Quick Short Holiday Thoughts
This time of year many of us are busy, busy, busy. There are presents to buy, family gatherings to plan, parties to attend, snow to shovel, and, of course, PeopleSoft business to conduct. Year-end is rushing toward us like a speeding train in a narrow tunnel. So here are some quick quotes for those of us who cannot quite bring ourselves to spend time reading a long dissertation on the meaning of the season:
“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings”
Happy Holidays to All!
Quick Short Holiday Thoughts
This time of year many of us are busy, busy, busy. There are presents to buy, family gatherings to plan, parties to attend, snow to shovel, and, of course, PeopleSoft business to conduct. Year-end is rushing toward us like a speeding train in a narrow tunnel. So here are some quick quotes for those of us who cannot quite find the time to read long dissertations on the meaning of the season:
“Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about… they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you’ll ever be.”
Happy Holidays to all!
Quick Short Holiday Thoughts
This time of year many of us are busy, busy, busy. There are presents to buy, family gatherings to plan, parties to attend, snow to shovel, and, of course, PeopleSoft business to conduct. Year-end is rushing toward us like a speeding train in a narrow tunnel. So here are some quick quotes for those of us who cannot quite bring ourselves to spend time reading a long dissertation on the meaning of the season:
“But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.”
“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
Happy Holidays to all!
Experience Works: A large stack of new lumber
A house in my neighborhood has been in a partially finished state for a long time. The foundation has been layed. The framing has been done. The windows are installed. The roof has been shingled. The exterior has been wrapped. The workers who did these tasks left months ago.
As I walked by the construction site this weekend I noticed a large stack of new lumber. Being curious I approached to take a closer look. Someone was working and that someone turned out to be one of the people who framed our home. Up until the great recession hit he had worked steadily for many years as an experienced framer. I asked about the pile of lumber in front of us. He proceeded to tell his story.
His framing group had originally bid on the job but the owners in an effort to “save money” had gone with a “cheaper” alternative. The resulting structure could not pass inspection.
In fact, as our framer tells it, even the most basic engineering rules had been ignored. For instance, no brick ledges had been created on the foundation. He and I glanced quickly over to the pallet of brick that had already been delivered. No brick ledge. No brick. He said the owners were heartbroken. Stucco is not what they had in mind. Not only that, but stucco was actually going to be more expensive than the original brick.
“The whole thing is going to be more expensive, take longer, and they are not going get exactly what they want”
What was the new stack of lumber for? Critical parts of the existing frame must be torn down. New and stronger structures will be built in their place. The experienced framer is working in partnership with an experienced engineer to save this project.
Do not make this mistake. Do not let this happen to you. Seek competent and experienced help. Do it early. Do not wait until it is too expensive. Do not wait until it is too late.
PeopleSoft Upgrade Insights: Fit/Gap (Part 2 of 3)
Many customers are now installing one or more of the new PeopleSoft 9.1 releases. Soon, Oracle will be releasing the upgrade scripts and, as the famous detective Sherlock Holmes would have likely said, “the game will be afoot” . PeopleSoft upgrade projects may be complex but they don’t necessarily have to be full of mystery and suspense. A little knowledge can go a long way.
This seems like a particularly good time to share some PeopleSoft Upgrade Insights starting with the subject of Fit/Gaps. Staying with the same body part metaphor I can say that getting your upgrade project “started on the right foot” is absolutely critical. And you can’t get it started right without executing a successful Fit/Gap. This is the second of three postings describing how you can obtain the maximum benefit out of your Fit/Gap process.
The room is set. The stakeholders have all taken their seats. The computers are booted. The logon ids and passwords have been entered. The projectors are working and the projected images are readable even in the back of the room. The lights are dimmed, but not too low because you don’t want anybody nodding off. You are all set. What do you do now?
- Start with why everybody is here- People like to know what the results are going to look like before they begin the process. A detailed list of issues will be produced. These issues may be gaps of various shapes & sizes, existing modifications to be reapplied, or new processes to be implemented. Solutions will be found for each item but not necessarily in the sessions. Some amount of research and analysis may be needed to determine the best solutions for particularly sticky issues.
- Set the ground rules- As much as some may like a free flowing stream of consciousness a saner approach will produce better results. So set some ground rules before starting:
- All participants must take ownership
- All participants must respect others thoughts
- All participants are expected to be candid
- All electronic devices (except possibly for pacemakers) must be turned off or to vibrate
- Time is limited. The goal is to find issues, not necessarily solutions.
- Follow your scripts- Fit/Gap (Part 1) described the step-by-step detailed scripts you will need to guide your sessions. Pass these scripts out. They will help your stakeholders follow along. Stick to your guides as much as possible. Update the scripts as you navigate indicating fits, gaps, or items needing further research. If an issue arises and you need to jump to a different part of the system feel free do so. Your script will allow you to return easily to the place where you left off.
- Make sure results get recorded- If it doesn’t get recorded it didn’t happen. Pick someone reliable to record any gaps or other issues that arise. And make sure that person is diligent. Get the “whip” out. Don’t be afraid to look over that person’s shoulder. Periodically, stop the proceedings for a minute to dictate an issue. Check the issue log at breaks. Have the person publish the issues at the end of the day.
- Answer questions- There are two types of questions. Those you know the answer to and those you don’t. What do you do if you are not sure of your answer? Often, I will you say, “Let’s go and take a quick look at how that works.” A participant asks a question about the difference between job profiles and job families. You can go that part of the system and check it out. However, if you have no idea what the person is asking and/or no idea what the answer should be then fall back on the fact that you, as everyone else, is just human. Do not make something up. Promise you will research the topic and return with an answer at a set time.
In Part 3 of this series, PeopleSoft Upgrade Insights, I will discuss how to transform the data from sessions into Fit/Gap results that will jumpstart the development phase of your upgrade project.
PeopleSoft Upgrade Insights: Fit/Gap (Part 1 of 3)
Many customers are now installing one or more of the new PeopleSoft 9.1 releases. Soon, Oracle will be releasing the upgrade scripts and, as the famous detective Sherlock Holmes would have likely said, “the game will be afoot” . PeopleSoft upgrade projects may be complex but they don’t necessarily have to be full of mystery and suspense. A little knowledge can go a long way.
This seems like a particularly good time to share some PeopleSoft Upgrade Insights starting with the subject of Fit/Gaps. Staying with the same body part metaphor I can say that getting your upgrade project “started on the right foot” is absolutely critical. And you can’t get it started right without executing a successful Fit/Gap. This is the first of three postings describing how you can obtain the maximum benefit out of your Fit/Gap process.
One of the least understood benefits of the Fit/Gap process is show and tell. We all remember having to bring something to class and having to talk about it. Why did the teacher make us do it? Because people will tend to play more attention more to what they see rather than to what they hear. The Fit/Gap is your greatest opportunity to educate your stakeholders about the new release. These show and tell sessions may well be their first exposure to new features and functions. Make the most of them. Your clients will be learning in the best way possible way…from you!
How can you best prepare for these interactive Fit/Gap sessions with key users and other stakeholders? Here is some advice:
- Pre-schedule your sessions and topics- People like to know what they will be doing and when they will be doing it. Be specific. If your plan is to cover Benefits Administration setup at 1:00PM on Thursday then make sure it is on the schedule as such. If you are a little early or a little late you will be forgiven. I promise. Be sure to schedule at least half a day at the tail end for review and analysis of all identified gaps. This will put your group on notice that just sitting and watching is an unacceptable behavior. There will be quiz.
- Know your stuff- Study. Study. Study. The more you know at the time you are conducting the session the better your results will be. There really isn’t any excuse these days for not being prepared. An enormous amount of PeopleSoft documentation is at your fingertips. On the other hand no one knows everything all time. If a subject arises and you are unsure of your knowledge say so. Promise you will research the topic and return with an answer at a set time. Your client will appreciate this approach far more than making something up that later turns out to be inaccurate.
- Script it- Produce step-by-step guides for your navigation through the new release. If you allow a helter skelter approach you will lose your audience and almost certainly miss something important. Your guide should organized in a logical manner (e.g. apply, hire, pay) and include informational columns such as: Navigation path, page name, item name, short description, fit or gap, comments, alternatives.
- Show the old system- Display the old system side by side with the new system. The best way to accomplish this is by having two computers and two projectors. Entice one of your stakeholders to navigate the old system. It is like a magician asking for a volunteer from the audience.
- Make sure it gets recorded- Don’t rely on anyone’s memory about anything discovered in the Fit/Gap. If it doesn’t get recorded it didn’t happen. Create a central repository into which all gaps and other issues can be recorded.
- Prepare ground rules- It is critical that participants understand what is expected of them and it is much more than turning their cell phones to vibrate. For instance, they are there to identify and describe gaps, not to determine solutions. Solutions can take significant amounts of research and discussion….and, of course, time. Up front set a time limit on the discussion of alternative solutions pertaining to a particular issue. After 10 minutes park it and move on.
PeopleSoft 9.1: You can go home again
Who says “You can’t go home again.”? (Actually, it was Thomas Wolfe who says so in his novel of the same title.) Never the matter, current PeopleSoft customers contemplating an upgrade to PeopleSoft 9.1 should be asking a similar question: Should I consider bringing my 3rd party applications back home to PeopleSoft?
What inspired this question? I attended a session at the CIRCUIT conference Washington DC, given by a gentleman (..unfortunately I was unable to ascertain his name) from the Office of the CIO at the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
He raised some very interesting questions regarding HHS’s roadmap for the upcoming PeopleSoft 9.1/8.50 upgrade project. Their main question will NOT be: Why are we using what we are currently using in our PeopleSoft system? Their main question will be: What are we NOT using in our PeopleSoft system and Why are we NOT using it?
He went on to describe the 3rd party systems that HHS is spending millions to maintain and integrate with PeopleSoft. HHS will be seeking significant savings by reassessing their needs and determining how to bring these external functions back inside PeopleSoft 9.1.
Are you now paying licensing and maintenance fees on external functions that can be done practically for free in PeopleSoft 9.1? If you suspect the answer is Yes then it could be well worth your while to consider eliminating some of these peripheral systems in your next upgrade project.
Please check out the other postings in this series – PeopleSoft 9.1: Practical Improvements.