For many organizations, the “Go-Live” date is viewed as the finish line. You’ve spent months or even years migrating data, training staff, and configuring modules. But as Joe Schmitt, Solution Engineering Manager at Oracle, explains, being live in the cloud isn’t the end of the journey—it’s the beginning of a new way of working.

Unlike legacy on-premise systems where upgrades happen every few years, living in the cloud requires a mindset shift toward continuous innovation.

Why Cloud Projects Face Setbacks

Transitioning to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model like Fusion HCM brings unique challenges. In Quest’s Oracle Cloud Summit Virtual 2025, Schmitt identified several common pitfalls that can hinder success:

• Over-Customization: Trying to force the cloud to mimic old, manual processes.
• Misalignment: When partners and providers have different expectations for the project outcome.
• Data Quality Issues: AI and automation require clean data to function effectively.
• The “Set and Forget” Mentality: Assuming the system will manage itself without ongoing governance.

The Mindset Shift: Outcome Over Process

One of the most significant changes in the cloud is moving from “How do we do this?” to “What is the outcome we want?” Lori Pierson, a former HR executive and Oracle leader, emphasizes that the path to an outcome in the cloud will likely be different than it was on-premise.

By sticking to “vanilla” or delivered capabilities, organizations find a much easier path forward. This standardization allows you to consume new features—like Agentic AI—much faster than if you were weighed down by heavy customizations.

The Three Pillars of Cloud Governance

Schmitt argues that governance and change control are not optional in a cloud environment. To stay ahead of the “unrelenting pace of change,” your organization needs:

• Defined Boundaries: Clearly understand who is responsible for configuration versus who manages business processes.
• Empowered Decision Makers: Shift decision-making to the people closest to the work rather than keeping it exclusively at the executive level.
• Continuous Review: Establish a regular cadence for quarterly updates to decide which new features to enable and how they impact your workforce.

The Real Reward: Agility and Experience

When you move past the initial fatigue of implementation, the benefits of Fusion HCM become clear. Organizations gain the agility to scale during global shifts (like the COVID-19 pandemic) and provide a superior employee experience where the user interface recedes into the background, focusing entirely on the task at hand.

As Schmitt notes, the next paradigm is “no UI,” where users simply interact with the system to get what they need. Staying current with your cloud strategy ensures you are ready for that future.

Want more?

Explore more content and resources to help you get the most from your PeopleSoft investment:

• Be sure to check out the Oracle Cloud Summit Virtual event hubfor presentation slides – available exclusively to Quest members.
• Visit the Quest Learn Libraryfor blogs, how-to demos, and on-demand sessions.
• Connect with peers in one of our Quest Oracle Cloud Community User Groupsto swap stories, ask questions, and share tips with other users facing the same challenges.

Not a Quest member yet? Join today and tap into the ultimate Oracle customer network.