10/28/2022

014. Tool Up: How to Select, Implement, and Manage Software so Your Technology Works for You

Instructor: Anne Patterson

Level of Complexity: Foundational
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Today’s Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has an unprecedented selection of software solutions. And cloud-based hosting has virtually exploded the number of options. But with the plethora of alternatives comes the challenge: how to select the solution that best fits your company’s needs? And once selected, how to implement – without bleeding the organization’s budget and bandwidth? And once implemented, how to leverage to move the needle on operational performance? In this workshop, three topic areas will be covered: (1) Software selection: Know what you need: clearly define your must-haves and nice-to-haves BEFORE you start looking for solutions. [A sample needs analysis template will be provided to students.] Where to look? What to look for? Cloud vs server? 2) Implementation: The recipe for success, from team structure and accountabilities to phased implementation options, including remote vs in-person implementations. (3) After Go-Live: Making the software deliver on its promise. How to measure success. How to leverage the tools and resources for continuous improvement.