Posted on 26-Sep-07 by The Timekeeper

So, I read in the Wall Street Journal online about this software implementation project at Arizona State, where they’re updating their entire enterprise software to use Oracle systems.

Seems that, rather than trying to fix all the problems then launch, they decided to launch first, fix later. Basically, they stuck to the release schedule, no matter what, knowing there would be unresolved problems, and counted on “human systems” to take care of things in the meantime while they straightened out the system on the fly.

Problem was, of course, one of the systems they were replacing was the time & attendance and payroll system. Which meant that people’s paychecks got messed up. Some people were as much as 12 days late getting paid. The HR department was supposed to issue paper checks, but they reportedly got overwhelmed by the volume of people who needed help.

Part of the problem was that people didn’t know to clock in and out with new computer punch clocks. Part of the problem was that in some departments there were too few computer punch clocks — one person reported standing in a line of people 30 deep waiting to clock in. And part of the problem was just the normal software glitches that will happen with any major new system implementation.

On the other hand, the system was implemented on time and considerably under budget, saving the university tens of millions of dollars. And things do seem to be settling down now — although one of the workers who initially wasn’t paid recently got another check that was for 50% more than it should have been.

Some say morale among employees is the lowest it’s been in a long time. The university’s technology officer (who had no paycheck problems) says the project was, on the whole, a success.

So, what do you think? Is it better to push the system out “on time” the way Arizona State did, knowing there will be problems and trusting your “human systems” to solve them? Or is it better to wait until you’ve tested everything seventeen ways to Sunday, hoping you’ve caught all the major bugs before you release on an unsuspecting public? Or does the best way perhaps lie somewhere in between?

If you were running a huge software rollout at a place like Arizona State, what would you do?

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