How to Best Prepare for an Enterprise Implementation of Net-Inspect

Step 1: Identify your Core Team

Your core team will be responsible for driving the implementation forward and pulling in other key stakeholders as needed. Typically, we see the following representatives involved in a core team.

• Business Process Manager - Represents the business requirements; often the project owner
• Information Technologies Project Manager - Responsible for any required IT coordination
• ITC Representative - Provides requirements and coordinates ITC & Legal
• Supply Chain Quality Representative - Represents external supply chain needs
• Internal Sites Representative - Represents internal sites and business units' needs
• Net-Inspect Project Manager - Represents the product and industry best practices

Each member of the core team represents their organization with expertise, coordination, and approvals. Keeping the core team lean and motivated can help expedite the implementation process. Often, the core team size is directly correlated with the time required to make decisions: as the core team grows, the amount of time needed for decision-making increases. Also, keep in mind that not all members of the core team will need to be involved in every step of the implementation process. Frequently, the IT project manager will only be involved in 1-3 of the pre-planning meetings, and the ITC Representative is typically only involved in the initial security-related discussions.

Step 2: Map Out the Current Business Process

Before you implement a new technology solution, such as an electronic First Article Inspection (FAI) software solution, it is important to ensure that everyone involved in the implementation is aware of the current process and how the process is (or in some cases, is not) changing.

If this step is skipped, then training discussions may be diverted by extraneous topics or debates about which business processes are still needed. Documenting and presenting these processes ahead of any training sessions can help proactively address questions and concerns, allowing training participants to better focus on the training content.

Step 3: Schedule Pre-Planning Discussions

Net-Inspect typically kicks off the implementation process with an on-site workshop. Depending on the size and complexity of the implementation, these workshops can take anywhere from 2 to 10 business days. Prior to the on-site workshop, it helps to begin laying out a road map and a critical path for areas where decisions will need to be made. These pre-planning discussions tend to cover topics such as desired account structure, security and export control options, required data loads, and setting the on-site workshop agenda. Holding these discussions helps ensure that individuals have the information needed to involve the right people in a decision and arrive fully prepared for the on-site workshop.

Step 4: Define the Implementation Goals and Timeline

Most organizations have very specific implementation goals. Sometimes they want to improve business processes, increasing efficiency and reducing the time required for specific functions. Frequently, their main driver is improving the quality of the parts they manufacture. Alternatively, they may be looking to improve supplier quality, enhancing and standardizing communications by eliminating paper and adopting an electronic platform. These types of goals should be defined and shared with every team member involved in the implementation.

Topics will arise, and decisions will need to be made about a specific setting or option within the system. When there is a set of goals to refer to, the most appropriate decision becomes obvious. For example, if one goal is to reduce FAI cycle time, then the company can make sure email alerts are configured to go to each FAI reviewer as soon as an FAI is electronically submitted for review.

A timeline is also critical. As individuals learn that their company has licensed the use of Net-Inspect, they will immediately begin asking questions such as "When can we begin to use it?" or "What will happen to our existing data?" or "When will our suppliers begin using Net-Inspect?" Getting ahead of inquiries and sharing a detailed timeline can help minimize these questions. Net-Inspect recommends first defining the key milestones the company wants to meet (e.g., the date that internal teams will begin using Net-Inspect, the date suppliers will begin using Net-Inspect, etc.). We can then help with working backwards to define some of the due dates for preceding requirements such as supplier communications, data loads, and so on.