January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

A method for Agile ERP implementations

as a new Service for Zest

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

How it started

2010 : Zest’s competitive adantage : know-how in the “power market”, particularly

Smart metering (cf. Smart grids)

lever for geographical growth :

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Belgian power market

2010 : monopolistic (Electrabel) - even till 2012…

no innovating environment

no hard need for Zest’s know-how & services

Shift from geographical growth strategy to

Assortment growth strategy

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Possible new services

• New market segment : Healthcare

• New activities :

– Zest Academy (training activities)

– Business-IT alignment improvement activities

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Considered new services

• New market segment : Healthcare• New activities :

– Academy (Training)– Improving Business-IT alignment

Zest’s BPM-core skills

(@ intersection between

Business & IT)

Own experience with BPM and ERP-projects (also @ intersection between Business & IT)

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Scope definition

Final focus : Agile ERP-implementations – why ?

• Too many ERP projects

are unsuccessfulwww.freebalance.com/blog/?p=3372

• Agile methods allowBetter results in Software Development

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Agile projects – what

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Contradictio in terminis

ERP’s integrational aspect ~ nervous system (of an organisation)

Agile ERP = cutting it into pieces (sprints)

Wise to cut an integrative system ?

Do not “cut”, but distinguish entire processes and process variants / cases as “sprints”

Ex.: Purchasing facilities <> purchasing raw materials

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Own vision on Agility• Agility a “must” for any

– Industry,– Business,– Process ???

• However : a static process today may need to become Agile (and

vice versa) scenario’s / paths

• Maturity (business & IT-departments) must be acceptable

hereto also recommendations

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

ERP Agility Day

• Objectives: – Sharing & communicating our vision– Creation of awareness and

spotting potential candidates for pilots

• Results : – Positive with regards to speakers : shared & supported vision– Negative regarding participants : only 2 subscriptions

Cancellation of the event

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Focus on methodology• Change of approach :

Developing the methodology together with a pilot organisation

Developing the methodology to find a pilot organisation

• Agile methodology specific for ERP-projects based on DSDM• Including

– Phases & steps– Techniques – Deliverables– Use of Process Mining

For more details : •Thesis document • Methodology description

document

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Not alone…

After the “structure definition” of our method discovery:

SAP also busy with its own “Agile” method : ASAP 7.2

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Future steps

1. Find a pilot organisation – To assess, practice and further improve the defined methodology

2. Monitor the pilot project very closely– Report every

• project deliverable, • important event• meeting,

For evaluation purposes

3. Market the new service – As a unique service proposition– Stressing the value : less risk for unsuccessful ERP-project

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Important tip(s)

Don’t consider Agile as a religion ; be pragmatic :

– Not black or white

– Not necessarily

the train OR the bike :

smartly combining them

allows you to get anywhere !

Agility is – first and foremost –

thinking & acting the agile wayForrester’s“Water-Scrum-Fall”

January 17, 2013 Master Thesis Jean Vercruysse

Questions ?