How to Run an Implementation Project Lifecycle for B2B SaaS

We have discussed the various aspects of the Onboarding process in depth (see Play: Onboarding) and would like to turn to the Implementation Project Lifecycle to detail the implementation phases and processes.

The Impact: A systemized approach to proper planning, continuous communication, precise testing and deployment, and satisfactory project delivery will make your implementation process more cohesive, consistent, and efficient and ensure customer satisfaction. Ultimately, scaling is impossible if the customer onboarding process (onboarding and adoption) are not well designed and process oriented.

The Goal: Create repeatable, results-driven guidelines to direct implementation and adoption.

Background and Best Practices:

There are five comprehensive phases of the Implementation Project Lifecycle (IPLC) that begin immediately following the successful execution of a sales contract. They are designed to provide clients with a seamless transition from their existing systems to your system while ensuring all aspects of clients' operations in both business processes and functionalities are totally satisfied by your system.

1. Phase One: Planning and Requirements Definition
2. Phase Two: Systems Design, Data Conversion, Custom Development and System Configuration
3. Phase Three: User Acceptance Testing and Conversion Validation
4. Phase Four: Deployment
5. Phase Five: Project Close-Out

Phase One of the IPLC is the initial discovery phase. It involves two critical key processes: (1) Planning and (2) Requirements Definition. The goal of Phase One is to work jointly with the client to ensure mutual success by setting up proper expectations, achieving a common project implementation plan and preparing the client to adapt to the changes required by the new system.

1. Phase One Trigger: Project Kick-off Planning Session. Most implementations are not about the technology or the software behind them, but they are all about the business processes and the people executing these processes. Focus on the client business processes and the functionalities of your product to enhance these processes. Think about the relationship with the client personnel to adapt to the changes brought forth during implementation.
2. Phase One Processes:
   • Planning: During a planning session, develop the following with input from the Client and then share openly with Client:
     • Project Charter - the objectives and goals of the project
     • Project Governance plan - the framework for decision making and escalation of issues
     • Staffing plan - to assemble your team
     • Communication plan - to facilitate communication of status, risks and issues
     • Quality Management plan - to ensure the highest quality of service and delivery
     • Risk Management plan - to assess and manage risks throughout the project
     • Change Management plan - to incorporate and regulate changes
     • Project Schedule, including milestones and a schedule for Status Meetings - to manage the timeline with tasks, resources and deliverables
   • Requirements.
     • Project Manager must have understanding for the following
       • What is the main business objective of the project?
       • Why does the client need this solution?
       • What are the client's business requirements? In other words, what is the current basic work process and how will your system fit into that process?
       • What are the other additional requirements?
       • What are the client's technical problems?
     • Additionally, the system requirements must be analyzed and developed to deliver:
       • Data Conversion Plan
       • System Requirements Specifications (SRS) including Business Requirements, Functional Process Requirements, Non-Functional Process Requirements and Gaps Remediation Documents
       • Final Scope Documents
3. Proof of Process: Final Scope Documents reviewed and signed-off by Client

Phase Two of the IPLC is the Realization Phase, in which the Project Manager, the Systems Architect and selected members of the Project Team are intimately involved to achieve the following objectives: (1) design and implement business and process requirements, (2) conduct final implementation in the system and overall test, and (3) certify and release of the system for Go-Live operations in Phase Three.

1. Phase Two Trigger: Review and Sign-off of Final Scope Documents from Phase One
2. Phase Two Processes:
   • System Design with Sign-Off Phase Gate, including
     • Design Solution Architecture
     • Design System Infrastructure
     • Design Data Conversion Map and Data Conversion Plan
     • Create Functionality Test Scripts by Process
     • Create Data Conversion Audit Scripts
     • Define UAT Environment Checklist
   • Data Conversion
     • Implement Data Conversion Maps
     • Run Data Conversion
     • Generate and Review Exceptions
   • Any Custom Development with Sign-Off Phase Gate per Development Agreement
   • System Configuration and Testing with Sign-Off Phase Gate
     • Setup Test/Production Infrastructure
     • Review and Certify Solution Architecture Design
     • Configure Applications
     • Conduct Internal Pilot
     • Conduct Conference Room Pilot with Client
3. Proof of Process: Review and sign-off with client the following documents
   • Solution Architecture Acceptance
   • Data Conversion Acceptance
   • Custom Development Acceptance

Phase Three is often called the Final Preparation Phase. In this phase, the Final Configuration, which is composed of the systems and the data structures used in the Conference Room Pilot Sessions including all the resulting revisions, is replicated onto the new system installed at the client's site. The Project Manager then plans and orchestrates the User Acceptance Test (UAT) and the final Data Conversion Validation at the client's site in preparation of "Go-Live" in Phase Four.

1. Phase Three Trigger: Sign-off on the three documents required as Proof of Process in Phase Two
2. Phase Three Processes:
   • User Acceptance Test (UAT) - performed with the Client Project Manager and Client Project Sponsor to review all test scripts and select test scripts, use cases and integration tests to most effectively illustrate the full power of the product
   • Data Conversion Validation - to ensure that new databases are free of data discrepancies, missing data, and data abnormalities
3. Proof of Process: Review and sign-off with client for each functional group using the UAT Acceptance documents

The purpose of Phase Four: Deployment is to complete the final preparation including user training, system management, and cut-over activities to finalize the readiness to "go live". This final preparation phase also serves to resolve any open issues. Once the phase is completed successfully, the client is ready to run their business on the new system. The goals for the deployment of the new system are the (1) smooth and on schedule installation, (2) without any significant problems, (3) to the complete satisfaction of the client.

1. Phase Four Trigger: Sign-off on the UAT acceptance documents in Phase Three
2. Phase Four Processes:
   • Develop Deployment Plan - to include plans for End-User Training, Deployment Process, Validation Checklist, Contingency Plan, Data Conversion Plan, Post-Deployment Production Support Plan, Quality Check and Acceptance
   • Develop Back-out Strategy - to anticipate any potential problems and mitigate their impacts on the overall project, and identify Go/No-Go decision points for each contingency
   • Conduct Training
   • Execute Deployment Plan
   • Post-Deployment Support, or Transition-to-Support Timeline
3. Proof of Process: Execution of Deployment Plan

The goal of Phase Five: Project Close-Out is to officially close the Project. All outstanding issues must be resolved by the Implementation Team and the client transitioned to support.

1. Phase Five Trigger: Execution of Deployment Plan
2. Phase Five Processes:
   • Review and Close Open Issues
   • Review Business Benefits with Client - to review with Client all business drivers and business measurements that were defined in the Project Management Plan at the start of the project in Phase One. Project results, including all changes in the Change Management Plan, must be compared against the goals set at the outset. This review should be presented to executive management, including the Client Executive Sponsor and Client Stakeholders.
   • Summarize and Review Lessons Learned - Project manager must summarize and share all lessons learned during this implementation for the purposes of internal process improvements.
   • Receive Sign-Off on Go-Live and Close-Out - It is very important for the Project Manager to receive a formal sign-off on the Go-Live or Deployment Phase that the Client has acknowledged the full and complete execution of the Deployment Plan discussed in Phase Four: Deployment. This acknowledgement is key for the Project Manager to complete the remaining tasks of closing-out the project: Documentation and Transition to Support.
   • Transition to Support
3. Proof of Process:
   • Client sign-off on Go-Live and Close-Out
   • Completed Project Close-Out Checklist
   • Transitioned to Support

Steps

Use the PDCA methodology described in Play: Quality Management Systems and the template provided to create a process for each phase of the IPLC.

Use the Best Practices above to guide your IPLC but tailor it to your company's specifics.