The implementation failure still flying under the radar

When problems begin before kickoff

Most troubled programs don’t suddenly derail mid-implementation; they were headed off-course from the beginning. This is due to a lot of factors including that there was no cohesive vision or decision-making framework established, stakeholders weren’t aligned on scope, and key business process challenges weren’t documented. That’s why ERP Phase 0 planning isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategic imperative.

In one case, a client jumped straight into RFPs without defining their program scope. SI proposals came back wildly inconsistent. As a result, the client had no clear baseline, scope assumptions varied drastically, and the selection process dragged on for months. Eventually, the client had to defer cost transparency until after a prolonged discover phase, missing out on the leverage of a competitive process.

What phase 0 is and isn’t

Phase 0 isn’t a redundant planning cycle or paperwork exercise. It’s the stage where you establish a shared transformation vision and goals, define measurable KPIs for business and IT alignment, build your governance and decision-making framework, outline key objectives, and document implementation scope in a way that can anchor your RFP process.