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Lotus
Automation
6
. Lessons learnt
There were a substantial number of lessons learnt during the implementation
to date of this project.
1. Clear objective setting and planning are key
•It is critical to invest time at the earliest stage of
the project in agreeing the objectives and putting a well-structured
plan together. The management team considered ‘gap analysis’
to be key at this stage. That is working out where you are today,
working out where you want to get to and isolating what you need to
do to get there.
The other point made in relation to this was not to overworry if you
slip on timescales. The key is to possess knowledge of where you are
and where you want to be.
2. Identifying the resource capability and the spend you want to
commit
•It is important to recognise that you cannot do things
on the ‘cheap’. The key is to recognise what value you are
creating beyond the investment cost.
It’s also important to avoid bailing out of the implementation
at only fifty per cent completion. Be realistic about the resource
commitment required up front and maintain that commitment.
3. Identify the needs of all internal parties and customers before
setting out and prioritising the business requirements
•Then match the required resource and budget to the requirements.
4. The management team would have outsourced a lot more if they
had known the pressure on
management time
•This is compounded by the utility in having an outside,
expert and independent point of view to help identify the best packages
on the market.
5. The project needs to be managed by someone who can spend 100%
of their time focused on the project
•Any project this strategically important needs an absolute
focus. Declan Walsh the Financial Controller made the point that it
should always be borne in mind what kind of increase in turnover is
required in order to match a £100,000 investment.
6. Conduct a three month and six month review
•How is the project proceeding?
Is it on budget?
Are the objectives being hit?
Are the original objectives still relevant or has the landscape changed?
7. Ownership of the project and the associated documentation has
to be at the strategic level
•This is particularly important in Lotus’s case because
of the staff changes they have experienced over the length of the
implementation
8. Ensure training is conducted properly
•Lotus admits that they didn’t get the structure right
for training their staff who were on customer sites.
They now believe that they should have got everyone together, in-house
for a dedicated training session on the new systems and processes.
Training must be given the necessary priority.
7 . Future Plans
Declan Walsh, Financial Controller of Lotus Automation, shared the
objective that Lotus now have. They are looking to create an internal
database that will form a one-stop shop for all HR and health and
safety data. The aim is to enable the General Manager and Managing
Director to ‘track’ staff across customer sites and optimise
their placement in order to drive the best margins.
The ultimate driver for this further development is the desire to
increase the speed and flexibility of reacting to customer requirements.
This in turn will further improve reputation and lead to increased
revenues. It is a virtuous circle and the eBusiness implementation
has been a key component in its achievement.
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