They reported frequent interruptions by managers or from telephone calls when on-site training was conducted. This is an obvious waste of valuable vendor time. In addition, employees may be seriously undertrained for their jobs. If focused time cannot be assured in the company's office, consider conducting the training at the vendor's facilities or possibly in a nearby hotel. Momentum is an important aspect of project time that is often overlooked.
Companies usually lose momentum after the first application is implemented.
The interviewees stressed the importance of keeping the project alive and overcoming the natural resistance to start the next application project. The software industry is replete with examples of installations where after the accounting applications got implemented, momentum died, and by the end of the systems life cycle, the remaining applications were still gathering dust on the shelf. Delays can keep a company from getting the very benefits of the system that were used to justify making the expenditure. Periodic meetings in which the project leader presents the project status to the managers of departments impacted by the system are essential. Small awards, such as tickets to events for a department or group that has done well, demonstrate top management's recognition and appreciation for a job well done.