HR digitisation projects that fail rarely do so because of the software. They fail because structuring questions weren't settled before starting. Here are the eight to ask.
1. What specific problem are we trying to solve?
"Modernising" isn't a project goal. "Cutting payroll processing time" or "eliminating double entry between payroll and leave" is one — because you can tell whether it's been achieved.
2. What is the actual quality of our data?
This is the leading cause of HRIS project delays. An incomplete or inconsistent employee database will need cleaning, and that work takes time you're better off planning for than discovering.
3. Who owns the project, with how much available time?
A project with no named owner and no freed-up time stops at the first operational emergency. Name the person, and genuinely free up hours for them.
4. What do we start with?
Digitising everything at once is the riskiest scenario. Starting with the most painful process — often payroll or leave — gives a visible result that politically funds what comes next.
5. Who will use the tool day to day?
- The HR team, for production and steering.
- Managers, for approvals and team tracking.
- Employees, for their own requests.
- Leadership, for consolidated reporting.
6. Are our local constraints covered?
Collective agreements, social funds, filing obligations, languages, currencies. A tool that doesn't handle them natively will have you running spreadsheets alongside the software.
7. How will we manage the change?
Training for administrators, a short session for managers, simple communication for employees. An unadopted tool produces no benefit, whatever its technical quality.
8. How will we know it worked?
Define two or three indicators measured before the project, so you can compare them afterwards. Without a baseline, the debate over the project's success stays a matter of opinion.
Want to go further?
See how Socium transforms HR and payroll practices across 12 African countries.