I’ve moderated 10 or so of these Twitter chats/jams and attended as many or more; the Lessons Learned #ECMjam is my favorite so far.
We didn’t have as many folks interacting as usual, but those who were there shared some great lessons learned from their time in the trenches of getting ECM to work in the real world. This blog post just about wrote itself.
The most interesting thing I learned?:
You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. You don’t spit into the wind. You don’t pull the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger and you don’t mess around with @pelujan
Read on and you’ll see what I mean. Patrick was on fire.
Q1: Most important/interesting lessons learned from implementing #ECM #BPM #socbiz #imaging etc. #AIIM
@pelujan: A1 #ECM no different than any other technology - 1) know your reqts, 2) know your platform, 3) manage the client & the project #ecmjam A1 cont'd. The client is not always right, but don't tell them that. Say "I disagree w/that statement, and here's why..." #ecmjam
@shadrachwhite: @dgschultz agree A1: #Culture people first, process second, technology third #ECMjam
@danieloleary: A1 don't pave the cowpath! Automating a bad process makes things even worse #ECMjam
@FerranteD: User acceptance has a direct correlation to user involvement in the planning and design process #ecmjam
Q2: To rip off a country song; what do you wish you knew then that you know now?
@pelujan: A2 Actually, not technical expertise, wish I knew organization expertise. Managing clients' expectations, managing projects #ecmjam
@pelujan: A2 extrapolation - pair rookies with veterans. enthusiasm + experience = success #ecmjam
@dgshultz: A2 I would not have focused as much on the technology in the beginning...See A1. #ecmjam
@danieloleary: @dgschultz Great point Doug, I find that projects fail because of people and process, rarely tech. #ecmjam
@pelujan: A2 Know thy platform. What it does and doesn't do well, and how, re: hammers and nails. #ecmjam
Q3: When it comes to managing change; what works?
@incontextmag: Q3: What works are some early adopters who become evangelists, paired with lots of training and ease of use. #ECMJAM #BPM #ECM
@PROJECTCONSULT_: Q3 addendum: make users involved feel beeing accepted, understood and respected, do not overrun them with functionality
@bduhon: A3: Synopsis of a few of y'all: Ignore the org chart and find the folks who REALLY get things done and win them over #ECM #AIIM #ecmjam
@pelujan: A3 Nothing breeds success like success. Do it faster, easier, better and they will come. #ecmjam
@shadrachwhite: A3: A great way to get user adoption and SME's involved is to always have snacks and refreshments at key project meetings #ecmjam
@shadrachwhite: @danieloleary A3 EZ like halloween candy. I seriously threw a #tang project meeting once and gave everyone a jar of Tang #ecmjam
Q4: Anybody have a good story about someone blocking change? #ECM #BPM #socbiz #AIIM #ecmjam
@danieloleary: A4 I was told by govt. official that being efficient would cost them employment targets and reduce corruption, project= failure #ecmjam
@pelujan: A4 Turn a recalcitrant, curmudgeonly user into an advocate and you're golden in the organization. #ecmjam
@pelujan: @shadrachwhite I had a fist fight break out in a JAD on 23rd floor of 1 Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. #ecmjam Escorted that guy out of the room by the back of his belt and collar. Ahhh... good times. :D | @bduhon Fist fight escapade was a death march project in death throes. Great frustration and anger on the part of many on that one.
Q5: Failure is a great teacher. What have you learned from a failed project (or one that false started)? #ECM #ERM #BPM #AIIM #ecmjam
@pelujan: A5 Know what you know, know what you don't know, be truthful and candid about that. #ecmjam
@dgschultz: A5 Don't be afraid to make a mistake.
Join me for the next #ECMjam; which will be an ECM gumbo pulled from conversations from our last few ECMjams; on October 20; followed by a jam focused on going paperless (less paper?) for World Paper Free Day on October 27. Both, as all jams, at 11 EST.
Remember the rules: #1. Have Fun; #2 Don’t sell; #3 Be nice.
I'll paste the entire transcript into this post when I get a chance, lot's of great stuff still in there.