ERP Implementations with Ed Kless

I have no desire to read books on ERP project planning and implementation. This is a topic where I believe we learn by doing and by listening to the sage advice of others. One such person is Ed Kless, the co-host of The Soul of Enterprise podcast. In this show, Ed talks about what we do before, during, and after ERP implementations.

Questions Answered by Ed Kless

What is one of the first questions to address during the pre-planning phase of a new ERP solution?
What is your thought about Steve Cakebread stating we should move to a more robust solution sooner rather than later?
How do we begin to start narrowing our choice of solutions down from 8 to 4 to 2 to 1 solution?
How long should we spend on planning? Why do we tend to rush this phase? What happens when we do?
Is selecting an ERP solution a Jeff Bezos Type I or a Type II decision?
Can you be a project manager of a software product you know very little about?
Is project management an oversight or a doer role?
What is the difference between project initiation and project planning?
How is the project manager like a Sherpa?
Why do implementations take so long?
What is the difference between scope creep and scope seep?

“Project management is an oversight role. It’s not a do-role. It’s about being a coach, not the quarterback. And I think that people oftentimes mistake that. We really need someone who is looking at it from that higher perspective from the press box level or from the sideline level, not from on the field. And I think that’s a challenge because oftentimes what people are asked to do is they’re asked to be implementers and manage the project.” Ed Kless