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Why not just go for it?
Why not just go for it?
There is so much to say for using an agile approach in IT projects. The focus on delivering value, quick adjustments to changes, continuous improvements and the positive effects Agile has on business change, it all makes perfect sense. Throw in the fact that ambiguous business needs and lack of user involvement rank in the top 3 of critical failure factors of ERP implementations* and we should all be asking ourselves: “Why not just go for it?” Speaking with experts on Agile and ERP I found that Agile in combination with ERP still raises a lot of discussion. The typical conversation on this topic sounds like:
Both views make sense
Both views make sense
Which raises the question how ERP can best be delivered in an agile way. I think that there are different possible scenarios in applying Agile to ERP programmes, each with a specific release focus and driven by factors such as the urgency of the business case and the complexity of the stakeholder landscape.
Whether a full-fledged Agile approach for development and release of your ERP solution will be the right choice, really depends on a number of factors. If, for example, the business case for the proposed changes is extremely urgent, one may happily trade cost of rework for speedy delivery of functionality. Organisations with the luxury of time but also the challenge of complexity, may choose to take more time to mull over the different design options from a wider perspective first.
So are agile implementation approaches compatible to ERP? Certainly, but do choose your release approach scenario wisely and make sure it fits your situation.
*R. Catersels, R.W. Helms, R. Batenburg, Exploring the gap between the practical and theoretical world of ERP implementations: results of a global survey (2010)
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