Author: Pete Gutteridge-Paye – Centre of Excellence Director
Change is inevitable in the digital world, and software/system implementation programmes are often at the heart of that transformation. Whether it is rolling out a new CRM, upgrading an ERP, or introducing a bespoke platform, one thing is clear; early engagement can make or break the journey.
But is getting people involved early always the golden ticket? In this blog I would like to unpack the benefits and downsides of early engagement in implementing or upgrading an ERP change programme.
The Benefits: Why Early Engagement Matters
1) Better Buy-In and Ownership
When users are involved from the start, they feel heard. SMEs can map the initial design against the project vision and strategy and then a design transfer can be delivered by those SMEs to a wider group opening out engagement in a controlled manner. The feedback from a wider group will help shape the system at a very early stage where design refinement is still in scope, and that sense of ownership often translates into smoother adoption and stronger advocacy.
2) Real-World Insights
Early engagement brings frontline perspectives into the design process that gives SMEs a wider perspective of day-to-day issues that need to be thought through into the ‘to-be’ design. These insights help provide clarity on design and requirements, reduce strain on SMEs to know everything in their area, and ensure the system reflects actual workflows, not just theoretical ones. Being able to gather information from a wider group of stakeholders gives an opportunity to get the design right as early as possible.
3) Reduced Resistance to Change
Change management is less scary when it is familiar and the process ahead of clients is known and planned. Early involvement helps demystify the new system, allowing planning and preparation of change impact assessments, which helps reduce anxiety and resistance when it finally goes live. Bringing stakeholders on board earlier in the process will help to form a change agent network and an ownership of design that creates a project done with clients and not solely to them.
4) Stronger Communication Channels
Engaging early creates a shared project plan with clear deliverables that builds trust and opens two-way communication. This helps manage expectations and keeps everyone aligned throughout the project lifecycle. Early engagement with wider stakeholders than would normally be involved, can give this wider group insights into the build and direction of travel. It can also allow an organisation to share these insights with key stakeholders showing that pain points are being listened to, and better ways of working are on the horizon. If there is a change of a Target Operating Model, early engagement will allow everyone to understand what their role will be in post go-live and to work towards adopting the change from an early point.
5) Early Identification of Risks
SMEs and project teams can create an openness to spot potential issues that system implementers or project leads might need to know early in the build. It is proven that catching these early can save time, money, and frustrations in later phases of projects that could undermine adoption and transitions to new ways of working. The more time that is spent on understanding the design and talking through solutions early on, pays dividends later, when User Acceptance Testing understands the context and the possibilities and moves through this phase in a much more efficient manner.
The Downsides: When Early Engagement Backfires
1) Engagement Fatigue
If the process drags on or feels repetitive, users may disengage. Too many workshops, surveys, or meetings can lead to burnout—especially if feedback is not visibly acted upon. Team members who are called upon to be Subject Matter Experts can feel undermined when questioned on the design decisions made by those that may not have all the facts, context or project constraints in mind. SMEs are empowered to make decisions in a new system and ways of working and need to be supported and protected from a feeling of attack if things are not as stakeholders expect.
2) Unrealistic Expectations
Early involvement can sometimes create the illusion that every suggestion will be implemented. If decisions have not been made or are still being made, then not being able to answer questions could feel like items are being glossed over or not answered. When compromises are made, it can lead to disappointment or mistrust with the initial planned outcomes of the early engagement devalued. It is important to gather the feedback and be ready to confidently respond with what can be done now, later or not at all to maintain the value of the project and the project team.
3) Scope Creep
With more voices, design opinions and priorities for delivering against pain points in the room, the project scope can easily begin to inflate. Strong governance, early engagement and proactive project/change management is required to value feedback and understand perspectives. This will ensure that the opportunity does not lead to feature overload and delays and undermine the project timeline.
4) Misalignment with Strategic Goals
Sometimes, user preferences conflict with broader business objectives. A wider group of stakeholders may not even be in possession of the full facts of the direction of the business and the reasons some decisions have been made the way that they have. Balancing individual needs with strategic direction is a delicate dance that can require the best change practitioners to guide stakeholders with a clear stakeholder map that ensures that they know what quadrant they sit in and their appropriate approach to the project and its outcomes.
5) Resource Strain
Engaging users early requires time, coordination, and facilitation. All of this at a time when the project is demanding the most time out of the project team and wider change/project teams. For lean teams, this can stretch resources thin and divert focus from technical delivery and key design decisions. This can then lead to a misalignment of priorities and a real project risk of pushing the project timeline. Resource strain and timeline are key factors to keep in mind when contemplating early engagement so that the opportunity does not outweigh the risks.
Summary
Early engagement is powerful, but it is not a silver bullet. The key is intentionality: knowing when, how, and why to involve stakeholders. Done well, it builds trust, improves outcomes, and creates systems people want to use. Done poorly, it can derail progress and erode confidence.
So, before you launch your next change programme, ask yourself: Are we engaging early to empower, or just to tick a box? The answer to this conundrum will give you the answer of whether to go ahead with early engagement or not. Whichever way you go, good luck, as engagement in any form will give you information, thoughts and things to think about that will empower, enrich and make your project a more rounded product.
