Minal Kiran Shimpi

As in executing any business system, the first step I took was to understand thoroughly the processes that comprise business operations. This is especially true for ERP implementations because they are often intended to be the core management system for company operations. Next, I defined and prioritized key business requirements—determining how much customization was needed to define requirements as early as possible.

Prioritizing business requirements is just as important as defining them. There is so much information available during the evaluation phase of implementation that it's easy for companies to get lost in specifying lower-level processes, which can lead to "analysis paralysis." A better strategy that I use is to develop priorities based on satisfying immediate business needs that affect everyday business processes, followed by longer-term strategic objectives. Moreover, defining business requirements is not a one-time activity, resulting in a static set of requirements for vendor selection. Instead, it should be viewed as an ongoing process that can be refined regularly to reflect the organization's changing needs.