FM Ponders Corrigo CMMS Deployment
By JLL Technologies

5 smart questions about your FM software deployment

If you’re considering a new software platform—like a CMMS or an EAM—for your facilities management (FM) team, now’s a great time to start thinking about software deployment. That’s the implementation of your customized FM-software instance.

A well-executed deployment, informed by industry best practices and personalized for your specific workflows, lays the foundation for your future FM success. Your deployment is a collaboration between your team and the software owner’s team in the months after you become a new customer.

Here are five questions to consider now about your future CMMS deployment.

Why is the deployment so important?

The software deployment is the delivery of your real-world, FM software instance, along with the promised benefits for your FM team. Those benefits include greater efficiency through automation, time- and cost-savings, streamlined workflows, improved reporting, and more accurate budgeting.

Your deployment is critical for a few other reasons:

  • Someone in your company, possibly a facilities manager, recommended the purchase of your new FM software. That person’s reputation is on the line until the software starts producing desired results, including “early wins.” The faster the deployment, the faster those early wins.
  • Those unfamiliar with software deployment may see it as a mechanical process, like a series of tasks. That perception changes when scarce resources are suddenly mobilized for the deployment, including personnel, time, money, planning, testing, approvals, and inputs from multiple departments, like accounting, finance, and HR. A deployment is not a simple process. It’s a big deal.
  • Early in the deployment, the software owner’s team announces a Go Live date, signaling the completion of the deployment and the “cutover” to the customer’s management of their new software instance. That cutover is closely watched because it represents expectations, needs, reputation, and promises.

Who represents the customer during the deployment?

In a Corrigo deployment, the Customer Project Team includes four roles, each with specific responsibilities as follows:

Project Sponsor – Main point of contact for customer decision-making and escalations. Supports the Project Team and signs off on deliverables.

Project Coordinator – Manages the project schedule, scope, and issues with the Deployment Project Manager. Coordinates client resources and decisions.

System Administrator – Takes ownership of the software instance at cutover. Responsible for changes to workflows and system configuration, along with requests to add/change roles, permissions, etc.

Training Lead – In a “train the trainer” situation, the Training Lead receives training and then trains the specific job roles responsible for Corrigo after the cutover.

How long will deployment take?

The duration of your deployment will be a function of the scope and complexity of your FM operations, workflows, software integrations, reporting, service providers and more.

Most customers need to connect their instance to other, internal business-software programs used by their accounting, finance, or HR departments. Custom deployments are often complex, require experts, and lengthen deployment timelines.

For customers with a moderate level of complexity and integrations, a Corrigo deployment will be about 120 days. For those with large FM operations, distributed footprints, and complex business needs, the deployment timeline would be longer.

How can new customers accelerate deployment?

Refine the scope of your deployment. What is the minimal viable product you need the first day of the cutover? Can additional features be added later? Reducing scope often results in faster deployments.

Get started now. New Corrigo customers are asked early in the process to complete an Account Questionnaire and Data Request Package (DRP). Completing them quickly speeds up the deployment timeline and the all-important Go Live date.

Appoint an engaged Project Sponsor who is equal parts advocate, cheerleader, promoter, and leader. The Project Sponsor motivates team members, promotes the benefits of the FM software, and keeps the customer team focused on the Go Live date.

How can we get early wins after the deployment is over?

A successful deployment follows a crawl-walk-run strategy. During user acceptance testing, set a goal of creating and dispatching five work orders in your staging environment, so that on cutover day, you can do the same thing with ease and confidence in your real-world, production environment

Next steps

Your deployment is necessary for harnessing the power of your new facilities management software and capturing the benefits it offers. Learn more about FM software deployments by downloading our new Facility Manager’s Guide to Corrigo Deployments.