Learn top tips gathered from almost 20 years of helping companies successfully implement real-time traceability solutions such as Warehouse Management (WMS), Packaging Execution (PES), Inventory Management, and Work In Process (WIP) Tracking, both RFID and Barcode.

1. Top Tips for a Successful Traceability
Solution Implementation
Or
How to Minimize Risk

2. Topics
• Design a ‘Solution’
• Who Should Be on the Project Team
• Select the Right Project Manager
• Manage Risks
• Develop a Good Project Plan
• Preparing your Facility
• Test, Test, Test, then Test Again
• The Executive Sponsor
• Training for a Successful Project
• Managing Your Go-Live
• Phrases To Avoid During Your Implementation

3. Top Reasons Projects Go ‘Off the Rails”
• Lack of Understanding the Solution They Were Buying
• Lack of Understanding Their Day to Day Business
Processes
• Not Enough Preparation Up Front
• Lack of Committing the Proper Resources to the Project
• Not Taking the Experienced Solution Provider’s Counsel

4. Warning Signs
• Did the Solution
Provider Ask Questions?
• Talk to your team?
• Walkthrough?
• Demo before
understanding your
business?
• Identify Pain Points?
• Talk with you about
assigning pain points a
priority?
• Ask about your existing
business systems?
• Focus on providing you
with a ‘Solution’ (Good)
rather than ‘Software”
(Bad)?

5. Build a ‘Solution’ Design
• THE most important phase of the project!
– Why your vendor should NOT do it for free
• Design for Improved Processes
– Don’t make an Inefficient Manual Process Faster
• Understand how the Solution will Fit with Existing Business Systems
• Incorporates the Goals for Everyone
• Operations Should Drive the Project
• The Design Document or ‘Foundations” is the Blueprint for the Rest of the
Project
• Team Members Should Be the Most Experienced
– Not Always the Department Manager
• Look for Exceptions During the Design Phase

6. Selecting Your Project Team
• Organizational Change
Involves People
• Select a Cross Functional
Team
– IT, Operations, Finance,
Purchasing, Sales/Marketing,
Customer Service, Executive
Sponsor
– Ensures Support from All
Levels Inside of Your
Company
– Eases Fear of Losing Their
Jobs
• Regular Project Meetings
– Encourage Open Discussions
– Manages Communications
– Manages Expectations

7. Selecting the Right Project Manager
• Selecting a Strong Project Manager is the Second Most
Important Step!
• Planning – Knowledge – Preparedness - Communications
• Experienced in Managing Complex Projects Involving Inside
and Outside Stakeholders
– Understands your Business Systems
– Leadership in Keeping the Project On Track – Timeline and Goals
– Manages Scope Creep
– Educates Self On the Solution In order to Ask Good Questions

8. Managing Risks
• Lots of Moving Parts!
– A Complex Project with many
Variables and Points of Failure
• Benefits of ‘One Throat to Choke’
– One Phone Call
– No Finger Pointing
– Hardware from One Vendor Who
Knows the Specs
– Leverages the Solution Provider-
Hardware Manufacturer
Relationship to Your Advantage
• Do the Heavy Lifting During the
Design Phase
• Take the Advice of Your
Experienced Solution Provider
• Have an RF Site Survey Done
During the Design Phase
• Plan the Response to Problems in
Advance
– Team Members Leave
– Hardware is Backordered
– Network has to be Improved

9. Develop a Good Project Plan
• Well-Defined Milestones and Tasks
• Include Contingency Plans
• Use the Solution’s Provider’s Proven Methodology
– Process and Procedures Development by Learning What Works AND
What Didn’t Work
• Clearly Defined Roles and Responsibilities
• Every Phase of the Project Signed off by Team Members on Both
Sides
• Implementation on the Client Side Involves More than Software
– A Good Solutions Provider Includes this in their Plan

10. Preparing Your Facility
• Facility Preparation:
– Reconfigure Racks
– Product Placement in the
Warehouse
– Staging Areas
– Workstations
– Labeling Locations
– Designing Barcodes Labels
– Buying Hardware
– Acceptance Testing
– End User Training
• A RF Site Survey is a MUST
even if you have a wireless
network in place
• It’s Easy to get Focused on
the Software
• Ensure Your Solution’s
Provider Includes Facility
Preparation in the Timeline
and Project Plan
• Choosing the Right
Hardware

11. Factors In Choosing Hardware
• How rugged?
• Form Factor – Lift Mounted, Handheld, Stationary Workstation?
• Type of Barcode – 1D or 2D? Need for Photo?
• Signature Capture?
• Scan Distance? Barcode Size?
• Scan Intensive?
• Warehouse Air Conditioned?
• Freezer Use? Cooler Use? Temperature?
• Screen Viewed in Direct Sunlight
• Gloves On?
• Consumer Grade Versus Ruggedized – Consider TCO!
• How Connect to the Business System?

12. Test, Test, Test, then…Test Again
• Thoroughly testing each
work flow or use case is
often the first thing to go
if a project falls behind
• Modifications or
interfaces makes this
even more critical
• UAT’s and Scripts must
cover normal processes
and exceptions
• Ensure your test
environment effectively
mirrors your production
environment
• Go Live is NOT a
substitute for testing

13. Your Executive Sponsor
• When the Going Gets Rough
– Resource Allocation
– Issues Resolution
• You Must have C-Level project support

14. Training for A Successful Project
• Usually 4 weeks before Go Live
• ‘Train the Trainer’ - Train key users who will train other
employees
– Become your in house knowledge base
• Customize your training program for each employee’s job
function
• More than once, different scenarios, including exceptions
• Ensure custom functions are documented
• Respected trainers can ease uncertainly about the new
solution

15. Plan for a Managed Go Live
• Expect Minor Issues
• Ensure Enough Support
Team Members in Place
During the Week You Go
Live
• Recruit People Who Know
the Process if Enough
Support Team Members
Not Available
• It’s Okay if Your Support
Team has to Stand
Around Waiting
• Post-Implementation
Support
– Hardware Maintenance
– Mobile Device
Management lightens the
IT Load in managing your
new hardware

16. Phrases to Avoid for Success
• Our Existing Wireless Network is Just Fine…
• We Won’t Need Hardware Maintenance
• We Want to use iPad’s in our warehouse
• We Won’t Need Software Maintenance…
• Bob/Sue Does Not Need to Be Involved Because…
• Our Busy Season Starts in 8 Weeks so We Need to
Be Live by Then…