Introduction of new software and replacement of existing systems

How to successfully implement new software, at least three aspects :)

Implementing new software is a critical step for any business, including law firms (law firms are businesses too, of course). To ensure a smooth implementation and minimize the risk of errors and problems, companies should plan carefully. This article explores three key aspects that can help ensure a successful implementation of new software.

Aspect number 1: Analysis and prioritization of the functions of the existing software to be replaced

Analyzing and prioritizing the features of the existing software is an important step for successfully implementing the new software. This isn't about simply listing old functionalities, but rather about determining which features of the old software were used daily, weekly, or only occasionally, and which of these represent significant added value for the company and, above all, handle daily routine tasks. It's important to define the task, not the way the existing software solves it.

Once the previous work steps have been recorded and divided into "daily," "weekly," and "occasionally," the company has taken a significant step toward successfully implementing software!

This analysis helps break down the migration process into small and large chunks. This ensures that important functions of the old software are migrated to the new software first and that employees are not overwhelmed during the migration process. Overwhelm often occurs because employees are distracted from their daily work and difficulties in communication between company employees and software suppliers are ignored, as if they didn't exist.

A thorough analysis can help uncover potential weaknesses and issues in the old software. It can help identify steps that may be unnecessary. It can help identify more direct paths than those previously taken to complete a task. This can ensure that any issues are resolved in the new software and that employees can work more efficiently.

Aspect number 2: Ensuring support from the software manufacturer

Some vendors offer their customers special support to facilitate the transition process. This support may consist of a production system and a test system on which customers can review and test the new features and software components. This ensures that the new software functions smoothly and that problems or errors are identified in advance.

If the manufacturer works according to certain implementation methods, e.g. SCRUM, he can use useful tools that make it easier for the customer and the manufacturer to assume and carry out the necessary roles and tasks in a structured manner.

1. It's best to define roles according to SCRUM. The customer assumes the role of product owner, i.e., the person who defines what is required. A professional manufacturer with expertise in their field will be the true product owner, but will be able to gather the essential characteristics of the respective company from the customer's product owner in a compact manner. Depending on the scope of the adjustments to be made, weekly online meetings lasting between 15 minutes and an hour should be scheduled for this purpose.
2. Ensure that the vendor makes any discussed changes or enhancements to the software available on a parallel, exclusive test system. Always have the product owner on the customer side review the provided changes and enhancements to avoid causing disruption to the customer's team.
3. Only when you, on the customer side, consider the enhancements on the test system to be practical and implemented according to the definition do you involve other colleagues and have the manufacturer demonstrate the "new" software or individual components. If the manufacturer works with the appropriate expertise, it will become apparent that, ideally, no surprises will arise in this step 3 and that acceptance by individual employees will be very high. This is packaged as training and induction, and new aspects can of course also be incorporated if necessary, which can be revisited at some point—after the implementation project has been successfully completed—to round out the entire process.

The manufacturer's support may also include training and workshops for the customer's employees. These training sessions help employees familiarize themselves with the new software and thus facilitate the transition process.

Aspect No. 3: Control over the software implementation project in the hands of the customer

To ensure the success of a software implementation project, it is recommended to keep control of the project in the hands of the customer. Agreeing on clear goals and milestones with the vendor and agreeing on a fixed price for each milestone can be helpful. This allows customers to ensure that the vendor completes the project within the agreed timeframe and budget.

Caution is advised when manufacturers make statements such as "no problem, if you're missing something, we can program it in at any time." This is where you should pay attention. It's not a given that such a thing isn't possible. However, it's still important to be cautious with such statements. A good example is a software manufacturer who provides a standard product for a specific area, such as a standard product for contract management, and then generously offers to develop a patent management solution for it. If you want to accept such a proposal, you should definitely define a specification with minimum requirements and let the manufacturer submit its offer at a fixed price. You will see that most manufacturers will back out at this point, which will in turn show you that the offer wasn't serious enough.

Control over the project also allows the customer to make changes or adjustments to the software if necessary during the transition process. The parallel operation recommended above eliminates risk. Transparent and efficient communication between the vendor and the customer ensures the successful completion of the project.