A successful WMS implementation requires effective management of change

by Stef de Bont

After your strategic decision to select and implement a new Warehouse Management System, the real ball game starts: The effective and sustainable implementation of the new system in your existing organization. And that management of change is a frequent missing element in many implementation projects. Below find the top 10 points of attention for change management during the phases of an implementation project:

Initiation:

  • Define a clear project mission, including the results that the implementation project should deliver for your organization;
  • Define clear project phases, project toll gates and associated toll gate criteria that also cover the aspects of change for the organization;
  • Involve the organization in all project phases and formalize their authority in all toll gates.

Planning:

  • Align the overall project plan with the defined toll gates and toll gate criteria;
  • Plan and allocate the required resource capacity from the organization across all project phases.

Execution:

  • The organization owns the content of the system blue print. It is a reflection of their future system;
  • The organization owns the responsibility for acceptance testing and training. It is their preparation for go-live;
  • The organization should provide evidence of readiness during the evaluation of the go-live toll gate.

Closure:

  • The organization owns the responsibility for achieving the operational performances after go-live but involve the project team in this responsibility;
  • Formalize the hand-over of responsibility at project closure based on the criteria of the closure toll gate.

Dealing with these attention points will put an additional burden on your (project) organization, but no doubt that this will pay off after go-live.


Stef de Bont is founder and partner of Logistics Result, a firm offering Project- and Program Management services in supply chain environments. Consafe Logistics and Logistics Result work as close partners in WMS projects.

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