LIMS Project Pitfall #10
“Personnel changes during the LIMS project won’t greatly influence the execution of the project plan.”
As we discussed in LIMS Project Pitfall #7, personnel changes or loss of key stakeholders during a LIMS implementation can greatly impact a LIMS implementation project.
If the personnel leaving the team has been involved in the project configuration and customization for a significant period of time or in a significant role, the results can cause project delays and suspension which in turn impacts the overall project cost. It can even cause the project to be abandoned altogether.
It takes time to transfer and re-deliver knowledge especially if the knowledge was poorly documented or not captured. Dragging out a project timeline in turn impacts the cost of the project. The longer the project timeline the larger the impact on the cost of implementation. If the vendor has to redeliver and transfer knowledge, this is not done for free. In addition, the vendor has other customer timelines to meet which might result in your project not being able to pick back up immediately when you are ready.
Another huge impact that personnel changes can cause, is for the project to be abandoned altogether. If the personnel leaving is the lead or major driver of the project, the remaining stakeholders may not be as enthusiastic or see the big picture need to prioritize and complete the implementation. Even if the remaining stakeholders understand the need and priority, once project momentum is interrupted, it can be difficult to get the team back on track and dedicated to the project. Other projects and work commitments can take the place of the LIMS implementation project. Additionally, funds can get taken away or re-directed to other projects.
Personnel changes and turn-over happens but there are ways to help minimize the impact to your LIMS implementation project.
To avoid this LIMS Project Pitfall be sure to:
- Have a plan in place for knowledge retention and transfer.
- Document and capture how the business implements and configures the system.
- Have multiple resources involved and trained in the LIMS implementation project.
This concludes Labtopia’s LIMS Project Pitfall series.
Be sure to download the Ultimate LIMS Project Pitfall Guide – Everything you need to know to avoid common LIMS project pitfalls for a successful LIMS implementation!