For years SAP is trying hard to deliver a suite of e-applications over its well established NetWeaver technology. Since majority of the customers either completed or in the process (if not it is not too late) of converting their core systems to ECC 6.0 preferably with the Unicode conversion of their existing systems. ECC is the term for Enterprise Core component, which will be the core component on which all other applications will be stalked.
Even though on the text book and of course in the SAP training sessions and in the pre-sales presentations describe this approach as very simple and trouble free the truth is not the same.
This applies very well to the new set of applications that SAP is developing and delivering in the past few years. Be it CRM, SCM, ESS, MSS or E-recruitement, the complexity of theses things will only hit you when you actually commit to implement one of these solutions.
I've been in to this cycle so many times and guess what, the experience is pretty much same in each and every case. The lesson learnt in each case is the same. This can be factored in to couple of points below:
1. The technological changes in the implemented application drives the process so hard and so late in the process when the realization occurs it is too late to either adopt or implement the 'right' solution
2. Many of the sap implementation cases the main person running e project is either non technical or non sap aware person. Approaching sap implementation compared to any other software implementation is flying an airbus A380 to flying a kite.
3. Design thinking very important. I've noticed that this part is neglected in most cases. If you don't involve the design thinking right from your blue printing phase, you will end up writing blue prints after her acceptance testing.
4. User interface is the key. This software for various reasons did not give too much importance to the UI component and with the advancement in the web technologies from the client server days did affect this product a lot. You will end up recreating or simplifying many screens even after end user training.
5. Remember that SAP centric enterprises application does not mean that you need to keep buying sap add on applications. SAPs core sterngth is it's ECC component. Think and approach to aquire best of breed approach, by utilizing the ECC to the fullest.
