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What’s the Difference?

There’s a basic confusion in many client systems between installation and implementation. This confusion leads to a reduced Return on Investment (ROI) for many projects, caused by premature completion – simply stated, many projects are being treated as “finished” significantly before the real ROI is achieved.

When we analyze project successes and failures we see that project installation and implementation are very different.

A typical project development cycle ends with “GO LIVE” or “CUTOVER”. We call this the installation phase. While it’s a critically important phase of any project, it alone will not lead to full ROI.

Yet many organizations assume completion at the “cut over” point – installation.

To avoid falling into the installation trap we recommend that you:

1. Frame or re-frame our definition of implementation and realize it’s not the same as installation.
2. By altering our definition, we prepare ourselves and the organization for a different set and sequence of activities to get to the financial return more quickly.

3. Avoid disassembling the project/program infrastructure prematurely

Following the AIM process to full implementation, organizations will:

1. More clearly define the human objectives of any project, and rigorously plan the implementation deliverables into our project planning approach to ensure full implementation and ROI
2. Accelerate the speed of getting to ROI

3. Avoid the business disruption that too often follows installation and is left un-managed

4. Achieve all business, technical, and human objectives set for the initiative