Implementing Success
“This implementation has to work.”
How your software is implemented makes all the difference, especially when it’s an enterprise solution like Solumina MES, SQM, or MRO. Your users have to accept and embrace it. Your IT staff has to understand and support it. Your executives have to see the expected benefits and ROI.
That’s why we take your Solumina implementation well beyond installation and training. For iBase-t customers, implementation is a comprehensive approach to identifying, solving, and delivering digital transformation solutions that work.
The success of your project is measured by the results. Did we understand your challenges and needs? Did we get the details right? Did we base meet your expectations? Is your plant working more productively and effectively?
Getting From Here to There
To help you go from where you are, to where you want to be, we follow a process honed over hundreds of engagements. Whether you are implementing Solumina MES, Solumina SQM, Solumina MRO, or undertaking a full digital transformation, our methodology is always the same. And it always starts with you.
Step 1: You talk, we listen.
Our team goes in curious. We want to understand your business and its processes. Tell us about your goals, challenges, and expectations. Show us what your workers do on the shop floor, how your supervisors spend their days, and what your management team worries about. Only then do we talk about solutions.
Step 2: Align processes with Solumina
Once we understand your business, we compare standard Solumina functionality to your processes, and propose a solution that will work for you.
- Document areas of congruence and difference: We compare the standard functionalities of Solumina with your business processes, identifying where areas align and where they differ. This gives you, and our team, a clear picture of how Solumina can fit into your existing workflow, or how your workflow can be improved with best practices.
- Discuss changing processes to best practice: Where possible, we encourage changing processes to match industry best practices. This step not only aligns with Solumina capabilities, it also makes the most business sense. You get to production faster and for less cost, and make future scaling easier and more predictable. Remember, the goal is not to digitalize the old ways doing things, but to transform to better ways.
- Document any changes that need to be made: We’ll document every detail of the process changes that need to be made, both to ensure proper execution and to provide a record for future actions and decisions.
Step 3: Training the user
Your implementation includes full user training on all Solumina functionality, so that everyone who uses the system will be proficient and effective. Each type of user receives targeted education on how to use the application in their roles.
…and the trainers!
We emphasize “training the trainer,” so you are able to pass on knowledge to others in your organization. Our training resources are there whenever you need them, but our goal is for you to be self-sustaining.
Step 4: Be there when you go live
This is where the plan comes to fruition, and the software becomes part of your daily operations. iBase-t provides robust support during this phase to help smooth out any teething problems and ensure a successful integration of Solumina into your business.
Our industry expert team uses a “Day in the Life” process map, combined with user stories, to show you exactly how standard Solumina functionality meets the needs of each role and all the business processes in your organization. Solumina’s standard capabilities are based on industry best-practices and using them unlocks the optimum value and power from your application.
Your iBase-t Team: You Get the Experts
Business Solution Consultant
- Guiding customers to industry best practice
- Walking customers through out-of-box user stories
- Documenting as-is and to-be processes
- Documenting new requirements as defined by customer stakeholders in user stories
- Providing ongoing customer documentation support
- Providing testing guidance
- Training the core team on the solution
- Participating in all scrum activities
Project Manager
Manages all aspects of the project including:
- Schedule
- Budget
- Scope
- Resource scheduling
- Change Requests
- All project artifacts, meetings, ceremonies
- Updates Financial Force, Jira and Smartsheet
- Acts as Scrum Master
Deployment Engineer
- Focus is on ensuring internal and customer environments are set up correctly
- Creates an environment that matches customer’s environment as close as possible (same Solumina version, same DB backend, etc.)
- Upgrades as required to new version
- Standing up new servers
- Performing upgrade as a “fresh install”
System Integrator
- Completes high level integration diagram of the digital thread with the customer
- Explains and demonstrates BIS touchpoints relating to business process
- Provides a high-level overview of the product integration functionality
- Details the integration plan to the customer’s IT group
- Deliver solutions to migrate legacy data to Solumina by using BIS touchpoints and/or Structured Query Language (SQL) stored procedures
Keys to Success
Be open to change: Embracing change is not just about adopting new technologies. It’s about transforming operations to stay ahead in a fast-paced world, turning technological change into your competitive advantage. The Solumina platform is designed to get you there smoothly and effectively.
Focus on processes: The emphasis should be on what you want and need to do–-the processes your organization must follow to be successful. Digital transformation opens up new ways of operating that are made possible by Solumina solutions.
Gather the right people: Have the right people in the room to provide all the information needed and to reach effective decisions. Everyone who is going to touch the system should be represented, from workers on the line to executives in the corner office.
The Agile approach: iBase-t follows the Agile methodology, which enables teams to adapt to change and maintain a customer-focused approach. These practices streamline change management during the project lifecycle, allowing faster responses to evolving requirements.
BAE Systems faced the challenge of managing change in its US-based electronic systems division, which included a large number of employees and physical locations. By implementing iBase-t’s Manufacturing Execution System, BAE Systems focused on putting people first and aligning the technical solution with the organization and its people. This approach allowed for improved communication, better equipment testing interfaces, and significantly enhanced parts traceability and manufacturing audits.
Risks to Consider When Implementing
There are risks in any important software implementation, or at least potholes you’d rather avoid. Here are some of the key issues to be aware of, in order to minimize your risk.
- Inconsistent teams: Frequent changes in personnel can lead to a loss of knowledge and direction. Involve your key stakeholders and maintain a core team from the start; this will help to ensure a smooth implementation process throughout.
- Don’t be “set in your ways”: It’s easy to stay with the old, familiar ways, even when you are committed to digital transformation. Resist the urge to think “if isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” The goal is not to fix your operations, but to modernize and improve them so you can compete successfully.
- Unrealistic timelines: Avoid overly ambitious timelines which can lead to rushed implementations and subpar results. We’ll help you plan realistic, achievable timelines that allow for thorough preparation, testing, and training.
- IT readiness and infrastructure: Be careful not to overestimate the load your IT team can handle. We help assess your IT readiness to make sure you have the staff and technology resources needed on your side to implement and support the solution.
In 2023, iBase-t was recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), highlighting Solumina’s specialty in highly regulated industries such as aerospace, defense, nuclear, and satellite launch-related businesses.
Benefits of Implementing Solumina Solutions
Solumina’s keys to implementation success are based on what’s important–-your business and your processes. Here are some of the ways you benefit:
- The Right Solutions for Your Enterprise: Solumina solutions can be tailored to your enterprise. The combination of Microservices architecture and cloud-native deployment make it easy to choose which capabilities you want, and to scale your solution or add new features in the future. User screens and reports are easy to customize, too. You get a solution that works for everyone.
- Full Digital Thread Integration: Comprehensive digital integration is key to driving innovation and maintaining a competitive edge in today’s advanced manufacturing environments. The Digital Thread approach enhances visibility and efficiency across the entire product lifecycle, from design to manufacturing and even into maintenance and service.
- Keeping Pace with the Industry: iBase-t’s implementation strategy is rooted in industry best practices, resulting in solutions that align with current industry standards and adapt to future developments and challenges.
- Guidance from Industry Leading Experts: We provide access to industry-leading experts during the implementation process and beyond. You benefit from the hundreds of successful engagements we have managed.
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