Sudhendu Bali, EVP, IT, Lodha Group

Indian businesses today have a large number of multiple businesses. To operate with this reality, the CIO mindset of ‘one shoe fits all' needs a paradigm shift as I realized at SRF. SRF operates with a high level of decentralization, while the binding force remains shared values and the SRF Management Way.

When I was inducted in 2001, the India version did not work, there were large data errors, lots of manual work and reconciliation issues. After a struggle to try to fix the implementations, I made a presentation to the Board on strategic choices in late 2002 and recommended a re-implementation. The decision to go ahead was with a caveat "We need to be sure that this re-implementation will succeed the third time."

Using a TQM management tool, we pulled together the executive team and members to do an analysis of the causes that had resulted in the weak implementations. The key counter-measures decided were to establish a common business case at Corporate and Division levels. The Project Charter was then produced in conjunction with each division and the Board go-ahead obtained with a clear cost and benefits consensus from each division.

All implementation partners advised a corporate project team with a parallel build and big-bang go-live. I had many issues with this approach-it assumed common processes (unique businesses), the Oracle Project was the most important project (we were committed to challenge the Deming Prize), the culture was ‘central command' (democratic) and most importantly, it had failed earlier...twice! I innovated with a Common Build for accounting processes and a phased approach with 2 parallel project teams tackling the detailed business uniqueness.

Finding an implementation partner was the next challenge. Only TCS agreed to a fixed cost project including travel, boarding and lodging. We succeeded in re-implementing the common platform for 5 businesses in a frantic time while pitching for the Deming Prize. The Wow moment came when we consolidated all businesses in mid-April 2005 without a hitch!

The key takeaway is to listen to the consultants, but use your own judgement and experience. Align to the culture of the organization and spend 40% time planning. Simplify the methodology and co-opt business managers as IT project managers. Defer production decision if there are readiness issues and take help from all quarters.

The wow moment came when we consolidated all businesses in mid-April 2005 without a hitch!