Certainly one of the key success factors in the outcome of the projectwas the structure and dynamics of the project team itself.

At the outset of P&WC's implementation, two teams were formed: thebusiness group, which was composed of five subteams (one for eachmodule), and an IT team. Overall responsibility was in the hands of aproject manager from business. Although the project's major focus wasto provide an integrated business solution, the project team itselfwas not integrated with IT. The lack of integration resulted in lessefficiency. This kind of relationship between IT and the business isnot uncommon, but in a project as complex and demanding as 'Big Bang'ERP, it is likely to lead to communication problems, and that provedto be the case at Pratt & Whitney Canada.

"It was causing issues because the business people were not listeningto the technical side of why things should be happening in aparticular way," said Girgis, "and the IT people were not getting theknowledge they needed of what the business processes would do, becausethey were not always included in the discussions."

It was evident that a change was needed, and it came in the form ofthe creation of a project management office, consisting of one personfrom business, one from IT and one from the consultancy.

"The first thing we did was totally integrate the teams," saidManager, Application Development, John MacFarlane, who was the ITco-lead. "We also rearranged the office layout to bring each subteamphysically together. There was always a direct line from the IT peopleto me, but now there was also a dotted line back to the individualteam leads."