FIT3138 W10 - Integration and Change Management

What is systems integration and what does it involve?

• Linking computing systems and software applications to act as a coordinated whole

• Assemble components logically and cost-effectively

• Test against requirements

• Validate user expectations

What integration issues can arise during ERP implementation?

• Best-of-breed applications may not work together

• Legacy systems need connection or migration

• Data may be inconsistent

• Processes must span applications

• Interfaces and system changes need control

What business benefits can integration provide?

• Faster responses and decisions

• Lower operational costs

• Better partner collaboration

• Automated processes

• Less manual work and data redundancy

• A more complete customer view

What is configuration management and why is it important?

• It maintains consistency between system attributes and requirements and design and operational information throughout the life cycle

• Provides visibility and control

• Verifies intended performance

• Supports documentation and orderly change

What are the 8 integration-platform checklist areas?

• Flexible integration

• Bulk movement and multiple transport modes

• High availability

• Cloud data-access security

• End-to-end audit trails

• Geo-redundancy and geo-fencing

• Broad endpoint support

• Self-upgrading software

How does master data differ from transactional data?

• Master data describes long-lived entities such as customers and products and vendors

• Transactional data records activities such as orders and payments

What is Master Data Management?

MDM combines disciplines and processes and technologies to maintain consistent and complete and contextual and accurate master data across systems. It aims for a single version of the truth about business objects

What are the main drivers for MDM?

• Compliance and reporting

• Partner collaboration

• Supply-chain optimisation

• Privacy and data protection

• Meaningful data mining and customer insight

• Better data management

• Integration for BI

What are the 5 key factors in MDM hub design?

• Profile data quality

• Integrate and consolidate sources

• Design an extensible master-data repository

• Provide matching and survivorship

• Synchronise master data across systems

How does matching, survivorship and synchronisation support MDM?

• Matching identifies records for the same entity

• Survivorship determines the trusted values retained from conflicting records

• Synchronisation keeps connected applications consistent

How do OLTP and OLAP differ?

• OLTP supports detailed current operational transactions and updates

• OLAP supports analytical queries over integrated data that is often historical and summarised

• Their main purposes are operations and analysis respectively

How does ETL, a data warehouse and BI work together?

• ETL extracts source data then transforms and loads it

• A data warehouse stores integrated data structured for query and analysis

• BI uses information to support decisions and performance improvement

What is organisational change management and why does ERP require it?

• OCM helps individuals and teams and organisations move to a desired future state

• ERP changes processes and jobs and skills and relationships

• OCM supports readiness and adoption and sustained benefits

What should an ERP training strategy include?

• Analyse needs by role and process changes and system contact

• Use suitable trainers and clear manuals

• Train before and during and after implementation

• Develop expert users through train-the-trainer

• Provide ongoing support and review outcomes

What are the 5 OCM best practices?

• Tailor training and communication

• Assess readiness and causes of resistance

• Engage existing process owners early

• Secure top-management buy-in and supervision

• Maintain attention to people and processes

How should the 3 employee response groups be managed during change?

• Prioritise communication with fence sitters

• Mobilise early adapters as champions while managing expectations

• Avoid letting persistent opposition consume all effort but investigate legitimate concerns and manage disruption

What commonly causes change-management failure?

• No plan or clear rationale

• Ignoring culture

• Weak sponsor follow-through

• Insufficient resources

• Change-agent skill gaps

• Haphazard communication

• Fear of feedback

• Premature success claims

• Failure to reinforce change

What are the 8 steps in Kotter's process?

1. Create a sense of urgency

2. Build a guiding coalition

3. Form a strategic vision and initiatives

4. Enlist a volunteer army

5. Enable action by removing barriers

6. Generate short-term wins

7. Sustain acceleration

8. Institute change

How should an organisation manage the transition from legacy systems to ERP?

• Create a plan with strong leadership

• Explain the change and its purpose

• Identify training needs and provide continuing training

• Use internal expert users and trainers

• Involve legacy process owners

• Reinforce new approaches in organisational culture