Implementing Workday introduces new technologies, new capabilities, and new ways of doing business.

 

It also introduces new methodologies and challenges into how you approach the implementation project as well as your post go-live system maintenance and enhancement activities.

 

More than ever, it is important to preserve established IT and Business discipline.

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Like any other enterprise-wide software application, Workday needs IT (a.k.a. Digital) and Business colleagues on the team to implement and deploy.

When you implement Workday, you will find Workday, as well as their implementation partners, follow a somewhat agile methodology for the implementation project regardless of approach (Launch, Launch/Express, Your Way).

For many companies, this hybrid Project Management methodology is a departure from their current practices.  However, this does not mean you need to part ways from the discipline, procedures, and protocols you have today that have supported your prior successes.

This blog won’t explore the benefits, challenges, or even differences between the various Project Management methodologies.   Nor will we explore the fundamental differences between SaaS versus in-house managed software. 

Instead, our focus is how to embrace the “Workday Way” during your implementation project and into post go-live without compromising your internal disciplines.  

Below are some fundamental discipline points that are time-tested and universal.  Regardless of applications, timeline, team composition, or methodology, adhering to these fundamentals will help improve your team and project efficiency while simultaneously reducing burn-out and discord.  Who can argue with that?

For the record, each of these fundamentals could be their own blog topic.   Who knows…you may just see that in upcoming blogs?

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​​​​Get organized

Getting and staying organized is critical to success.  Before you embark on a major initiative, build a communication platform with a tool already known and used.   Prior to diving into the work at hand, assemble a Project Plan that has the right level of detail to accurately monitor progress as well as schedule up-coming tasks.  Leverage a methodology and tool that is easy for your team to navigate and low effort to keep up to date.

Track decisions, issues, escalations, and critical knowledge in such a way that everything is easily accessible at every level.    

Work with purpose; ensure every meeting as an objective and an agenda.

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Careful Resource Planning

A critical but often overlooked component to a proper Project Plan is the Resource Plan.  Too often the plan’s time estimates are unrealistic and not sustainable, and resource planning doesn’t get the attention it requires.  Proper resource planning means:  considering backfills to handle the non-project related responsibilities, aligning people to their strengths, and not overloading key individuals with too many tasks/hours.   It makes no sense to have a “plan” where dates and deliverables are not attainable from the start.  It decreases morale and you find yourself reporting (and chasing) issues that are indicative of poor planning versus true blockers.

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Identify Ownership

Define your team and structure project activities (especially meetings) with a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) in mind.  This will reduce confusion while simultaneously improving efficiency.   How often have you attended a meeting that did not have the correct attendees based on the objectives? 

Bolster your decision-making process with mechanisms that empower all teammates to be able to “press pause” for critical decisions with healthy deliberation when needed.   Everyone has a seat at the table and a voice that deserves to be heard and considered.  Engage advisors to review decisions, scope, progress, readiness objectively without internal bias or vendor pressure.

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Provide Clear Requirements

Everything in scope (configuration settings, reports, integrations, functions, BP steps, etc.) should have clear and precise documentation that is up to date and is traceable to an owner.   Too often we find a Build or Test defect is logged that is not inherently a defect or took more than one build cycle to “get it right”. This can be caused by unclear, low-quality, or cryptic requirements. 

By documenting the requirement correctly, you are more likely to Design, Test and Deploy a quality product. 

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​Design Purposefully

Organize your Design activities with checkpoints including the owner to ensure it is proper.  Create your Design with an eye on where the enterprise is going (not just where they are today) to future-proof the final product.  Teammates should encourage and participate in peer review sessions so that the product meets requirements, but is not overly complex and will be easily supported after go-live.

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Do NOT Compromise on Test Planning, Preparation, and Execution

Test planning and preparation is critical and must be structured.  Be sure to have a dedicated Test Lead as well as representatives from every workstream.  Planning should start early and leverage an approach and tools that support quality instead of being a distraction.  

Resist every urge to compromise or skimp on testing.  Too often we see projects claw time and resources from the Test Cycles to make up for inefficiencies in prior phases.  A well-tested application is much more likely to be embraced by your organization. 

Don’t be afraid to simulate stress scenarios in your testing.  Sure, you should test with simulated clean data…but you should also test with real data from the field.  Incorporate edge test cases into your plans. Lastly, don’t be afraid to do stress and load testing, it will help you understand the capabilities of the application and improve hypercare and on-going support.

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Documentation

Make documentation part of each phase of the project.  Proof the documentation with end-users, making sure it is a proper balance of being both concise and precise.  IT and Business should collaborate on all documentation to ensure it is easy to understand and accurate.  You will find good documentation helps testing and elevate post go-live support and adoption.

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Change Management

Having a professional Change Management team involved during the project is a huge benefit.  They will run Focus Groups, find and foster change champions* across the enterprise, and elevate probability of high adoption of the application.  They will keep key business functions and stakeholders involved and generate excitement as the go-live approaches.

This team will ask the hard questions:

• Do we really understand the complexity of our operations?

• Are we stress-testing our systems before rollout?

• Are our people truly ready for what’s coming?

• And do we have the courage to pause, re-evaluate, or even change direction if needed?

Lastly, don’t rely solely on vendor-provided training.  Have your Change Management team build custom training that includes real scenarios and solutions using the new system.

After go-live, track behavioral adoption, not just logins or completion rates.

 

* These are people who will be advocates of Workday.  Choose people who understand and embrace the technology and are confident with supporting others who may be struggling to adapt to change.

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Support Planning

Too often we see the activity of support planning being compromised or skipped entirely.  As the go-live date becomes imminent, teams rationalize and assume the existing Support Model will work for the new application.  That assumption can be disastrous for hypercare and beyond. 

Don’t forget to validate the Support Model workflow, and the escalation processes and their related SLAs. 

Use independent advisors to anticipate post go-live metrics and challenge your support assumptions.

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…and don’t forget, have some fun!

Though not a Business or IT Discipline, this is equally important.  Work with the program office to promote teamwork and self-supporting teams.  Each workstream should recognize the larger whole.  Find the time to celebrate success and up-lift other workstreams and teammates when they need it.  The long days are more sustainable and feel a little bit shorter when the overall team is strong and people know they can rely on each other.