Why Write a Book?
Why I Wrote The Project Manager's ERP Field Manual
There was no single reason. It was a gap in the market, a personal need, and an opportunity to help others that all pointed in the same direction.
I have always been a big reader. Books help me stay grounded in whatever subject I am focused on at any given time. Since moving into my role as an ERP project manager about three years ago, I have read quite a few books covering various aspects of the space. And yet, I have never found a clear, practical walkthrough of the ERP project lifecycle from a project manager's perspective.
Understanding each phase and what it actually requires took time. A lot of it. Most of what I learned came from on-the-job experience and scattered online research. At some point, I decided to stop waiting for someone else to write the book and start building it myself.
The gap in the market
Every ERP vendor claims a unique approach. In practice, they are more similar than they let on.
There are reasonable explanations for why this book has not existed until now. ERP projects vary by firm, by vendor, and by industry. But having sat through proposal presentations from quite a few vendors, I can say that while they often emphasize what makes their approach different, the underlying structure is largely the same. The variation is not significant enough to explain the absence of a clear, lifecycle-focused resource for project managers.
Another explanation is that project managers are accustomed to learning on the job. That is true. But a solid foundation going in would make that learning faster and the early mistakes fewer.
It started as a personal job aid
ERP projects can last over a year. The risk of forgetting a phase you have not touched in months is real.
That was the original motivation. I wanted something I could return to between phases to make sure nothing fell through the cracks. The longer the project, the more valuable a clear reference becomes. What started as a personal log quickly became something I realized could help a much broader audience.
Who it is for
From business leaders navigating their first ERP project to new project managers trying to break into the space.
The audience I had in mind grew as the book took shape. Business leaders who have suddenly found themselves responsible for an ERP implementation and need to understand how these systems work. New project managers trying to enter the ERP space without years of trial and error. Anyone who wants to understand what actually happens across the lifecycle of one of the most complex projects a business will ever run.
