How Solution Blueprinting Slows Things Down to Speed Them Up

Implementing new solutions can be a headache that most people would rather get done as fast as possible. But doing things fast isn’t always the best way to do things correctly. Gartner reports that upwards of 70% of all implementation projects fall through due to a lack of planning in the early stages.  If you rush into a new tech stack endeavor without solution blueprinting paving the way, the odds aren’t in your favor.  

Solution blueprinting may seem like an unnecessary time sink; a roadblock on the path to getting the technology up and running ASAP. But, as we’ll learn today, sometimes the only way to speed up is to slow down; be measured in your approach and plan your implementation out thoroughly. 

[Read more: What is Business Blueprinting and Why Does it Matter?] 

Managing Timeline Requirements 

Oftentimes, the pushback solution blueprinting receives is based on a desire to keep to a specific timetable regarding project completion. And there’s value to this viewpoint. Projects that run overtime usually run over budget Make no mistake: meeting timetables is critical for overall project success. 

But as anyone who’s ever worked on any project knows, complications will always arise where least expected. It’s the nature of the beast when working on any implementation/migration project: things won’t always go smoothly. Teams can and will encounter a veritable host of entanglements that they never saw coming and will inevitably delay the project’s completion. 

Taking time at the outset of a project for solution blueprinting can mitigate the impact of these issues, turning full on roadblocks into little more than speedbumps. This process involves a careful assessment of the current environment and its objectives, fleshing out the details of what needs to be done before implementation even begins. 

The goal behind blueprinting solutions is to dive into process, data, and technology to create a plan for implementation success. With a full understanding of requirements, recommendations and the roadmap to success, the team can work together to execute a plan that gets done on time and on budget. 

Expert Insights from Implementation Pros 

It’s more than likely your team members don’t have much experience in rolling out new technology. Statistically speaking, most professionals are only involved with one or two solution rollouts in their careers. And that’s perfectly fine. But with limited experience comes vulnerability to common pitfalls. 

Gartner reports that the overwhelming majority of implementation plans fizzle out and the reasons for this are more common than you may believe. Organizations may differ but the reasons their new solutions don’t take remain the same: user adoption, integration mishaps, server issues are just a small handful of the issues professionals encounter every day when helping clients implement new products. In short, they lack the right plan to proactively mitigate these risks. 

With a solution blueprint, you can lean on expert-level insights from professionals all too familiar with these common implementation snags and how to render them non-issues. At the very outset of the process, our team members start drafting up an approach custom-tailored to your organization’s unique needs. 

Armed with a plan complete with an analysis of your technology needs, vendor options, organizational alignment, employee training, change management, and business process redesign, there’s not much left to chance. Bringing in the experts is always recommended, no matter what endeavor you set out on; why would implementation be any different? 

[Read more: See a Sample Blueprint HERE! ] 

Taking the Load Off Your Team’s Shoulders 

Rolling out new software is an energy-intensive process. It requires a lot of proverbial bandwidth from your team members and can take their attention away from other, equally important tasks vital to your day-to-day operations. Bringing in an experienced third party to lay the groundwork for your new software helps free up your teams’ time, so they can focus on the business at hand. 

With a skilled partner guiding the implementation process, you won’t have to worry about it taking away from team members primary duties or causing confusion due to lack of clarity. This allows business to continue largely as usual while the heavy lifting of drafting the blueprint and laying the foundation is fulfilled by an expert third-party source. This is our day job so that you can most effectively do your day job! 

[Learn more: On-Demand CRM Blueprint Webinar] 

Everybody wants their technology, data, and process all align to the greater business strategies. There are a lot of moving parts that make a solution blueprint a unique experience that can only truly be explained in your context. Let’s walk through it together on a call!