What is wrong with “Waterfall” ERP Implementation?
“Waterfall” methodology starts with comprehensive need analysis that takes 4 to 8 weeks and produces a “Functional Requirements Document” (FRD) that becomes the basis for future implementation contract. This looks like a very logical approach that defines the boundaries of the project, allows the contractor to make reasonably accurate estimates and gives a customer an idea of what they are buying. So why over 65% of projects go over budget and over 90% take substantially longer to implement? First – most businesses are quite complex. They build their own ways to operate, sometimes because it is “Best Practice”, sometimes because it is “Necessity” enforced by customers or vendors or government, sometimes because it is “Archaic” and they just do not know how to do it better or their current system does not allow working differently. In few weeks of needs assessment it is practically impossible to look at every aspect of the business and make definitive determination of what is “Best Prac
