Database Reference
In-Depth Information
12.8.3 Module Leaders
The project team should include module leaders who are responsible for each of the major SAP
modules to be implemented for the company. Module leaders should preferably have requisite
prior experience in the concerned functional area and also have undergone adequate functional
training in SAP, particularly in his or her module of responsibility.
Module leaders should be identified at the beginning of a project and should be part of the
Business Blueprint and Realization phases. They should participate in identifying the processes
and documenting them, their gap issues, and their resolutions not only for their modules but for
other modules as well. This would enable them to later make a more effective contribution during
the module-level and integration-level testing.
12.8.4 Resource Manager
The success of any SAP project is critically dependent on marshalling the right resources at the
scheduled time and place. For an IT project with similar scope and investments, SAP projects are
usually of a much shorter duration. This requires a person, known as the resource manager, who
has previously handled the purchasing and resourcing responsibilities in an IT project. He or she
should be conversant with the purchase policies and procedures of the organization, as well as
those for reporting on budgets in a SAP project.
In the beginning of the project, and at appropriate stages later, the resource manager could
also be a member of the project steering committee. This would enable him or her to escalate
issues quickly on resource approval delays, mobilization delays, deliveries, incomplete installa-
tions, pending training and support issues, and so on.
12.8.5 Training Manager
Unlike the traditional implementations, SAP implementations involve a much larger number
of operational personnel who would be using SAP on a regular basis. The training manager
should be able to execute training for the various groups of personnel as per the training plan at
appointed sites.
A major responsibility of the training manager is not only to ensure the availability of the
instructors but also to release the various personnel from their normal functions at appropriate
times so that they can participate in the scheduled training sessions. He or she must also work with
the resource manager to complete the installation of the proper software licenses and authorize
the training.
In the training of the functional and technical teams, IDES and InfoDB licenses can be
obtained and installed with adequate infrastructural support of the PCs, networking, and so on.
Similarly, before commencing training for the end users, the latest company-specific user docu-
ments for all requisite modules need to be complete and approved specifically for use in the train-
ing sessions.
12.9 Project Management Policies and Guidelines
The project management policies and guidelines should be finalized and communicated to all
concerned at the earliest time possible.
