
Chris Burfitt
With many successful data compliance projects under our belt, we have a clear understanding of what it takes to run a project effectively. In this blog, we’ll discuss the factors that drive successful compliance projects. We’ll outline the first steps to getting started before delving into each of the main project phases. We’ll also provide insights into the lessons learned from our implementations.
Understand the problem that needs to be solved
Understand the wider context
Getting ready
Understand constraints
Share outcomes
After establishing a strategy that aligns with the company’s goals, it is crucial to have a detailed plan about the next steps that involves realistic timeframes and achievements. This will guarantee you don’t experience any unexpected impact on current business processes.
The team involved needs to have clearly defined roles and responsibilities to maximise efficiency. The project team should include specialists from the 4 main areas: Business, IT, Auditors and Legal. It’s important for the user community to be aware of the project activities. To make sure users understand the impacts, it’s crucial to provide clear documentation on the processes, policies and procedures.
A successful project aims for the activities to become routine processes that can be absorbed into Business-As-Usual (BAU) operations.
Our project methodology provides SAP users with a definitive guide for gaining commitment to a project, from day one. We have used the SAP Activate methodology phases as the foundation for our phase structure: Prepare, Explore, Realise, Deploy and Run. Within each of these stages, we have further broken down the process into specific tasks and deliverables.
During this stage of the project, the following tasks must be completed to ensure a successful project execution:
The deliverables
At this stage, there are several key tasks that should be completed. These include
The deliverables should consist of:
These deliverables are critical for ensuring the project progresses with a clear direction and alignment towards its objectives.
During this stage of the project, the following tasks must be completed:
The deliverables should consist of:
During this stage of the project, the following tasks must be completed
The deliverables should consist of:
During this stage of the project, the following tasks must be completed:
The deliverables should consist of:
Based on hundreds of data management projects, here are our main takeaways:
An SAP activate-based phased approach enables better organisation, flexibility, and quality control. It allows for adjustments and review after each phase, leading to a higher quality, and better issue and risk management. This in turn leads to a higher chance of success.
A dedicated team improves focus. Collaboration and accountability increase the chances of success. A dedicated team can stay focused on project goals and ensure the necessary momentum is maintained to complete the project.
Taking users on the journey promotes adoption and relevance. Involving users early and often empowers them and improves collaboration for better outcomes.
A well-designed architecture can prevent the need for costly redesigns or upgrades, ensures fast access times, protects sensitive information, and optimises storage and maintenance costs.
Defining organisation-wide retention times helps ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements across all systems that the data resides in.
Blocking access to data, either through ‘standard’ SAP authorizations, or through the implementation of enhanced ‘blocking’, masking or redaction, reduces the risk of data breaches, and helps control the usage of data. This helps organisations meet the ‘Purpose Limitation’ requirements that are at the core of most data protection legislation. Other security options such as removing the ability to download data from the system and ‘read access logging’ can also be considered to keep the data safe.
Testing is an essential part of any data management project for businesses. It helps to ensure that the data is being treated correctly.
Documentation is essential, it provides a record of the project’s progress, which can be used to track and manage the project, as well as a reference for future projects and the teams running the solution.
Successful projects require a clear strategy aligned with the company’s goals, a dedicated team with defined roles and responsibilities, and a phased approach with realistic timeframes and achievable goals.
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