Introduction of new software to replace existing systems

How to make the introduction of new software successful, at least three aspects :)

Implementing new software is an important step for any business and also for any law firm (law firms are businesses too, clearly). To ensure that the rollout goes smoothly and minimizes the risk of errors and problems, firms should plan carefully. This article explains three important aspects that can help make the introduction of new software successful.

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

Analyzing and prioritizing the functions of the previous software is an important step in making the introduction of the new software successful. It is not a matter of listing old functionalities but rather of determining which functions of the old software were used on a daily, weekly or infrequent basis and which of them represent a significant added value for the company and, above all, perform just the daily routine tasks. In doing so, it is important to outline the task and not the way the previous software solves it.

Once the previous work steps have been recorded and divided into "daily", "weekly" and "occasionally", an essential step for the company towards the successful introduction of software has been taken!

Because this analysis helps to divide the changeover process into small and large bites. In this way, it is possible to ensure that important functions of the old software are converted to the new software first and that employees are not overwhelmed during the conversion process. The overburdening usually also happens because the employees are distracted from their daily work and difficulties in communication between company employees and software suppliers are not considered, as if they do not exist.

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

Aspect number 2: Ensure support from the software manufacturer

Some manufacturers offer their customers special support to facilitate the changeover process. Such support can consist of a production system and a test system on which customers can check and test the new functions and building blocks of the software. This can ensure that the new software runs smoothly and that problems or errors are detected in advance.

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

1. It is best to define the roles according to SCRUM. Here, the customer assumes the role of the product owner, i.e., the person who determines what is needed. A professional manufacturer who has expertise in his field will be the true product owner, but will be able to collect the essential specifics from the customer's product owner in a compact way. For this purpose, depending on the scope of the customizations to be made, weekly online meetings with a corresponding duration of 15 minutes to one hour should be included.
2. Ensure that the manufacturer provides discussed changes or extensions to the software on a parallel exclusive test system. Always check the provided changes and enhancements only by the product owner on the customer side, in order not to get any unrest into the customer employee team.
3. Only when you on the customer side consider the enhancements on the test system to be practicable and implemented according to the definition do you involve the other colleagues and have the "new" software or individual modules demonstrated by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer works with the appropriate expertise, it will become apparent that ideally there will be no surprises in this step 3 and that acceptance on the part of the individual employees will be very high. This is packaged as training and introduction, and new aspects can of course also be included if necessary, which can be taken up again in due course - after the introduction project has been successfully completed - in order to round off the whole.

Vendor support may also include training and workshops for the customer's employees. These trainings help the employees to familiarize themselves with the new software and thus facilitate the changeover process.

Aspect #3: Control over the software implementation project in the hands of the customer

To ensure that the software implementation project is successful, it is advisable to keep control of the project in the hands of the customer. Here, it can be helpful to agree clear goals and milestones with the manufacturer and to agree a fixed price for each milestone. In this way, customers can ensure that the manufacturer completes the project within the agreed timeframe and budget.

Caution is advised with statements from a manufacturer, such as "no problem, if you are missing something, we can program it in at any time". You should be alert here. It is not said that such a thing is not possible. But you still have to be careful with such statements. A good example are software manufacturers who provide a standard product for a certain area, for example a standard product for the administration of contracts, and then generously offer to develop a patent administration for it as well. If you want to get involved in such a proposal, you should definitely define a specification with minimum requirements and let the manufacturer submit his offer at a fixed price. You will see that most manufacturers will back out at this point at the latest, which in turn will show you that the offer was not serious enough.

Control over the project also allows the customer to have changes or adjustments made to the software if they become necessary during the conversion process. The parallel operation recommended above means that no risk is taken. Transparent and efficient communication between the manufacturer and the customer can ensure that the project is completed successfully.