization

• Custom data migration and custom

add-ins

• Training and technical support

                           

.

Expectations…

Today we’re going to:

• Understand the 6 critical steps to a successful implementation• Learn why creating internal alignment and generating positive buzz are essential to success

• Touch on best practices that will make your project successful

• Identify the heroes who will help support best practices• Understand common pitfalls that can impact ROI and the success of your implementation

Expectations…And we won’t be covering:• In-depth ‘how to’ on the technical aspects of implementing a Data Management solution

• A software demonstration

• Specific product or service recommendations

The 6 Critical Steps…

1. Engage a great team

2. Planning is not optional

3. Know your data

4. Break down barriers to change

5. Extend outside the box

6. Train effectively

7. “Bonus Step”

Engage a Great Team

Your Ideal Project Team…Provides a 360 degree worldview with diverse

representatives from:

• User community

• Department(s)

• IT

Leverages executive sponsorship

• Set tone, expectations & communicates business goals

Internal Project lead: Quarterback, sponsor and monitor

Solutions Partner Project Manager

Critical Project Team Activities

Keep your eyes and ears open

Leverage team member strengths

Complete homework (it’s important)

Communicate to stakeholders

• Thoroughly, regularly and in a way that’s meaningful to them

Break Down Barriers to Change

Participation & Education

• Involve stakeholders throughout the process

Commitment

• Educate, discuss, debate and then ask for buy-in

Ownership

• Ideally, everyone accepts some level of ownership

for implementation success

Break Down Barriers to Change

“Heroes don’t look like they used to…”

The Champion

• “A funct ional leader who supports and promotes the Project. The Champion is responsible for removing organizat ional barriers to Project success.”

Champions come in many forms with many titles

• An ‘opt in’ Champion has the highest likelihood of success

• Recruit and accept more than one!

Enlist Heroes…

Planning is Not Optional

Define and Clarify Your Implementation

Assessment – Project Scope• A process that helps you get very clear about scope• Informs your partner about your project goals, and

desired outcomes• Document baselines – ‘as is’• Captures goals and objectives – ‘to be’• Results in clear statement of work

Define and Clarify your Implementation

Requirements: Capture, clarify, and then document intent

• Who owns the initiative within the organization?

• What problems is the Project trying to solve?

• What are the intended benefits?

• Who is supporting the initiative at the various levels in your organization?

What data will be managed?

• For whom?

• Across which continents?

Define and Clarify your Implementation

Which data/departments will not be included and why?

• On large projects, most critical first

What potential risks are you currently aware of?• New technology• New business processes• ‘As Is’ conditions

Discuss and document how the Team defines and will demonstrate success

• What does ‘winning’ look like

• How will it be measured?

Define, set, and manage expectations• Relates directly to Scope and intent• Early and often• Be redundantly repetitive

Goals and Outcomes

Execute an IPD after the Assessment

• And you have an agreed upon Scope of Work

Design, model, test & validate

• Administrator Training for key stakeholders

• Detailed system design

• Workflows & processes

• Naming schemes

• BOM and Transmittal mapping & design

• Define users, group and access rights

• Finalize training plan

• Backup, disaster recovery, contingencies

Implementation Planning & Design

Know Your Data

Get to the people who know the data

• How ‘clean’ is your data? Do I scrub it all?

• Envision your data in the solution you have selected

• Data ‘owners’ know your company’s data best

• Do Revisions need to be imported?

Tow the line on which data to import

• Refer to your plan!

• Revisit if it becomes absolutely necessary

Data materializes

Know Your Data

‘Me too’ mitigation

• Be firm about Scope (initially)

• Just say ‘No’, or consider a phased approach

• Then add, add, add some more

A DM system connects metadata and documents

Data Validation / Migration Dry Run

Know Your Data

Train Effectively

Train Administrators and Champions early• Train the knowledge experts and trainers before

Implantation, Planning and Design• Provide these people an opportunity to learn without

being interrupted

User Training• Work the plan you modeled during Assessment & IPD • Allow time for “over-the-shoulder” training• Record training

Train Effectively

Extend Outside the Box

To customize or not to customize…

• If requirements are met out of the box, great!

• If requirements are not met out of the box, then

Invest in a Specificat ion

Avoid unnecessary complexity

Understand pros and cons of ‘non-recurring engineering’

Extending your solution outside the box

Bonus: Enjoy Excellent Support

Enjoy Excellent Support!Once implemented, everyone relies on the system• It becomes the critical path gateway to your company’s

electronic assets

Supporting data management is different than CAD• Inter-related, multi-user vs. single workstation, single user

Data management crosses boundaries• Design

• Engineering

• IT

• Global

Remember that when you need help, you may need it

now

The 6 Critical Steps…

1. Engage a great team

2. Planning is not optional

3. Know your data

4. Break Down barriers to change

5. Extend outside the box

6. Train effectively

7. “Bonus Step”

Questions?

todd.cummings@synergis.com

www.Synergis.com