Our Project Facilitators
Since 1996, Engleman Associates’ business model has been to collaborate with independent consultants to deliver most client services—and this continues to today. The project role the consultants typically fill is called the ‘Facilitator’—and is described directly below. Our company has learned how to locate the best independent consultants and provide a collaboration structure that is productive for our firm, independent consultants, and especially our clients. The current core team has between 5 and 12 years of working together and is highly coordinated based on experience, trust, and common methods.
Project Roles
Methodology Expert
The methods and tools provided by Engleman Associates, Inc. are very detailed and comprehensive. These methods and tools have many configuration options to better support a particular client project—and some elements of methods are not needed for a particular project. All of this needs to be carefully established for a project, therefore, we always have a ‘methodology expert’ involved.
Facilitator
The facilitator role is to execute most of the day-to-day detailed work in the project plan. The key skill for our facilitators is deep experience in the business processes that business software (being selected or implemented) should support. Other necessary facilitator attributes are: (1) ERP project and industry experience, (2) knowledge of modern ERP attributes and purpose, (3) complex project management skill, and (4) credibility and adaptability—so they can purposefully engage all participants from shop floor employees to executives. Facilitators can add the following value on projects:
- Provide a valuable outside perspective
- Ensure important project procedures and tools are better utilized
- Reduce the demand and stress on personnel from the client company
- Help the project team maintain valuable momentum and consensus
How Facilitators are Selected for Projects
For projects that Engleman Associates directly coordinates, we select one or more facilitators based on the following criteria:
- Industry and company size experience similar to the client firm.
- Experience in the software under review (ERP, CRM, etc.) and related business processes
- SoftSelect/EAI tools and methods experience
- Proximity to the client
- Consultant availability for the projected scope and time frame of the client project