When to optimize?!
...and when just automate?
The other day I was involved in a conference call with a client of mine. Plans involving P2P related steps in SAP. So we where called in to think along based on our experience and known creativity. Torn between current business wishes to make things more simple and future policies to come to more extensive integrations, the IT department had to come up with an idea. But waiting for the future, the budget was limited, and being pushed by the business, the time to solution was limited as well...
That made me think, when do you advice on optimizing, when do you advice on just automating and when do you decide to not advice at all and do as asked?
Is there simple ruling for this dilemma? I think there is, and it is one of the simplest rules in the project book, but a lot of IT guys (and girls too, really) tend to forget it: keep on focussing on the business case!
1. Keep asking you client/internal business "why"?
2. Keep calculating on the result, do we gain by this idea in money, and if not, is that covered by qualitative motivators for the solution?
3. Be careful the moment a project just becomes qualitatively motivated. These are the projects that usually derail on cost!
4. And an important one which is more difficult to assess: is it worth the fuzz?
In P2P related projects the quantitative business case is often huge on price reduction, and slim on process improvement. But still, when playing it right, this second category can cover a complete project by itself. When you focus on the part that is enough, in my experience you get the correct focus. Eliminating unneccessary fuzz, building a lean project and covering your business needs. From there on start using and start optimizing.
So when to advice what? Drop your own boxed thoughts and listen to your client, do not do for the doing, but do for the goal!
Doede van Haperen
www.lakran.com
www.postulit.com
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