The introduction of the software product. Features of the business consultant. Part II

Not in the amount of knowledge is education, but in the full understanding and skillful application of all that you know.

Hegel

Talking about the implementation of a software product can be very long, the topic is extensive, and there are a lot of nuances in the work of a business consultant. In the first part of the implementation of the software product. Features of the business consultant. Part I, I have revealed only some general concepts, explained how the work of a business consultant for small and medium businesses differs from the work of ordinary implementers. I also talked about the basic principles on which I base my work on software implementation.
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Now I propose to proceed to a detailed discussion of the business consultant’s work process when implementing software. I personally divide the implementation into the following steps:

1. Goal setting;
2. Input of the rests into the program;
3. Training;
4. Completion of the program;
5. Writing documentation;
6. Test operation;
7. Industrial exploitation.

Here I have highlighted all the stages of implementation for clarity. I must say that some of them intersect with each other or occur simultaneously. Thus, the finalization of the software product is carried out in several stages, some actions may be required after setting the goal. Also, it is almost always necessary to finalize and after entering the balances, and after the client has looked at the program, and even in the learning process. But let's order.

So, we have talked a lot about goal setting both in this and in previous articles. I think there should be no questions. But just in case, let me remind you: this is a business goal for which we choose software.

Input of the rests into the program

Entering the balance into the program is the first stage of your direct work on the implementation of a software product. And this stage is intended to solve a wide range of tasks:

1. Visibility. The client will immediately see how his data will be displayed in the program. Will be able to clarify your wishes and needs. Give some solutions that are convenient for his business and his employees.

2. Study of the nuances of work. In the process of transferring balances, you will be able to figure out a lot of the nuances of the company's work, find out how which department works, what data they need for work, what documents and reports are most often used. You also study the work of the software itself in practice (if you were not familiar with it before). Based on this data, you can write a technical task for a programmer.

Note! I write technical tasks to programmers, it is convenient for everyone. I myself do not insist on the presence of TK or briefs. I already spoke about it here.

Clarifies the need for modifications. This item becomes the result of the previous ones. On the one hand, you understand whether software improvements are needed, and if so, which ones. On the other hand, your client also sees his or her balances in the program, can present how it will work, and make additional suggestions for improvements.

For example: A client in his program stores specific information about his customers. During the transfer, it is found that the new program does not have a suitable directory, i.e. This information has nowhere to transfer. In addition, work with any information is not limited to storage, you must somehow use this information in the new program. So, you need to figure out what this information was needed for, where it was used, and modify the new software product accordingly.

So, the technical task is compiled. You transfer the work to the programmer, get the result, and can proceed to the training of company employees. (We'll talk more about improvements later).

Training

There are 2 options for training employees to work with a new product: these are group lessons or training for 1-2 people. Naturally, the second option is more expensive, but more effective. And here the manager usually decides how his employees learn best.

How does this happen?

With group training, I think everyone is familiar. A group of employees gathers, most often, this is one department. A projector or other large screen version is configured. And then I show and tell how in the new program to create the necessary documents for the work of this department, how to generate reports, etc. etc.
Much more interesting learning is individual. Most often, I teach employees in pairs, because it is quite effective and allows you to save customer funds. At first I take one pair to work, I tell them everything in detail, I show, I answer questions. Next comes the turn of the second pair. And here I am assisted by one of the employees who have already been trained. I am giving a lecture, telling the features of the work, explaining all the nuances. And the employee from the first pair shows in practice how to perform this or that action. I also tell those I teach, so that they do not write down my words, since it is important to understand the essence of the work, and not to learn the algorithm.

Thus, I achieve three goals at once:

• An employee who has already completed training receives additional training practice;
• A new pair of employees sees that their computer is their colleague. Thus, the possible psychological barrier is removed, they understand that there is nothing difficult in the new program;
• I take off part of the routine work, for me it makes employee client.

Next comes the turn of the third pair. And here I take as an assistant employee from the second pair, etc.

During the training is very important to establish feedback.

In the work of a business consultant, the learning process should work in both directions. You train employees to work with the software product, while you yourself are trained in the specifics of the company. Listen to what they say to you and what employees are asking. Based on their questions and needs, you can also make a list of the necessary improvements in the program.

Chat with company employees as much as possible! Do not be afraid of dialogue and do not be afraid to seem incompetent. You have already been invited as an expert. You are already trusted to solve complex and important tasks for the company. And you cannot know in advance all the nuances of a particular company.

So do not be afraid of the phrase "I do not know." If you find it difficult to answer, take a timeout, study the possibilities of setting up the program as needed for work. And if necessary, fix the improvements.

Consider the gender differences of staff when training.

For some reason, this is often forgotten, because I highlight this important point. With men and women need to speak a little differently. There are phrases and communication style that will be well received by the men's team, but in the women's one it will cause rejection and vice versa. Consider these differences, try to communicate with students so that they can easily perceive the information. This will help in the process of learning.

No condescension when learning!

This mistake is made quite often by IT specialists (programmers, system administrators, etc.). It is difficult for me to judge why this is happening, but practice shows that it is representatives of these professions who most often switch to a condescending tone when educating users. Yes, of course, you know this program much better than those you teach. You also understand much better the business processes you plan to implement. But those you teach are also adults, experts in their field. And it was for this reason that you were invited, so that you would solve those problems in which you are an expert.

I can understand the system administrator who works in the state, does not have any interest in the result of training, and to explain once again, as it seems to him, the basics, very boring and tired for a long time. But now I am writing about another job. On the work of a business consultant.

You are not a programmer in this case, even if you know this work perfectly. You are a business consultant who works on a project. And therefore you should be as efficient as possible, because you are limited in time. And if you are friendly enough among your employees, it will also be easier to work with them at each stage of your work.

Remind that you are here - temporarily! Run the project and leave.

Quite often, especially when the project is delayed for several months, company employees forget that you are not here forever. Therefore, it is worth reminding them that you are not a permanent employee in this company, that you will leave as soon as you do your job. This helps them to gather and better perceive information.

On the one hand, people understand that you will leave, and there will be nobody to ask. And try to learn the maximum useful information. On the other hand, when a person realizes that some more, and all the additional difficulties will end, it is psychologically easier for him to learn and perceive something new.

Train your successor from amongst the company's employees.

I use this technique very often. In general, almost always. I select 1-2 people from all the employees, and I concentrate maximum effort on the selected employee (s). I communicate with him more, I approach him more closely, I devote him more time, I can even conduct separate classes with him for free. Thus, I am simultaneously preparing an ally for myself and my replacement for the future, for the time when I leave the company.

It is impossible to train everyone equally. Someone will still lag behind, something will surely be forgotten. And a person who, in my absence, will be able to help, remind or suggest, will be very useful after the end of the project.

Why is it good?

The client sees that he will not depend on me after the end of the cooperation. He understands that he will have his own employee who knows the software very well (almost like me) and in which case he will always be able to help.

An employee gets more knowledge and experience, becomes a more valuable staff for the company. Of course, this is a plus for him.

Other employees understand that they have someone who is their own, a colleague, whom you can always turn to for advice and help. I am a business consultant, my time is worth the money, and employees of any company constantly remember this. That is why they are often shy to ask me some questions again, but they can always ask their colleague.

It would seem that I am depriving myself of additional income. But getting a small surcharge for having answered the same question again is not as interesting as getting a grateful client who trusts you, is ready to work in the future, and even recommends you to his friends.

Completion of the program

As I wrote above, improvements are carried out in several stages as needed. It is very important to perform only those actions that are really needed. Sometimes it happens that a programmer creates a new report where it would be possible to set up a standard one, simply because it is easier for a specialist and, of course, more expensive.

I am opposed to such methods of work. The business consultant must represent the interests of the client. You have common goals: to solve business problems. And you must be loyal to the interests of the client.

So, if the report or document needed by the client is already implemented in the program in one way or another, set it up and use it. The only exception to this rule is that the client insists on a specific implementation, and he is informed about all the features of the program.

It is also important: do not hide from the client that you are not a programmer, and a third person will deal with the modifications. In fact, your customer does not care who will pay the money to you or someone else. It is important for him that the amount was adequate, that the work was done qualitatively, and did not require any extra time and effort.
I honestly tell the client: I cannot do everything, and therefore I hire narrow specialists to solve certain tasks. I also explain that I will decide all the issues myself; the client will only need timely payment and assistance.

Important: it is imperative that before the revision stage you need to make lists of reports that employees use when working with the current software product.

All these reports should be present in the new program, and access to them should be simple and convenient.
A programmer must be connected to work on a software product as early as possible, immediately, as soon as you have the first tasks for improvement. In addition, try to make the same person work until the end of the project.

Important: a business consultant who works with small and medium businesses should be quite familiar with programming.

Personally, I know 1C programming well, I am also familiar with web programming, in particular, I work with Drupal and other CMS. In the process of working with a programmer, you must clearly assign the task to a specialist, and then correctly test the work done before accepting it and showing it to the client.
Never give direct access to a programmer to your client!

Even if you really want, you should not give direct access to your client to any of the specialists with whom you work. The client will still not be able to set the task as clearly as you will. A programmer will be quieter to work if you save him from any possible negative.

The work scheme should be as follows:
You receive the task from the client - correct it - transfer the technical task to the programmer.
And back:
You get a job from a programmer - test it - transfer it to the client.

Quite often, the client, when discussing the improvements made by the programmer, gives out some emotions, including negative ones. Your task is to take all the negatives on yourself, find out what you didn’t like and why, to transfer the requirements for refinement to the programmer. Thus, the programmer is free from negativity and can work in peace, and the client gets what he needs. And also satisfied.

The consultant should not abuse the trust of the client.

A consultant decides a lot on his own, “for the client,” but he must have his own ethics. You convince the client of the correctness of your decision, and he agrees with you. But you also need to be sure that your decision is optimal. Remember that he hired you as an expert who can effectively solve the set business problem. So, you and the client have common goals, and you should always be very attentive to the interests of the client, defend them, look for the best products and methods, and, as a result, solve the problem in the best way.

Writing documentation

So, your program works as it should, employees have been trained and are ready to use the new product even without your help. It remains to write the documentation.

And there is also an important feature. Unlike software developers, you are a business consultant. Therefore, the documentation that you will write for your client is somewhat different from the usual instructions for working with the software product.

Why are ordinary User Guides so seldom used? They have a lot of information that most employees don’t need. Finding what you need here and now is usually quite difficult. As a result, these Instructions are remembered only in the most extreme cases.

What do I offer my clients?
I am not creating a User Guide, but Documentation for each department. Moreover, this documentation covers not only the work with the software, but also the work of the employee as a whole. And in the context of working with a software product, on the contrary, I list only what is needed for the work of a particular department or even an employee.
The documentation package may include:

• Description of the work process of the department;
• Employee's day plan;
• Job description;
• Instructions for working with incoming / outgoing documents;
• Instructions for working with software;
• Instructions for working with other programs.

In general, you create such a package of documents that can help a new employee quickly sort out the work of the department, job responsibilities and get to work without a long internship and with the help of a resigning colleague.

Personally, when creating such documentation, I use graphics to the maximum. Most often, these are graphic notations (IDEF 3, IDEF 0, Swim line, etc.). You can choose any tool for creating such graphic instructions to your liking. The main thing is the result. By the way, avoid mentioning notations in which you will make a description of the business process, this information is not needed by the client.

Why do I prefer graphics? You may have heard the phrase that one picture is worth a thousand words. That's the whole point. Graphics are better perceived, easier to remember. And because any workflows that may be in graphical form. Use the arrows, pictograms, but try not to overload the description with details.

I hope that I have managed in this article to reveal the various nuances of the work of a business consultant for the implementation of a software product. Stages of transfer of residuals, improvements and training are very important for successful work. Because I stopped at them in such detail. In the next article I will tell you about the last two stages, test and industrial operation of software, as well as what happens after the end of the implementation itself.