Risks detected and addressed in the planning and design phase of a project are significantly less costly than those discovered during the implementation phase. You can’t remove risks entirely, but with a measured view of the potential pitfalls, you can put in place strategies so senior stakeholders in the business can understand possible outcomes and prepare accordingly.
Make sure you have tested the functionality of your chosen platform. The test environment should be a simulation of the live production environment but without the risks. Though we can’t foresee all eventualities, this extra step can help minimise the risk of a system outage and provide an opportunity to prepare corrective measures should any failures occur.
As part of this process, you should consider the longer term. Businesses need to have the capacity, intelligence and mobility to adapt, scale and manoeuvre in near real time to cater for the changing needs of their customers. Don’t just think about day one. Will it support your plans for growth? Is it going to get you to where you want to be in year five? How can it evolve? The fast-moving nature of technology and business means a fast-paced change in requirements—so you should be able to tweak, customise and adapt.
“Enabling global enterprises to better manage information the power innovation Quality & Customer Experience It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted” William Blake
When you’re thinking about resource, consider whether you have the right knowledge, expertise and resources to deliver the project in-house. Calling on consultancy support means that you can be sure the right level of scrutiny, resources and detailed planning is applied to the project. Often a pair of fresh eyes will identify overlooked opportunities and risks.
Have a plan B. How else can you deliver on your objectives? Develop a priority structure around the opportunities and risks offered by your migration—working out what is critical and what you can live without and build a skeleton plan around it.