Like the game of chess, HCM software implementations have a beginning, middle and end. Many implementations can fall apart any time during this complex process, and unfortunately some projects are at risk of not making it to the end game.
At the beginning of the game, there are many moving pieces with multiple labels, relationships, and names. Semantics, a sub-discipline of Linguistics, is the study of the meaning of words. New terms and words with similar meanings can cause confusion. Understanding the relationships between the ‘chess’ pieces helps players better gauge the downstream consequences of any moves they make.
It is very similar in HCM implementations; sometimes, team members think that the labels given to aspects of the software carry more weight than they do. During your implementation, avoid getting caught up on the labels/names given to pieces. Instead focus on the semantics and relationships between the pieces. The focus should be more relationship-based, understanding how one moving piece affects the others.
The point is that the actual name does not matter if they refer to the same thing. They have the same meaning and are just semantics. Just like in chess, the names we give to the pieces are not nearly as important as their relationships.
If you were to ask any chess grandmaster the most significant chess piece in the game, the usual reply would be that it depends on the strategy deployed and the relationship to the other pieces.
Focus on the relationship between the pieces
This significance can also be applied to HCM implementations, in that many team members get caught up on the names given to the different functional components but fail to recognize that the relationships between these pieces are critical for success.
The endgame of any HCM Implementation is an implementation that happens on time, on budget. Success means that the outcome meets the organization’s original goals in undertaking this change. Ultimately, the path to ensuring we make it to the endgame is to think more about the connections between the different aspects of your HCM solution instead of focusing on each aspect in a vacuum. As Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Let us help you find your Endgame and take the complexity away from your HCM Implementation. Contact us here for more information.
About the Author
Arham Zubair brings over a half decade of consulting experience to the HRchitect team. Arham has worked across multiple industries including Professional Sports (NBA, NFL, NHL), Manufacturing, Food Logistics, and Healthcare.
Prior to joining HRchitect, Arham worked preciously in other consulting roles at leading HCM consulting firms and an as Implementation Consultant for 2+ years at Ceridian. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Global Management Strategy in 2018 from Ryerson University in Toronto. Arham is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM).
Learn more about Arham on LinkedIN