Finance transformations in the Oracle EPM space are daunting. They are long, drawn-out efforts often challenged in delivering on the success factors outlined in the project charter. Program Management for EPM Cloud initiatives in such a dynamic environment must navigate both the intricate science of hybrid structured project management and the subtle art of stakeholder alignment and process integration within a broader strategic vision.
At the outset of a Cloud Transformation, we often uncover broken finance processes, siloed operations, and unclear roles and responsibilities, especially at critical junctures like close/month-end. Reports tend to be overly complex, failing to clearly reflect either statutory financials or operational planning KPIs that could help alleviate finance team pain points.
It is essential to engage stakeholders consistently throughout the entire project lifecycle, from inception to go-live, and to understand their goals, aspirations, and even their implicit behaviors that often drive resistance to change and cloud adoption. In our implementations, we aim to strike a balance between “adopt and adapt” as a guiding principle, critically evaluating both business requirements and implementation strategies to blend out-of-the-box features with carefully considered customizations that preserve performance and future scalability.
While we leverage established frameworks, strategic consulting toolkits, and governance models to guide the transformation journey, our approach is rooted in a few core principles:
- Challenging assumptions and “as-is” processes during problem assessment and project discovery
- Designing a holistic “to-be” solution that is adaptive, scalable, and ready for future change
- Delivering iterative Proofs of Concept (POCs) during build phases to gather feedback and align with user input
Leading an EPM Cloud finance transformation program is fundamentally different from traditional system implementation PMO roles. Its vision, execution, delivery, and pace are all more complex.
In real-world projects, time and patience are often limited, making consistent reinforcement, communication, and stakeholder management critical aspects of transformation leadership.
At Elire, we incorporate multiple POCs for EPM FCC, EPBCS, and ARCS Cloud solutions at key milestones within a hybrid project plan. Throughout the journey, we witness and guide both disruptive transformation and the evolution of new business processes, often watching people move from resistance to becoming champions of change. If you’re facing similar challenges and ready to take the leap, consider Elire as your EPM Project Management Partner in your Cloud Transformation. To learn more about how we can support your Oracle EPM Cloud implementation, contact [email protected] to request more information about our services.
