Business System Consultation Center - Our Business System ColumnVol.155 2024.09.01 Takahashi Minoru

Complex Excel spreadsheets are natural and not inherently bad

Thank you for your interest and continued support.
This is Takahashi from the Marketing Plan Research Laboratory.


A common misconception in the IT industry, among system integrators, and software vendors is
"Good systems and good software make business operations run smoothly."
Solution promotions tend to focus solely on features, benefits, and price,
and the people who actually operate the software
are often depicted only as mere schematic diagrams.


No matter how excellent a system may be, it requires human operation to function,
and the operator’s understanding of the system is a prerequisite for its operation.
Specifically, this includes "Ms. X from Accounting," "Mr. Y from Sales," "Company Z, the user," and so on.
It is crucial that the system be easy for operators to use and understand.


These requirements remain unchanged even as time passes.
A system is not a magic wand; it is, after all, merely a tool.
A system is only capable of functioning properly
A system is something that can only function properly if the person using it operates it with the utmost care every single time.


To put it simply, we believe that the definition of a good or bad system
.


Implementing or switching to a new system involves a fair amount of effort, depending on the scale of the project.
That burden falls not on you, the CEO, but on the people on the front lines.
The nature of that effort generally boils down to
"How do I operate this to do the same things I used to do?"
"Where will my input here have an impact?"
"Who will use this new output, when, and for what purpose?"
and so on—essentially, ensuring everyone understands the system.


To avoid a "buy-and-regret" situation,
When introducing a new system or switching to one,
whether the system or solution you’re considering


For common solutions, these are often labeled as “trial versions”
and is often available on the website or upon request.


Have your team test the trial version to assess the total amount of effort required
and whether the team can handle that burden. Make your purchasing decision only after thoroughly evaluating these factors.


It is not the system that keeps operations running smoothly,
but the mutual effort and ingenuity of the people involved.
Before making a final decision,
please consider whether it is a tool that the actual users can effectively utilize,
before purchasing the system.


That's all, Thank you for reading.

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