ERP should be Rocket Science
Following the live stream of a SpaceX rocket launch to deliver a bunch of satellites into orbit I thought, “This is how deploying new business systems like ERP should be”.
You cannot but marvel at the smart engineering when you see the booster rocket returning to Earth and neatly landing for reuse. SpaceX was founded 19 years ago with a 100-Million-dollar startup investment. Today, their market value is estimated at over 36 billion dollars. That is roughly a 44% annual growth in valuation.
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Build your new business capabilities like SpaceX
Think about all the capabilities this company created from the ground up. Everything from the actual rocket technology to all the control, support, and supply systems – not to forget all the required software they developed and deployed.
Now, compare that to the typical time and effort companies use to acquire and deploy new business systems, like an ERP solution, and you really start to wonder what takes them so long?
We are talking here about an investment that is just a fraction of SpaceX’s startup capital and something that has been done many times by other companies.
So, how to apply some “rocket science” to your business systems projects:
- Take a greenfield approach: When you’re not bothered by existing structures, legacy systems, and practices makes it easier to innovate and create value.
- Share a compelling vision: We’re going to Mars, such a vision has so much more power to motivate people than the What’s in it for me type of reasoning used to motivate an ERP rollout.
- Be agile and don’t be afraid to fail: There are plenty of SpaceX video’s out there showing exploding rockets.
- Take a system design approach with a clear path towards your vision. Use world class solution where possible and focus your effort on the differentiating features you need.
There’s a cure for chronic delays in IT projects. Find out what it is and how you can put it to use.
Menno Huijben is a Senior Executive at Sofigate and interested in the realm of decision-making in business, especially where a data-driven mindset meets intuition and experience. His motto is ”Don’t forget the Human Factor!”
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