Key Concepts
Business Executive Sponsor Involvement
In the 11 Microsoft Dynamics 365 projects that I have led, there are four key areas that differentiate successful projects from unsuccessful projects.
- The Business Sponsor is the CEO/Owner/President.
- A formal preparation phase is completed prior to started the deployment programs
- Weekly Steering Committee meetings where Business Sponsor and SVP/VPs are actively presented the project status in their areas.
- Organization Change Management starts on Day 1 of the deployment project.
Business Executive Sponsor Involvement
The Business Executive Sponsor is a senior leader within the client organization who champions the project and ensures its strategic alignment.
- Key responsibilities of the Business Executive Sponsor include:
- Vision and Strategy: Defining the project’s vision, goals, and strategic context.
- Advocacy: Advocating for the project within the organization and securing necessary resources.
- Risk Management: Identifying risks and supporting risk mitigation efforts.
- Decision-Making: Making critical decisions related to project scope changes, budget adjustments, and priorities.
- Change Leadership: Leading organizational change efforts related to the project.
The Business Executive Sponsor plays a crucial role in project success by providing executive support and removing obstacles.
Team Bennett Consulting relays on the following key concepts.
Steering Committee Meets Regularly
The Steering Committee is a high-level governing body responsible for overseeing the project’s strategic direction and ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals.
- Key responsibilities of the Steering Committee include:
- Decision-Making: The committee makes critical decisions related to project scope, budget, and major milestones.
- Risk Management: It assesses risks, identifies mitigation strategies, and ensures timely resolution.
- Resource Allocation: It allocates resources (financial, human, and technical) to support project success.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The committee engages with key stakeholders to maintain alignment and manage expectations.
- Project Governance: It establishes project policies, guidelines, and performance metrics.
The Steering Committee usually consists of senior executives, project sponsors, and other influential stakeholders. Executive participation helps address complex issues more efficiently, provides a platform for client business team members to excel, and keeps them informed about updates for the Board of Directors and/or Private Equity firms.
Project preparation project
All successful projects require preparation. This phase, which a Team Bennett Consulting Business Architect will lead, works with the Client Team to complete the following activities for the business processes and data in scope for the foundation release.
- Current business processes are documented at a high level.
- Pain points with current business processes and systems are identified, agreed upon, prioritized and some thought has been given on resolution options.
- Scope, business processes and requirements based on Microsoft business processes are defined and approved at a high level.
- D365 environments and licenses are purchased and set up.
- Microsoft partners for banking, test automation and taxation have been contacted and negotiations for purchase have begun.
- Out of box online Microsoft training has been completed by the client team.
- Client project team is ready to start full time on the project.
- Data has been cleansed in current systems and is ready for movement into new system.
- Required reports have been located and can be used as input into new system.
- Preparation for onsite kick off meeting for all involved parties.
Organizational Change Management (OCM)
OCM focuses on preparing and supporting individuals and teams through the transition caused by the project.
- Key aspects of OCM include:
- Communication: Developing a clear communication plan to inform stakeholders about project changes, benefits, and impacts.
- Training and Education: Providing training sessions to equip employees with the necessary skills to adapt to new processes or systems.
- Engagement: Engaging employees early and involving them in the change process to build buy-in and reduce resistance.
- Monitoring and Feedback: Continuously assessing the impact of changes and adjusting strategies as needed.
- Culture Alignment: Ensuring that the project aligns with the organization’s culture and values.
Effective OCM helps mitigate resistance, fosters acceptance, and maximizes project adoption.
Successful project delivery relies on strong collaboration lead by Client Executives across these areas, ensuring alignment, effective decision-making, and proactive management of change.