Few business processes today are completed and/or managed without the aid of software. Technology has delivered increasingly efficient and effective ways to perform such tasks as:

• Payroll
• Inventory management
• e-commerce
• Billing and finance
• Customer relationships
• Learning and development
• Personnel
• Safety
• HR

... the list goes on.

Over time technology improves. It becomes cheaper and more accessible. It moves from the domain of enterprise to small business to individuals.

Not only does this change the way we produce goods and services, it changes the expectations of those who buy them. From where, to how, to how much, and even why - the bar to customer satisfaction climbs ever higher.

The digital-first imperative

Digital first means acting on the assumption that anything your enterprise does must be relevant to a technology-driven environment. However, being digital first also means considering the role of people - including workers, policy makers, communities and competitors, as well as customers - before software and processes.

Described variously as a philosophy, mindset and a practice; it is the means to today's competitive advantage. it is, increasingly, the norm in modern economies, and is not just a long-term game to stay ahead. It is about keeping up.

Digital first is the purpose and objective of digital transformation, the organisation-wide change that enable enterprises to take full advantage of digitisation.

Learn more about digital transformations and take a fast-track towards digital first with our program, impact-leadership-90-days-to-transformation

The question of software

Deciding whether to upgrade, add to, or implement new software is part of all business process decisions.

You may need to make a change because:

• Your existing software is being retired or is not easily compatible with newer software
• Your business has grown and needs more than your current systems can deliver
• Your business has moved into new markets with certain ways of doing business
• Failing to do so will put you behind your competitors
• It is a requirement for compliance or doing business with certain other organisations
• You need to review processes in light of skills and staff shortages

Whatever the initial driver for reviewing your software requirements, the need for improved productivity, quality and/or costs will always be constant.

Even when the case for change is clear cut, the decision to change is never straightforward. In the next section, we will take a closer look at some of the factors and complexities involved in your software decisions.

Before we do, consider these most common reasons for software project failures.

1. Inadequate planning. The best you can hope for in this case is little change to the existing situation - in which case, what was the point? At worst, you have irate customers, frustrated staff, operational disruption and a blown out budget for your troubles.
2. The wrong planning. Poor goal articulation, no clear business case, lack of data about the need and no business analysis will ensure things will go badly. Double the risk if your project planning is being run by your people, selected because they are good at their current jobs, not their experience in project management.
3. Running the project like an operation. Operations are on-going processes with established resources and procedures neither of which apply to projects. Managing projects requires a different approach and methodologies.
4. Thinking the software vendor is going to do everything. The project management, the business analysis, the training and the implementation plan will most likely be part of the vendor package. How much so will depend on your specific agreement with them. Essentially their responsibility is to move the software from the development environment into your live environment. Integrating the software into your business is your responsibility.

Now that you know what to avoid, let's take a look at the case for upgrading or changing your software.