If you have been following Game of Thrones this season or for that matter since it started it is apparent that your choice of champions can become a critical component for your survival. Earlier in the series Tyrion Lannister made a shrewd choice in selecting Bron to save his bacon when he was imprisoned at the Eyrie. It appeared that he had been fortunate again when the Viper, Oberyn Martell takes up his cause. If you saw the episode it didn’t turn out so well for Tyrion but it does help emphasize the point that champions and their character and abilities are important. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) can be as fraught with intrigue and drama as most undertakings and having someone that understands the value and benefit of PLM from the client’s perspective is critical to success. This article will be the first in a series drawing on parallels from the Game of Thrones series and PLM to help better understand the challenges involved in successfully adopting and deploying PLM and the players in the market space with their strengths and weaknesses.

When I look back at the numerous enterprise level projects we have undertaken with our clients there is a common element in all of the projects that were overwhelming successes, a strong internal champion. When companies take the time to designate a specific person on their side to be responsible for the success of PLM adoption it almost always ensures a successful outcome. Obviously this person must be empowered with authority to marshal the resources needed from the client side to ensure the system is designed and tested properly. The champion must also be well versed in the business processes of the company in order to ensure the PLM system is tailored for their needs. When properly scoped PLM should be considered an enterprise solution and should be approached at a high level.

Enterprise Architecture requires a broader context than most vendors and companies realize due to their focus on specific needs or capabilities of technology. Many times projects are driven by tactical concerns and the architectural element is neglected. An excellent article in Computer Weekly discusses the need for a champion at the enterprise architectural level. In the article, titled “Appoint a champion to lead IT changes” author Tim Westbrook discusses the challenge enterprise architects have trying to balance “between the strategic, enterprise-wide role and the tactical project centered role.” He goes on to describe the optimal role of the champion in these types of projects, “The role of the champion is to support the EA effort by actively promoting it, soliciting support and advising the EA group on how to increase understanding and effectiveness. The responsibilities of the EA champion will depend on the stage the EA effort has reached. The most active responsibilities will be in the early stages - building awareness, soliciting support and persuading senior management of the value of participating in the project.” Notice this champion is not necessarily embroiled in the day to day execution of the project but is addressing the context of the project and helping people inside the company to better understand how the activity fits within the company and will lead to better results.

There is a significant body of work that endorses the importance of having strong project leadership in the form of project champions. Sometimes this can manifest itself in the form of executive sponsors which is always a strong positive for a project. The challenge with executive sponsors is that in most cases they are somewhat removed from the inner workings of the project and don’t fully grasp all of the elements needed for success. On the flip side it is possible to have project managers on the client side who are managing the mechanics of a project but have no real understanding of the functionality or the impact the project will have on the business. Both sides of this equation are problematic. Ideally, according to a 2004 study titled “Clarifying Leadership Roles in ERP Implementation Projects”, the internal champion is “Any individual that adopts an idea for new innovation and who makes a decisive contribution to the innovation by actively and enthusiastically promoting its implementation and progress through critical stages in order to obtain resources and/or active support from top management.” I thinks this definition really nails it completely, notice the balance, he or her is not the project manager or the executive sponsor but someone at a level that understands both perspectives and is committed to the success of the project.

If you are in the midst of an enterprise level software deployment or if you are the partner deploying the software it is critical to identify the internal champion and make sure they are actively participating in the project. If no such person exists then it is important to take the time to find a qualified person and assign them this responsibility. As the study above indicates having a champion is a critical success factor (CSF) for any enterprise software deployment. Having a qualified champion can be a life or death matter in Westeros or here in the real world. When you identify the reasons a software project fails it is almost always related to a failure to meet the needs of the organization due to misalignment between functionality and expectations. A strong champion can identify and address these types of issues and help guide the deployment partner down the right path. Proceed at your own peril without one.

[Edit: Repost from 2014]