Implementation & Integration

We understand that not everyone needs the same level of assistance when it comes to projects like WMS Implementation or TMS Integration. While our Implementation and Integration services are meant to work together in a progression, we offer the following independently, depending on a given situation.

Operational Issues Analysis

Before any software project is started, Open Sky will help you analyze your operations and identify those issues and challenges that need to be resolved or improved prior to the addition of any supply chain software. We’ll help you prioritize and implement those items so that you can take full advantage of what your software selection has to offer.

Business Case Development

Think you need a certain type of hardware or software to meet your needs but you’re not certain? Is the cost of that investment too high to just guess that it will be a success? Open Sky helps clients determine whether or not a software investment can be justified by helping project the potential returns and benefits to operations. Not only do we assist in situations where there is no existing software, but we also help clients examine and determine the best timing for upgrades to existing software (which can sometimes be as involved as new implementations).

Systems and Software Vendor Selection (RFI/RFP)

So many vendors – so much information to absorb! We realize that there are a multitude of vendors and after a while, they can begin to all look alike, even though they aren’t. Put Open Sky’s extensive supply chain software experience to work for you – we can help you determine what you most need from your software purchase and use that to develop Requests for Information or Requests for Proposal that will help you narrow down those sometimes confusing choices to the ones most likely to work best for your organization. We’ll also be there to help you through product demos and site visits to make sure that the components and capabilities of the software you select will best meet your most vital functions.

Slotting & Replenishment Optimization

Depending on the mix and seasonality of products, your facility could need to analyze and adjust product location and replenishment frequency any number of times throughout the year. In many cases, your WMS software may already have a slotting module or feature(s) that can be configured to help in this process, making it a streamlined, efficient routine instead of a hair-raising one. Open Sky also helps clients evaluate stand-alone solutions and other complementary products that help with managing inventory and supply chain efficiency.

Project / Program Management

Are your projects running past their deadlines and going over budget? Do you find that managing your project ultimately gets in the way of that project? Open Sky can help by providing experienced consultants who implement cutting-edge technical project management methods based in Agile SCRUM Methodology and implementation processes. Let us show you what it’s like to come in on time AND under budget, all while adapting to the inevitable changes to requirements that so frequently cripple projects. If the project is more complex, Open Sky can provide a Program Manager. Program Managers orchestrate everything – if it has to be done in order for a new software package to be complete, it falls under this person’s bailiwick, including management of people on all sides (client, software, and consultant).

Staff Augmentation for Implementation Projects

Open Sky recognizes that sometimes there is a need for additional personnel who can be fully dedicated to one or two areas of an implementation project to keep things moving smoothly. Open Sky can provide experienced consultants to drive the following key procedures:

• Gap Analysis – In software implementation projects, gaps are where the software you are planning to implement doesn’t fully meet what you need. A list of these gaps are often gathered over multiple phases of an implementation, and are most effective when done in the Software Selection phase of a project (to help select the software that is the best fit for your needs). A Gap Analysis list is used to describe, classify and justify the gaps and determine ultimately which gaps will receive attention and which ones will be solved with a workaround or a change to the future state process flow.
• Configuration Workshop – This is where the future state (how you want things to be) of your operations and processes are translated into the software set-up and configuration. It’s critical to have a dedicated project manager to drive this workshop, in addition to the support of Stakeholders, Business Process Owners and the Software Vendors – Open Sky can help.
• Conference Room Pilot – The Conference Room Pilot (CRP) is ultimately to gain buy-in for the solution, the future state processes and the software configuration – and to make sure that these will satisfy the needs of the business. Open Sky has directed many CRPs and understands the critical components to bring them to successful conclusion.
• Documentation – There are two main types of documentation associated with Implementation projects. Whether it’s documenting standard operating procedures or ensuring that you have the reports and labels you need to meet your customer requirements, Open Sky can help.
• Testing and Training – Do you have enough resources to perform testing on an implementation already underway? Open Sky understands the importance of testing within an implementation project and can provide you with the experienced resources you need to bolster your current staff. Open Sky can train your staff on key concepts of your warehouse and transportation system software, providing you a flexible, cost-effective and customizable method of supercharging your WMS Analysts and other staff.

Open Sky can become engaged long before project execution begins, help build the project and capture the granular tasks required to arrive at the big picture for Implementation and Integration projects. Open Sky guides clients through Go-Live and remains engaged for Continuous Improvement & Support of the solutions implemented.

Project Planning

Project Planning can sometimes feel tedious and time consuming. Not only do Open Sky’s experienced project managers make this process go smoothly, but time spent in this phase pays off greatly throughout the remainder of the project. The focus for the plan is essentially driven by the answer to “Who, and what, does the business need to implement this solution?” The team is selected for the planning process and all members work together on tasks that include gathering background information, developing detail plans for the various components, integrating those into a master plan, gaining team approval and then getting started. The Project or Program Manager is responsible for orchestrating everything from this phase forward.

Project Execution

Open Sky’s Supply Chain Software Implementation & Integration projects typically follow these phases from Inception to Go-Live:

• Project Inception – At inception, it’s important to review and confirm the size, scope, resources, costs, etc. to do the project properly. There is almost always a temptation to cut items to save money and it’s part of our job to help clients understand the critical pieces and the impact of cutting certain items. In this phase, the project team is identified and confirmed, along with any items needing completion prior to the arrival of the implementation team. A Go-Live window is selected, and then we work backwards to fit in all other key pieces and major milestones.
• Discovery – The purpose of Discovery Activities is to identify and understand all of the processes and business requirements of the operation(s) so that the Design Activities can begin with a solid understanding of what the business does today. A proper discovery process will mitigate the risk of discovering new processes and requirements in later stages of the project.
• Design – This phase is to not only verify what clients want to see in the new solution (Future State) but also understand how it will work within the new software. Several steps happen here including creation of a Future State Description – essentially a plan for how current key processes (Current State) will be implemented with a new software solution, Integration Mapping and Design (for all material handling and other software system integrations) and a Conference Room Pilot to show the users how the major flows will work within the new solution.
• Build – This is where the “doing” part of an implementation project begins. The Future State Software Design and results from the Conference Room Pilot are used to build the Configuration. Production Environments are set up and Integrations are built.
• Testing – In typical Implementation plans, the testing of Integration, Configuration, Customizations and Documents tends to be lumped into one big User Acceptance Test (UAT). Open Sky finds this to be an unrealistic expectation – and we’ve found that focused testing of the major components is more beneficial prior to a compressive UAT or End-to-End test. We also believe that more testing is always better, so in addition to focused testing sessions, we recommend three comprehensive final tests each with a different goal.
• Site Preparation – During this phase the physical site preparation has to occur. Some of these activities will begin on day one due to the long planning and procurement cycles required for some of the specialized equipment. Typically this phase includes installation or testing of items such as printers, RF Terminals, Material Handling Equipment, consumables supply levels, etc.
• Training – The Training activities are absolutely critical to a successful and smooth go-live and a short transition of ownership from the Implementation project team to the future owners of the system. Our years of experience have taught us that scaling training back or simply skipping it is very tempting for cost reduction or reducing schedule slip. However, it is actually far safer to cut project scope than to cut training. For this reason it is important to have a kickoff meeting with the Stakeholders, Executive Sponsor, Project Team, and Future Owners of the System to understand that this activity needs support from all members.
• Pre- Go-Live – This valuable step in the implementation process can reveal not only the level of readiness of the new systems, but also of your personnel. Given the time and financial investment a software implementation requires, in addition to what is at stake in terms of continuity of operations when the system goes live the first time, this process can provide confidence to the team as well as insight into any final adjustments that may be needed. This is where tasks like data validation and cleansing occur, ensuring that anything brought forward to the new software is correct and clean in terms of formatting, character limitations, field mapping, etc. While this can be a very time-consuming piece of the implementation, our experienced consultants can help you find the most efficient method to accurately and successfully resolve this step. This is also where Inventory Conversion & Wellness, a physical and systems check of inventory accuracy, occurs. Open Sky consultants work with clients both before and after implementation to help ensure that all inventory-related data has been accommodated. A Mock-Go-Live/Physical Dry run is also staged to fully test the integration(s) to other systems.
• Go-Live – Throughout all of the stages of the implementation, the focus was on the processes and functions that are critical to your business. We’ve prepared your people and organization for the changes that a new solution can bring in every step of the project. While it’s normal for there to be some anxiety associated with Go-Live, Open Sky’s strong leadership and experience will put the project team at ease. The team is ready for this first time that the software is put into your live environment and used by your organization.

The system will need some time to stabilize and mature and users may need some time to adjust to the changes and get used to the new processes and system(s) after Go-Live of an Implementation and Integration project. In this phase, Open Sky helps clients ensure that Operations, Information Technology, Finance and Your Customers are adjusting well to the new system.

Support

Even after a perfect, no-chaos implementation of new supply chain software, there will be some companies that will benefit in retaining one or more key project team members for a longer post-go-live duration. There may be multiple phases to implement, more buildings, more sites, deferred functionality (such as Event Management Solutions or other alert and visibility systems), or simply a large number of users or systems that need to become stable. Once the system has been running a few months, it will be time to analyze the effectiveness of the data archiving and purge jobs. Additional tables should be analyzed and top SQL’s should be investigated.

Audits & Reviews

Once the business has gotten used to the new system, it’s time to measure the results and see where it may not be living up to expectations. Sometimes there are issues that will not be seen until month/quarter end or until the system has been used for a complete business cycle. The goal of this step is to review operations, processes, vendor compliance and interfaces, identifying areas for improvement, and, ultimately, help you get more out of your investment.

Training & Documentation

Training is part of any complete implementation during the project execution phase. Depending on timing and availability during the prior stage, there may not have been an opportunity to create a set of Super Users at your company who can then train others on key concepts of your warehouse, labor or transportation management system software. Now may be a good time to utilize Open Sky consultants as a flexible, cost effective and customizable method of supercharging your WMS Analysts and other staff.

Documentation is another area that, depending on an organization’s requirements and the scope of the project, there may be a need to go back and update the documentation that was initially created for your new systems and processes, or develop additional materials that were not mission-critical.

Systems Analysis & Fine-Tuning

After an implementation, it’s a good idea to measure how much data your system is accumulating so you can properly forecast the amount you can safely retain. Open Sky can help you schedule this audit at the right time to make a solid projection of data retention needs. We also recommend monitoring and scheduling reviews of the performance of the application and database systems to proactively find potential performance issues such as bad or missing indexes, poorly written SQL, improperly configured processes, etc.

Depending on the timeline and scope of a project, there may be additional phases or modules that were not ready for go-live. Open Sky can help you build and execute a plan for those additional pieces.

Continuous Improvement is not a one-time event; it becomes a way of life in the best companies. The experienced Open Sky team can help you establish a program of continuous improvement for your newly implemented solution.