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Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step 2010
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Table of Contents
Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step 2010
Credits
Foreword
About the Authors
Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
About the Reviewers
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Preface
What this book covers
What you need for this book
Who this book is for
Conventions
Reader feedback
Customer support
Errata
Piracy
Questions
1. Background and Concepts
The business solutions market
The importance of a methodology
Why it is critical to have a solid approach for selecting and deploying ERP/CRM solutions
What is Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step?
Microsoft Dynamics overview
What is a project?
Implementing the solution
ERP and CRM implementations—facts and figures
Summary
References
2. Solution Selling and Driving Due Diligence
Driving value for the customer and the solution provider
Value realization and measurement
What it means to be solution centric
Solution selling concepts
Solution selling—buyer's perspective
Building the trust
Building the vision
When to discuss feature/functionality or demo the solution
Staying aligned with the buyer
Vision processing—creation and reengineering
The Microsoft Solution Selling Process
Summary
References
3. Managing Projects
About projects and project management
Myths and resistance
Is project management overhead?
Is project management an obstacle to flexibility?
Is project management unsalable?
Why project management?
The alternative
Using our own methodology
Why quality-driven companies prefer project management
The four pillars of project success
Communication matters
Rule number 1: Communication requires interaction
Rule number 2: E-mail does not equal project communication
Rule number 3: Be brief
Rule number 4: Set clear expectations
Proactive attitude makes the difference
Rule number 1: Look ahead and prevent
Rule number 2: Proactive power requires interaction
Rule number 3: Measure for early warning signals
Creating a guiding project culture
The importance of closure
Project management essentials
The project lifecycle and phases
What is a phase?
Respect the phase-based approach
Project management processes
Break it up!
From estimate to follow up
The WBS as estimation instrument
Follow up based on WBS
The WBS as central concept
Project management adoption
The tireless quest for the perfect espresso
Embracing change
The indispensable organizational benefits
A core competency for your company
Profitable projects
Satisfied customers and happy employees
Summary
References
4. Selling with Sure Step
The Sure Step Diagnostic phase
The concept of Decision Accelerator (DA) Offerings
A repeatable process for the sales teams
Starting the discovery process with solution positioning
The first step to envisioning the future state
Identifying the right solution
Determining the infrastructure implications
Estimating the delivery costs, approach, plans, and roles
Reducing the risk perception
Estimating the Return on Investment (ROI)
Developing the project charter
Closing the sales cycle
Initiating the delivery cycle
Other usage scenarios for the decision accelerators
Solution selling to a current customer
Assessing the upgrade requirements
Applying the other Decision Accelerators on upgrade engagements
Supporting the customer's buying cycle
Defining the organizational needs
Determining the right solution
Understanding and mitigating risks
Approach for upgrading existing solutions
Positioning the solutions for specific industries
Manufacturing industry
The Public Sector industry
Extended CRM or xRM solutions
Future industry and cross-industry solutions
Summary
References
5. Implementing with Sure Step
Implementation approaches in Sure Step
The notion of phases and cross phases
Waterfall-based implementation project types
The Rapid project type
The Standard project type
The Enterprise project type
Setting up a program for solution rollout
Phased solution rollouts
Multisite engagements
The Sure Step waterfall implementation phases
The Analysis phase
The start of the project
Start your engines
Expect some delays
A chance to establish the project culture
A look back
A good project charter is priceless
Project planning sessions
Kick-off your communication culture
Wrapping up
To train or not to train?
The uncontrolled Analysis phase
Real-life analysis scenarios
Back to square one
Scope creep sneaking in
No issues, no risks
Analyze what?
Go for interim analysis deliverables
Managing scope creep during the Analysis phase by means of Fit/Gap Analysis
Do not forget about data migration
Interact with the infrastructure department
The Design phase
Do we really need a Design phase?
The risk of a passive Design phase
All activity in the Sure Step Design phase
We are implementing a standard package solution
From requirements to design
Document and implement
Initiate testing
Interact with the infrastructure department
Don't give up on data migration
Start planning the deployment
The Development phase
Developers only?
Develop and freeze custom code
Complete the testing
Last call for changes
Can process models still change?
Start finalizing
Finalize system configuration and ISV solution setup
Finalize design updates
Hand over non-production environments
The Deployment phase
What is critical for a successful deployment?
Trainers, evangelists for change
Conduct end-user training
Compose the trainer team
What about the data?
The go-live as the user acceptance test
Your continued key user interaction will now pay off
Early planning and commitment making the difference
The focus of the user acceptance test
Document and analyze the results
Execute performance tests
Infrastructure readiness
Check and cross check
Ready to take off
The Operation phase
Provide post-go-live support
Some things to do
Clear pending items
Finalize knowledge transfer
Conduct performance tuning and optimization
Transition the solution to support
To close or not to close?
Closing—a nice little job?
Building it up
The core challenge
Sign please!
The Agile Implementation project type
Summary
References
6. Quality Management and Optimization
Quality management manifestation in Sure Step
Quality control within the project types
Quality activities embedded in program management
Key quality and testing cross-phase activities
The Sure Step Optimization Offerings Roadmap
Technical review offerings
Architecture Review
Design Review
Customization Review
Performance Review
Upgrade Review
Health Check
Project oversight with the Project Governance and Delivery Review offering
Project Governance and Delivery Review
How customers and service providers can benefit from the optimization offerings
Summary
References
7. Upgrading with Sure Step
Upgrade assessment and the diagnostic phase
The Upgrade Assessment Decision Accelerator offering
When to use the other Decision Accelerator offerings
Determining the upgrade approach and release schedule
Delivering the upgrade
The Analysis and Design phases
The Development, Deployment, and Operation phases
Summary
References
8. Project and Organizational Change Management
The Sure Step Project Management Library
The Project Management disciplines
Risk Management
Scope Management
Issue Management
Time and Cost Management
Resource Management
Communication Management
Quality Management
Procurement Management
Sales Management
Organizational Change Management
Organizational Change Management in Sure Step
Define OCM Strategy
Align and mobilize leadership
Engage stakeholders
Align organization
Enable organization
The Sure Step "Projects" feature
Creating projects using the Project Creation Wizard
Creating projects on a local drive
Creating projects on a SharePoint server
Customizing Sure Step templates using the Projects Feature
Summary
References
9. A Practical Guide to Sure Step Adoption
Don't park your brain outside
Strategy execution
Change management
Why change initiatives fail
Underestimating the need for a clear vision of the desired change
Failing to clearly communicate the vision
Failing to build a substantial coalition
Permitting roadblocks against the vision
Not generating a sense of urgency tied to improved performance
Not building a plan for short-term wins
Failing to lead and coach changes in business behavior
Failure of managers to operate in and above day-to-day execution
Not practicing what you preach
Fail to anchor changes in business culture
The Sure Step adoption program
The adoption roadmap
Diagnose
The Sure Step champion
The V-team
Analyze
Design
Develop
Deploy
Operate
The adoption workshop
Executing the adoption workshop
The online adoption assessment
The cone of adoption
Map your position
Headlights on
The value of the adoption program
GROW into new behaviors
Sure Step for Independent Software Vendors
ISV classification
How ISVs can benefit from the Sure Step program
ISV artifacts for Sure Step
Sure Step and the Certified for Microsoft Dynamics program
Summary
References
10. Summary and Takeaways
What we now know about Sure Step
The Sure Step value proposition
A look back at the previous chapters
The future of Sure Step
Sure Step 2010 Content Pack 1
Service industries
Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
Additional content and feature enhancements
Sure Step 2010 Content Pack 2
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011
Retail industry
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Role-Tailored Client guidance
Integrated customer car...
