Showcase: Interactivities

Before it Happens to You

Every project has "red flags." See if you can identify the red flags in this story. Then click a red flag icon to view a pop-up description of the issue and a lesson that can be learned from the example.

Manufacturing Inc. had worked long and hard developing a customer order and distribution system. The development and implementation teams had figured out the hardware and software requirements and solutions, and a team of upper management had approved the plan.

Early in the process, they conducted meetings that introduced the new system concepts and benefits to the affected business units, and they had initiated a steady stream of e-mail and memos that outlined the project's schedules and status.

The VP of Customer Service, who had approved the budget and plan, had been promoted during the development phase. The new VP, although very busy and hard to reach, seemed to be "on board." But she hadn't returned answers to a couple of key questions.

Now that everything was only a couple of months from "go live," it was time to develop some training for the implementers to use.

When the "go live" date arrived, the development team was stunned at the level of resistance. Upper management started hearing rumblings about the chaos and dissatisfaction of the business units and their distribution centers (DCs). Now the development team was getting lots of change requests and complaints.

Were there any red flags that they should have noticed?