In a captivating session titled “Transitioning to Oracle Cloud: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Emily Crow, IT Director of Enterprise Services Product Support for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, shared her organization’s transformative journey to the cloud. Her presentation offered a candid look into the complexities, triumphs, and lessons learned during this significant transition, resonating with attendees from diverse backgrounds in Oracle Cloud.
Understanding the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Crow kicked off her presentation by painting a vivid picture of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. As the third-largest tribal government in the United States, the Nation boasts a dynamic workforce of 13,000 employees—a substantial growth from previous years—and an impressive annual economic impact of approximately $2.5 billion.
Unlike typical governments that rely on tax revenues, the Choctaw Nation funds its extensive range of services through a robust commercial division. This division is a powerhouse of diversity, encompassing everything from casinos and resorts to drone deliveries and military munitions manufacturing. Crow aptly summarized this diversity by stating, “It is not that we are big. We are diverse.” This multifaceted nature significantly shapes their IT needs, necessitating versatile and scalable solutions.
Why Oracle Cloud?
The Choctaw Nation’s eclectic business portfolio was a key factor in selecting Oracle Cloud. Crow highlighted several compelling reasons for this choice:
- Regulatory and Compliance Alignment: Each business unit within the Nation operates under unique regulatory frameworks. Oracle Cloud’s flexibility allows for seamless compliance across diverse sectors.
- Automatic Upgrades: Previously relying on JD Edwards, the Nation had avoided upgrades for over six years due to the daunting complexity. Oracle Cloud’s automatic updates promised a more manageable and streamlined process.
- Standardization and Integration: Oracle Cloud offers numerous opportunities for standardizing processes and integrating Human Capital Management (HCM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, enabling efficient use of employee and financial data.
- Scalability: As the Choctaw Nation continues to grow rapidly, Oracle Cloud provides the scalability needed to support this expansion without compromising performance.
The Road to Implementation
Crow shared a detailed timeline of the Choctaw Nation’s Oracle Cloud implementation, emphasizing the meticulous planning and effort required:
- Data Preparation (24-36 Months Prior): Extensive data cleanup and preparation laid the foundation for a smooth transition.
- Data Conversion (12 Months Prior): Converting existing data to fit Oracle Cloud’s structure was a critical milestone.
- Phased Implementation: The rollout occurred in two phases:
- Phase 1: HCM, covering HR and benefits.
- Phase 2: ERP and Supply Chain Management (SCM), including payables, receivables, and collections.
- Stabilization Period (6-18 Months): Post-implementation, the Nation navigated a stabilization phase fraught with challenges, further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Good: Celebrating Successes
Despite the hurdles, Crow highlighted numerous successes that underscored the project’s positive outcomes:
- Strong Leadership: An executive steering committee provided consistent direction and decision-making.
- Dedicated Team: A significant financial investment in a 12-analyst implementation team ensured focused and expert execution.
- Clear Success Metrics: Defining success as timely payments to employees, vendors, and tribal members kept the team aligned and motivated.
- Commitment to Alignment: Embracing out-of-the-box solutions over customizations fostered unity and streamlined processes.
Crow emphasized the importance of being realistic about business capabilities while maintaining the flexibility to adapt as needed, a balance that was pivotal to their success.
The Bad: Navigating Challenges
No transformation is without its bumps, and Crow was transparent about the obstacles faced:
- Implementation Partner Mismatch: The initial partner failed to grasp the Nation’s diverse needs, highlighting the importance of selecting the right collaborators.
- Underestimating Small Decisions: Seemingly minor choices had significant ripple effects, underscoring the need for thorough consideration.
- Overlapping Dependencies: Managing the interplay between HCM and ERP systems proved more complex than anticipated.
- Support Plan Oversights: A robust, long-term support strategy was essential but initially overlooked, emphasizing the need for expertise within the support team.
- Dual Systems Run: Running HCM before ERP led to the necessity of operating two systems simultaneously, complicating the transition.
Additionally, Crow mentioned struggles with naming conventions and the need for better requirement definitions before issuing the Request for Proposal (RFP).
The Ugly: Overcoming Deep-Seated Issues
Certain aspects of the transition were particularly challenging, earning the “ugly” label:
- Recreating Familiar Systems: Transitioning from old systems was met with resistance, as people naturally gravitate towards the familiar.
- Major Process Overhauls: Significant changes in business processes required meticulous documentation and effective training to ensure employee adaptation.
- Module Integration Woes: Integrating various modules, especially for government grants, was more arduous than expected.
- Prolonged Stabilization: The extended stabilization period, often exceeding 18 months, coupled with quarterly updates, presented continuous hurdles.
- Security Complexities: Developing view-only security roles was a surprise, adding another layer of complexity to the project.
Top Takeaway: Embrace Imperfection and Move Forward
Amidst the detailed insights, Crow offered a golden nugget of wisdom: “Pick a date and go live!” She emphasized that striving for perfection can be paralyzing. Instead, setting a target date keeps the team focused and propels the project forward, accepting that the initial rollout may not be flawless.
Closing Thoughts
Crow concluded her presentation by engaging with the audience, addressing questions about customizations, implementation partner challenges, and data preservation during the transition. She clarified that most solutions remained out-of-the-box, with limited customizations like approximately 50 custom security roles. The mismatch with the first implementation partner stemmed from their inability to appreciate the Nation’s diversity, a critical lesson for future collaborations.
For those eager to dive deeper into the Choctaw Nation’s Oracle Cloud transition, Crow’s full presentation is available.
Emily Crow’s transparent and comprehensive overview serves as a valuable guide for any organization contemplating a move to Oracle Cloud. Her experiences underscore the importance of preparation, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to organizational goals in navigating the complexities of cloud migration.