7 top tips for successful digital project delivery
While the benefits of implementing digital transformation technologies are often countless, the challenges of project delivery can sometimes be daunting for those unfamiliar with the process. If you’re considering undertaking a new Robotic Process Automation (RPA), mobile app or eForm project – or even if you’ve already got one in the pipeline – we share 7 valuable tips for successful project delivery below.
1. Spend time defining your project
This might seem obvious, but projects can easily become confused when not properly defined. The planning stage is arguably the most crucial – but you can’t form a proper plan if you’re still unsure about your objectives. It’s important to sit down and decide exactly what your project aims to achieve, and why – as well as how you plan to get there.
The define phase of a digital transformation project often begins with the identification of business problems – but from there, we need to investigate causes, decide success criteria, and scope out a solution. Take your time and be as comprehensive as possible within your initial documentation, then make sure to keep them in sight throughout the process.
2. Communication is key
Throughout the entirety of any digital project, it’s essential the lines of communication are kept open. Everyone involved in a digital transformation – from the end user to the technical team – needs their fair say, in order to achieve the best results possible. Change can be difficult to navigate, from both a technical and user perspective, making it imperative to stay on the same page.
As well as encouraging conversations, this can also be achieved through proper documentation. Keeping all resources regarding your project updated, organised and easily accessible can help to maintain a shared clarity throughout the process – whether that be for newly onboarded team members, or those heavily involved since day one.
3. Know the risks
Identifying and responding to risks at the beginning of your project is a great way to improve the chances of success. Prevention is better than the cure – it’s much easier to prepare for potential issues than to be blindsided by them at a more advanced stage. If possible, it’s best to include these thorough risk assessments within initial defining documentation.
When outlining risks, endeavour to include anything that could impact your project at any stage. Risks can be as small as the possibility an account isn’t created by an agreed date or time, or as large as the failure of required technology within your organisation’s infrastructure. This way, risk management can work to avoid bottleneck situations, rather than dealing with them as they happen.
4. Keep your end users involved
When undertaking a digital transformation project, it’s essential that end users are involved at every stage. Successful implementation requires engaged users, who can consistently utilise the new systems and processes provided. Even the most comprehensive digital transformation can’t be successful if the end users aren’t willing to use it going forward, providing ROI.
Ensuring end users are onboard early on greatly increases the chances of a successfully delivered project. It’s important to truly understand the processes you aim to digitise – how they’re supposed to be completed, and how they are completed can often differ within working teams. Spending time learning how your end users work allows you to create a truly valuable solution, as they often know the process best.
5. Pay careful attention to design
Especially with more complex digital implementations, it can be easy to lose sight of the User Experience (UX). In other words, even if your application, process, or software is highly complex and functional – it’s unlikely it will be a success if it’s difficult to navigate or is challenging to use on certain devices.
In the same vein, it’s also important that your team feels represented within the digital solution. Simple User Interface (UI) factors – such as your organisation’s colours, fonts and branding – can really bring a sense of unity to a digital project. The end goal should always be a solution that’s easy to use, navigate, and meets the needs of the end user.
6. Complete testing
After a long delivery process, especially if under pressure or faced with a looming deadline, it can be tempting to “cut corners” when the end of a project is near. However, the time you save in testing now is more than likely multiplied in the time you could potentially spend on fixes further down the line.
Within your organisation, it’s essential to complete proper User Acceptance Testing (UAT). This usually involves replicating a “live” scenario, such as making a submission within an eForm system, and actively looking for any issues. It’s throughout this testing you’re most likely to find and fix any issues that would affect your end users, and thereby preventing the success of your project.
7. Evaluate and improve
Another crucial element of a successful digital transformation project is its ability to evolve post pilot. Once a project is live, it’s time to evaluate – as we mentioned earlier, its crucial to keep the lines of communication open at every stage. To increase the likelihood the solution will be properly implemented going forward, seek as much feedback as possible.
While it’s important to manage the expectations of your team and end users, it’s also advantageous to implement viable suggested changes where possible. Ensuring your team feels heard can help them get to grips with a new system or process, and actioning feedback isn’t only a great way to improve your project – it’s also a great way to improve user visibility.
To learn more about the NDL Project Delivery Team, and how they support our customers throughout digital transformations, click here – or to keep up to date with all of the latest industry news, take a look at our other blogs. To find out how we can help with project delivery, visit our Service page or get in touch with a member of our team.