SOFT™ System Implementation Plan

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This document identifies the suggested steps for those that would like to upgrade their operations to take advantage of batch picking and its resulting productivity improvements. Most of the preliminary steps are up to you, the potential customer, to complete. VAS will provide estimated costs of a “straw man” SOFT installation during the preliminary phases, however an accurate fixed price cannot be provided until a requirements document has been completed by Vargo and approved. The role of VAS begins only when your have obtained approval to have Vargo prepare the requirements document. In preparation of that document, VAS will have a systems engineer visit your site and meet with you to establish the requirements. Once you have obtained approval to create the requirements document and get a fixed price and delivery schedule, the rest of the process is mostly the responsibility of VAS.

Where To Start

The following outline identifies the basic steps in starting a project to initiate the implementation of a SOFT system. In some organizations the process may vary but normally the information identified in the outline will be necessary in order for the project to be approved.

  • Identify the objectives of making a change at all’increased productivity, better accuracy, increased flexibility, extending life of a facility, customer service improvement, freight reduction, incremental implementation, etc.
  • Identify alternative systems that could meet objectives within cost constraints
  • Identify a configuration of a “straw man” system and obtain an initial rough estimate of the cost of the system.
  • Estimate transitional expense’Insure that you identify “disruption” costs and “training” costs for users and management.
  • Estimate operational savings resulting from proposed change’this is really best done by you. This is NOT hard! VAS has some easy to use calculation tools to help make the estimates. Use worst case conditions. You do not want to set expectations that can not be realized.
  • Analyze both operational and economic risks. Operational risks are difficult to quantify. However, identify how the facility will operate if, at the worst possible time, a catastrophic failure were to occur’remember Murphy rules!
  • Using information gathered, request approval to obtain a fixed price quotation.
  • Define an internal “requirements team” within your organization that is empowered to make the operational decisions for the system. Setup a meeting with Vargo to prepare for the creation of the VAS requirements document.
  • Once VAS completes the document, setup a meeting with the “requirements team” for approval of the document.
  • Gain approval of the implementation schedule and project price and see that a purchase order is generated.
Project schedule sample

VASCI002-projectschedule