Project ahoy! Are we ready?

Let’s be honest, large-scale business transformation projects, such as ERP implementation, are daunting. There is no other development initiative that can cause nightmares before it has even started, or even before it has been decided. Just mentioning ERP makes some people run away as fast as possible or do everything in their power to avoid it.

Paula Aaltonen

7.1.2026

In most cases, the company cannot simply run away from these kinds of projects. What can they do then? They can either go with the flow and pray for the best, or they can take control of the situation, prepare well, and make the most of the project.

Prepare well. Yeah, easy to say. Project readiness is a combination of several elements in addition to practical project preparation activities. Resource readiness is about ensuring the project staffing is optimal in the given circumstances. Technical readiness ensures that the IT environment and services are in shape to build and eventually integrate the new ERP as a new part of the IT puzzle. Business readiness means that expectations for the project are realistic and do not contradict each other between different parts of the organisation. To integrate these three elements and establish efficient cooperation and communication between the project and the running business, a common discussion framework is also needed for the project scope and expected changes.

Resource readiness. Ensuring the project has the right resources is not just about approving the budget and defining allocation percentages. Resource planning begins by defining the roles and responsibilities within the project. The second phase is to identify suitable individuals to assume those roles and responsibilities, either from within the existing organisation or from outside. What makes a resource suitable? The same law of nature applies to casting the project organisation as it does to filling positions in any other organisation. A person must possess a certain level of expertise, knowledge, and skills to manage a specific role, but their attitude and mindset must also be a precise match. Knowledge and skills can be learned and improved if the attitude is there. Vice versa, it works unfortunately seldom. Without the right attitude and mindset, even expertise-level knowledge and skills may ultimately fail to benefit the project. The third part of resource planning is often lacking the attention it deserves. When internal resources move from line duties into the project, they leave a hole in the line organisation. The hole needs to be filled; otherwise, the resource will be occupied with their previous duties in addition to the new project duties, and it is only a matter of time before a person burns out. By aligning temporary resources with the organisation and rearranging operational responsibilities, we give the project team the opportunity to focus on their project work with full motivation.

Technical readiness is the area often best prepared for the coming project. This is fully understandable; the ERP or any other technical system is typically the tangible, direct deliverable of the project. It is obvious that technical readiness needs to be taken care of – system environments established, interfaces defined, user access created, other technical development projects prioritised and potentially parked or rescheduled.

Business readiness is closely tied to the project's business case. The clearer the business case, the easier it is for the receiving organisation to adopt. Picture this: people in the organisation have been given a clear and honest picture of plans and expectations, with the depth of information relevant for each organisation area and level. They have an idea of what will happen during the project, what improvements are expected as a result of the project, and how the project will potentially affect different areas and operations. Part of a healthy business case is also recognising challenges and risks the project is likely to face. People also deserve to hear about potential challenges, not just the benefits the project is expected to achieve. People need to see that there are procedures in place to manage challenges, and management is taking the responsibility to overcome them. What you see next: a project with a strong start in a focused atmosphere. To be clear and honest, this does not mean change resistance would be dealt with and gone, no way! – but a solid foundation has been set to start the project and lead the change. Realistic expectations and management’s positive support create trust and increase the organisation’s resilience in managing change.

Communication is the basis for all cooperation, decision-making and leadership. It is also a process with numerous opportunities for errors and misinterpretations. To strengthen the common understanding between the project and the business, a common map and terminology are needed. If an operating process model or quality management system is defined, it can serve as a framework where different topics can be addressed. If no process model or similar management system is available, assessing the current state and defining one tailored to the project's purpose is worthwhile.

After all preparations, how do we know if we are truly ready? The fact is, it’s the same as with the world itself – we can never make it complete or perfect. There will always be a zone of surprises and discomfort. Being ready, among other things, means being prepared to commit; having trust and confidence that we have prepared and will manage the upcoming project with its ups and downs – being ready to say, “We can do it!”

A major project like an ERP is a massive effort, and going live is a significant change for the organisation and its operations. Change inevitably causes disruption. We can, though, control the spirit and scale of disruption by ensuring understanding of what the change will touch and preparing for different scenarios. Preparation to avoid nightmares and unwanted newspaper headlines needs to start well before the project itself kicks off – by ensuring your organisation is ready for the project.