The 5 Whys of ERP?????

Maybe you're wondering how to make sure you get the best value and results from the investment you're making in your new ERP system?

You might also be curious about what your implementation partner's consultants will be doing to help you achieve your goals. One of the key tasks that consultants will perform is to gather and analyse your business requirements. This means understanding what you need and want from your new ERP system, and how it will support your business processes and objectives. But how do they do that? How do they make sure they capture the real needs of your business, and not just the superficial ones? One of the techniques that consultants use is the 5 Ys. It is a simple but powerful tool for digging deeper into the root causes of a problem or a need and finding out the underlying reasons behind it. The 5 Ys method is based on asking "why" five times, or as many times as needed, until you reach the core issue. For example, suppose you tell your consultant that you need a new ERP system because your current one is slow and outdated. The consultant might ask you:

- Why is your current system slow and outdated? - Why does that affect your business performance? - Why do you need it to improve your business performance?

- Why is that important for your customers and stakeholders? - Why do you want to satisfy your customers and stakeholders? By asking these questions, the consultant can help you clarify your real needs and goals, and not just accept your initial statement as a given. This way, they can design a solution that addresses the root causes of your problems, and not just the symptoms. Another benefit of using the 5 Ys method is that it helps you avoid asking for a specific solution, rather than describing a requirement. For example, suppose you tell your consultant that you need a new ERP system that has a certain feature or functionality. The consultant might ask you: - Why do you need that feature or functionality? - What problem does it solve or what benefit does it provide? - How does it fit into your business process or workflow? - How does it align with your business objectives and strategy? - How does it add value to your customers and stakeholders?

By asking these questions, the consultant can help you define your requirements in terms of outcomes and benefits, rather than features and functions. This way, they can explore different options and alternatives that might meet your needs better, and not just limit themselves to what you asked for.

The 5 Ys method is a simple but powerful tool for ERP success. It helps you and your consultant understand the real needs and goals of your business, design a solution that delivers value and results. It also helps you avoid wasting time and money on unnecessary or ineffective features and functions, allowing you to focus on what really matters. If you want to learn more about how the 5 Ys method can help you with your ERP implementation, contact us today. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have and show you how we can help you achieve your ERP goals.

Find out more about implementing a new ERP system click here to contact us now to book a demo of Sage X3.

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