Teamwork and Responsibilities in Business Software Implementation

Filed in Implementation     

Biz

Taking Ownership of Business Software Projects

In order to deliver high quality business software solutions to the organization, there have to be clearly defined responsibilities for each part of the organization. This responsibility can be drilled down to teams and individual managers who work together to improve the system.

The allocation of responsibilities for business software implementation can be done informally through tacit agreement or it might require the participation of the resource allocation team. Some people feign ignorance when they have failed to fulfill their responsibilities to implement a business software program and it does help to have the process mapped out in writing. The managerial style within the organization might determine the method through which responsibility for business software is allocated.

Some organizations will just tell people what they need to do and expect them to comply without question while other organizations might be looking for a negotiated settlement. Some organizations are very flat in structure and will not mind if the responsibilities for business software are moved from one part to the next. However the bottom line will be that the work has to get done at some point. It does help the delivery process if people have accepted their responsibilities and take steps to ensure that they are doing their part with diligence and commitment. On the other hand it will be the responsibility of management to ensure that people deliver results no matter what their attitude is to the business software projects.

Dealing with teams is much more difficult than dealing with individuals when it comes to business software implementation. That is why the company will spend lots of money hiring supervisors who act as enforcers of the decisions that come from the top. If the company decided to convince every single person about their role in the business software program, they would never accomplish the majority of their objectives due to time constraints.

However the use of supervisors and intermediaries can play an important role in getting people to own up to their responsibilities and deliver excellent business software systems for the company. It is foolish to underestimate the role of middle management in the creation of effective business software systems. They are the people who pass on difficult messages to the individual workers when the project begins to stall.

At the same time the company has to recognize that there is a limit to what people can do in terms of implementing the business software project. If a low ranking member of staff is having an unreasonable burden for delivering the business software, then it is inevitable that the project might face difficulties. The presence of business software priorities does not suspend the normal working practices of the organization in terms of allocating work to the right people under reasonable deadlines. If the company puts too much pressure on the employees, they might end up resisting the business software system for all its worth. This is not an outcome that will bring in the profits.