Successful implementation of Notes depends on a number of factors...

Senior level commitment.

The most important factor that is repeated over and over is that the implementation of Notes in a corporation must have the active backing of the senior management. This has been expressed in so many ways…

• There must be a "Top down" implementation..
• Notes must capture the imagination of the senior managers.
• There must be seen to be a clear commitment and support from seniors.
• Team leaders must use the database to discuss important issues for the database to gain legitimacy.
• There must be strong support and direction from a business unit champion.
• Managers need to stick with it.
• Managers must find new ways to stimulate their people, providing ideas that will be of benefit.
• Management (of the installation of Notes) must be by contract rather than command
• Managers must sell the idea rather than dictate it
• Managers will inevitably want "next level down" to use notes.
• Until critical mass of users begin to carry the system forward, persistence and encouragement of managers is essential.
• Senior submissions should be informal, spontaneous (i.e. submissions to a discussion should not appear "prepared")

Users must be included at all times.

• Involve the end users..Build user support and ownership of the application from the start.
• Notes development should itself be a collaboration (Joint Application Development)
• There should be plentiful training. Notes is a new paradigm.
• Train users to their comfort level, not yours !
• There must be team consensus on the use of Notes.
• There must be critical mass (The entire group (company) must use it)
• One group found that use did not take off until they met to discuss the database (visibility)
• Staff suggestions for improvement must be seen to be taken seriously
• User participation is essential. User groups, Groupware champions.
• Set expectations:
  • Reasons for use. Don't simply give people the tool, give them a good reason to use it.
  • Potential benefits. Set realistic expectations about the potential benefits ( productivity may drop initially).
• Select a pilot project and a representative set of users.
• Reward usage. Users must get some benefit for the initial extra effort required.

Reward usage

Planning

• There must be careful planning
• The initial databases must be more than a repository for reference documents
  (monitor critical actions and milestones)
• There must be available support from an internal "expert".
• Users will not use a discussion database until it is populated with relevant content.
• Sharing knowledge must be seen as a core competency and competitive advantage.
• Provide a clear vision for the use of Notes. Why is it being installed
• Follow a sound implementation process.
• Manage the growth of Notes. ( If you are successful , everyone will want it yesterday)
• Some companies have been more successful rolling out a few, very useful notes
  applications rather than rolling out "Lotus Notes". (i.e users understand the benefit)

• Keep it simple. Some scope creep is good. It means users are getting involved.

Working with these tools should not supplement existing methods but must replace them !
If old methods are still available, The Notes phobic will find a way to use them.

Ten critical Success factors.

• Business pressure - If there is no competitive threat there is no drive to improve - to change.
• Long term thinking - Change causes upset. Groupware takes time.
• Seniority - Senior staff must be involved. Driving the process.
• Business champion - There must be a champion outside IT driving the implementation.
• Business process change - Company must be open to change - Groupware will change how thing are done.
• Influence - You must be able to strongly influence the applications development environment.
• Technical capability - Has your organization experience in client/server technologies.
• Business trade off - Notes is a Rapid Application Development tool. Will users welcome quick turn-around at the cost of the bells and whistles ?
• Office politics - Can you handle the office politics - Search for the win-win solution.
• Notes experience - How much Notes experience does the corporation have ? Muster as much as you can !