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Implementing IT software solutions.

Article Excerpt
This checklist aims to identify the key stages for the successful implementation of IT software solutions. It is designed for both IT professionals and end users.

Definition

Software solutions can largely be categorised as:

bespoke programs and systems (commissioned with or without hardware)

software package which is heavily parameterised or customised for a particular type of client's needs (such as payroll or accounts systems)

software which is embedded in hardware dedicated to one application (a dedicated word processor for example), sometimes known as turnkey systems

proprietary off-the-peg programs (PC packages for word processing or spreadsheets for example).

This checklist is intended to deal primarily with the first two categories, and is also aimed principally at software provided by an external vendor rather than internally developed solutions

Implementation should be seen as a key stage within an overall project. The purpose of implementation is to take a finished software product and make it fully operational in a live environment in such a way that users of the software are fully trained and receptive to its introduction and the intended objectives of the organisation are fully met with minimum disruption.

Implementation cannot be viewed in isolation. This checklist assumes that the process of...

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