Guiding Principles
The Business and Financial Affairs Committee (BFAC), as Executive Sponsors for the Workday Financials Implementation, has adopted a set of principles to guide the implementation project.
No. 1
Use Workday business processes as delivered
We will not design the system based on current business processes; we will gain a thorough understanding of the delivered business processes and change existing business processes accordingly. It will help to plan backwards, keeping the end purpose in mind.
No. 2
Adopt the same business processes for all entities
Our intent is to “hold hands” and use the same business processes across the eight institutions to achieve optimum efficiencies and best practices. We recognize there may be extenuating circumstances that cause deviation, especially when we expect the process will not be accepted or understood by those not intimately involved with the system design. All the parties agree to abide by the BFAC approved decision matrix.
No. 3
Keep it simple
The design work should focus on a straightforward solution. Multiple levels of approval, crosschecks and complexity can be added after the go live date if determined to be truly necessary. The common regret heard from Workday references is that the institution made the system too complex; it is easier to add more complexity later, but harder to simplify. The Japanese concept of poka-yoke should prevail, i.e. “All else equal, a simple and elegant solution is better than a complex one”.
No. 4
Make thoughtful and deliberate decisions
Due to the large amount of design and the short amount of time to complete, thoughtful and deliberate decisions are needed to achieve success. We will not dwell on minor points. Unresolved issues are the quicksand of implementation projects. We will make tentative decisions and put them on the parking lot annotated as something to review again, as time permits. Disagreements on more significant points will be escalated to BFAC for their resolution if the core team cannot quickly come to agreement. The issues on the parking lot will be reviewed and decisions reassessed before the go live date if possible; otherwise we will review the issues on the parking lot and reassess the decisions made after the system has been in operation for a few months.
No. 5
Follow up on parking lot issues post go live
After the system has been operational for a few months, evaluate decisions made where there was a disagreement and either affirm the original decision or modify the system. The parking lot items should be reviewed and reassessed as well as more significant decisions that were escalated to the BFAC.
No. 6
Escalate decision-making issues to BFAC on a timely basis
If the design team cannot agree on a solution, the issue will be escalated to the BFAC for resolution. The BFAC meets twice a month and has committed to meet more frequently in order to make timely decisions. To the extent practicable, the issue will be described in writing in advance of the meeting. However, if the issue arises immediately prior to a BFAC meeting, the subject may be introduced at the meeting and subsequently documented. The BFAC generally agrees to make a decision when the issue is presented, but may occasionally defer until the next meeting in order to make a more informed decision.
No. 7
Respect one another
Design team members will have different opinions. When we debate and discuss differing opinions, we will always show respect to individuals. All of us will end up compromising on some aspects of the design or the project work. We recognize that this is hard work and time consuming. Many of us may be pushed outside of our comfort zone; however, we will remain respectful to one another.
No. 8
Manage change proactively and be transparent
We are committed to making information about the project available to The Claremont Colleges community and to alerting them to the upcoming changes. We will communicate frequently and in a variety of formats so that anyone in the community can learn about the project. We will host workshops and demonstrations as well as provide written documentation so the community members can learn how the new system affects them. We will assist members of the community as they undertake new administrative processes and reporting.
