October 1997 • Volume 7 • Number 10
Plug the IS Knowledge Gap
This column is part of an ongoing series of articles on the selection and implementation of MRP II/ERP applications software. We will be dealing with projects, teams, methodologies, vendors, RFPs, requirements/needs, justification, training, attitudes, platforms, technology, reengineering, vertical software, and best-of-breed decisions. If there are any areas of particular concern to you or your company, please call Dick Kuiper at 702-363-4046 and we'll try to cover it in a later article.
By Dick Kuiper
Selecting a new integrated manufacturing system
is both an art and a science. It is a very daunting,
multi-dimensional decision. Making the right decision
requires starting with the right tools. Knowledge is far and
away the most important of the tools. Launching headlong
into the journey of evaluating new software packages before
first learning the rules of the road and obtaining a road
map will surely lead to confusion and frustration. The two
questions that consume most of the search for a new system
are: What do we want? and Who does it the best? It is
surprising how many companies jump headfirst into the second
question without fully understanding the first.
Gather knowledge
Knowledge of the alternative concepts and techniques
available on the market is essential to properly addressing
the "what do we want" question. Think of the high school
student contemplating a career choice after graduation. The
choices are seemingly endless, but the student is perplexed
because he doesn't have a clue about most of them. The wise
student will begin with a broad investigation of
alternatives before targeting one or two careers for an
in-depth evaluation. Many unfortunate students will just
wing it, going with what seems popular this year, or relying
solely on the advice of well-intentioned friends and
relatives. While not quite as traumatic as struggling with a
life-long career choice, the determination of what kind of
system will be best for the company's ongoing prosperity
warrants a good deal of preparatory knowledge gathering.
The first step in the process is determining the existing
staff's ability to do justice to such an evaluation. People
bring a wide variety of experience and educational endeavors
to the table. Survey your combined knowledge spectrum and
determine if it is a) broad enough, and b) current enough to
give your team a thorough understanding of the available
alternatives. If you find that you lack the comprehensive
knowledge base, it is best to fill the knowledge gaps before
developing your formal system requirements definition and
request for proposal (RFP) that launch your software search.
Know all the things that you can do before you define
what you want to do.
Get educated with APICS
When it comes to educating people on subjects related to
manufacturing systems, APICS is probably the foremost
authority in the world. The CPIM (Certified in Production
and Inventory Management) certificate is the most widely
recognized measure of knowledge in the manufacturing sector.
The odds of achieving success in the software selection
process increase significantly if there are people on the
team who have achieved the CPIM level of education. For
maximum success, the need for education should not be
limited to the project team and those who must operate the
system. Since a good integrated system will affect everyone
from the shop floor to the boardroom, it is advisable for
the company's management team to become knowledgeable at
least on a conceptual level early in the process. When
management understands the pros and cons of the alternative
concepts, they will better appreciate the final decisions
and be able to set more realistic expectations.
Rent expertise
But what about companies that do not have the time or
money to get the appropriate upfront education? If such
expertise cannot be bought, it can at least be rented —
in the form of outside professional assistance. A wide
variety of consulting firms with different levels of
experience and choices of tools are available to help
companies through the requirements definition and software
evaluation process. Chosen wisely, such outside assistance
can greatly reduce the time and cost of performing such
projects. There are pitfalls, however. Who is to say the
consultants are any smarter than your own people? Is the
knowledge base of the consultant worth what you're paying?
Is it broad enough and current enough to properly advise you
of all the alternatives? You must scrutinize the skill sets
of the consultants just as you do with your own staff.
Regardless of the path chosen, the knowledge element must be given intense consideration. Get smart before you get started — or at least bring some strong knowledge into the picture as an integral part of the first phase of software selection. Just as the graduate should not rush off to become an investment banker because he heard that it was the easiest way to become a millionaire, a manufacturing company should not rush into a decision about the kind of information system to install.
Dick Kuiper is vice president of Expert Buying Systems Inc.
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