What Happened to My Data?
For months, this is the moment you have been waiting for. It's "live day" on the new software! Everyone has been anticipating the big unveiling. You're nervous. After all, you had a major role in selecting the software. You're the one that has been telling everyone how great everything is going to be. It was your responsibility to coordinate the "data conversion". How will people answer the question, "What Happened to My Data?" Will they say "Wow, I never thought our data could look so good!" with a smile or "Where's all our stuff?" with a look of panic and disappointment. If it's the latter, I'd get out before the lynch mob formulates.
Data conversions have gotten a bad rap. Why not? There are certainly enough horror stories to go around. Like everything else, everyone talks about the bad things that happen but seldom do people share news on something that has gone right - unless asked.
So how do you avoid the look of panic and disappointment? You have to start with appreciating the magnitude of what you are dealing with. In order to tackle it you need to be scared of it. You wouldn't randomly walk into a lion's cage at the zoo or step out of an airplane without a parachute. Likewise, approach a data conversion fully prepared and informed. Understand the concept of what is going to happen, how it will be gone about and the results that you can expect to receive. The last point, "expect to receive" is the most critical. Let's break the process down into 03 simple rules.
Rule # 1: Do not hand your data over to a stranger that you have never met, and ask them to handle the conversion without your input. You need a point person at your end and as many people as necessary to get involved in the process as an internal conversion team.
Rule # 2: Do not ask for everyone's opinion. They will all want something different and in the end you will have to separate people that are brawling in your conference room. Select "key" people within the organization who use the current system What Happened to My Data?
Rule # 3: When you are deciding on what data to take along, challenge yourself on why you need it and what role it will play in the new system. Remember, you are moving to a new software solution. If you spend too much time making it like your old system you will lose the impact of what the new system can do for your organization. When you are making data decisions, decide on what information will be relative to success. Do you really need that field that was added 20 years ago and was only used by the guy that left? Is it a good idea to bring along old numeric codes just because "people are used to them". What about new people that you hire that are not used to them? Now is a good opportunity to map old codes to new ones that are easier to work with. Assess what you really need. This will not only reduce the conversion cost but eliminate getting bogged down with old irrelevant data on day 1 of the new solution. Believe me you will never miss it.
For months, this is the moment you have been waiting for. It's "live day" on the new software! Everyone has been anticipating the big unveiling. You're nervous. After all, you had a major role in selecting the software. You're the one that has been telling everyone how great everything is going to be. It was your responsibility to coordinate the "data conversion". How will people answer the question, "What Happened to My Data?" Will they say "Wow, I never thought our data could look so good!" with a smile or "Where's all our stuff?" with a look of panic and disappointment. If it's the latter, I'd get out before the lynch mob formulates.
Data conversions have gotten a bad rap. Why not? There are certainly enough horror stories to go around. Like everything else, everyone talks about the bad things that happen but seldom do people share news on something that has gone right - unless asked.
So how do you avoid the look of panic and disappointment? You have to start with appreciating the magnitude of what you are dealing with. In order to tackle it you need to be scared of it. You wouldn't randomly walk into a lion's cage at the zoo or step out of an airplane without a parachute. Likewise, approach a data conversion fully prepared and informed. Understand the concept of what is going to happen, how it will be gone about and the results that you can expect to receive. The last point, "expect to receive" is the most critical. Let's break the process down into 03 simple rules.
Rule # 1: Do not hand your data over to a stranger that you have never met, and ask them to handle the conversion without your input. You need a point person at your end and as many people as necessary to get involved in the process as an internal conversion team.
Rule # 2: Do not ask for everyone's opinion. They will all want something different and in the end you will have to separate people that are brawling in your conference room. Select "key" people within the organization who use the current system What Happened to My Data?
Rule # 3: When you are deciding on what data to take along, challenge yourself on why you need it and what role it will play in the new system. Remember, you are moving to a new software solution. If you spend too much time making it like your old system you will lose the impact of what the new system can do for your organization. When you are making data decisions, decide on what information will be relative to success. Do you really need that field that was added 20 years ago and was only used by the guy that left? Is it a good idea to bring along old numeric codes just because "people are used to them". What about new people that you hire that are not used to them? Now is a good opportunity to map old codes to new ones that are easier to work with. Assess what you really need. This will not only reduce the conversion cost but eliminate getting bogged down with old irrelevant data on day 1 of the new solution. Believe me you will never miss it.
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