As an attorney handling cases involving software implementation project management failure, it is crucial to identify the right expert witnesses who can support your client’s claims.
The complexities of software implementation failures and project management failures require experts with credibility, trial experience, and an understanding of software implementation, project management, end-user training, and more.
Today, we’re exploring the types of experts you might need for a software implementation project management case and the qualities to look for in these experts.
7 Considerations When Evaluating Software Implementation Project Management Expert Witnesses
1. Credibility and Trial Experience
One aspect to thoroughly assess is the expert’s credibility and trial experience. The weight of their professional standing and the depth of their practical experience should be such that they possess the capacity to withstand intense scrutiny, particularly within the rigorous confines of a courtroom environment.
A Failed Payroll System Implementation
Panorama’s Expert Witness team was retained to provide a forensic analysis and written report to the court regarding the failed implementation of a major software developer’s ERP/payroll system.
2. Team-Based Approach
A team-based approach ensures that you are not paying an expert’s rate for tasks that can be handled by analysts.
For example, an analyst could handle some of the documentation review process. This takes hours upon hours as all types of project documentation, from emails to testing logs, contain valuable information that might further validate your client’s complaints.
3. Software Implementation Experience
Although software implementation experience with a particular vendor’s application isn’t mandatory, strong experience with multiple software implementations is crucial to identifying and determining root causes in a failed software implementation.
As the expert witness analyzes the project, they need an in-depth understanding of the software sales process, the change order process, the software testing process and more. They must understand best practices in these areas and be able to contrast this with what actually played out.
4. Project Management Experience
Project management experience should encompass all aspects of software implementation, including people, processes, technology, and data. These experts should be able to analyze the project management practices employed during the software implementation, identify shortcomings, and evaluate the impact on the project’s outcome.
5. Consulting Experience
Your computer software expert should also be a practicing consultant. This expert can evaluate the quality of the consultants involved in the client’s project to determine whether the consultants’ performance aligned with industry standards and whether their actions contributed to the project’s failure.
6. End-User Training Experience
Engage a computer software expert witness who can assess the software training plans employed during the project. Their astute examination extends beyond procedural aspects, encompassing the subtleties of user engagement, comprehension, and retention. By peeling back the layers of training intricacies, the expert can shed light on potential gaps that might have paved the way for stumbling blocks and software implementation failure.
7. Recent Project Management Experience
Look for experts who have managed a significant number of software projects in recent years, with an average of about two cases per year. Experts like to misconstrue outdated experience as recent experience and misconstrue academic experience as real-world experience.
Determine Additional Experts You Might Need
This list is not exhaustive. By evaluating your client’s complaints, we can pinpoint all the areas where expert witness testimony is needed.
Our team specializes in matching our bench of software expert witnesses to the requirements of each client. If you have a software implementation project management failure case, we invite you to request a free consultation below.
