Tales of Implementation: Navigating the Path from Failure to Success

We’ve all heard the saying: “Don’t go it alone.” It could not be more true when it comes to deciding how to implement collaboration software.

As solution providers, we have heard numerous horror stories of software implementations gone wrong. The journey to find and implement a new work tool can be a complex and, at times, arduous process. Depending on the resources involved during configuration and deployment, the process of implementing these powerful tools can be a breeze—or a months-long headache with long-term repercussions. Misled configuration can even hurt your ability to use your tools at scale.

So, how can you ensure that your business receives the greatest value from your software suite based on your unique needs? Informed by Contegix experts’ takeaways from real Atlassian use cases, these three customer stories showcase common implementation journeys that we have seen time and time again. All customers arrived at an ideal solution after partnering with Contegix, but each took a very different approach. 

The Independent

Would you attempt to install new wiring in your house without a professional’s guidance? Probably not, and you should exercise the same level of caution when implementing new software solutions. 

At one mid-stage technology startup, can-do optimism created initial success but ultimately resulted in configuration mishaps. This team shared the following story:

This critical decision sets the foundation for the rest of the team’s Atlassian experience. With new features, including Atlassian Intelligence, being released solely on the cloud, teams that opt for a self-owned server over cloud may be missing out on increased performance and functionality. 

Handling implementation entirely in-house can strain internal resources, causing the process to drag on and creating snowballing waste of time and cash. Pressure to finish this dragged-out process can also result in teams overlooking essential security and compliance measures, including safeguards against critical vulnerabilities, and missed opportunities to utilize Marketplace Apps. 

Eventually, this team realized it was time to seek help from an external partner. The Contegix team started the engagement with a fact-finding session to fully understand the business’s unique needs and challenges, and reevaluate its priorities for Atlassian tools. Through concierge-level support and customization, Contegix helped this business streamline their Atlassian environment, allowing it to finally break away from its on-premise box, to an all-new secure cloud environment that aligned with best practices and security measures. Through a comprehensive onboarding and training program for our employees, Contegix helped create a more widespread and effective adoption of the platform. 

The Enthusiastic Go-Getter

Excited to experience all the flexibility and customization that Atlassian tools have to offer, many teams hit the ground running. But while testing out the tool can help you get a sense of its capabilities, jumping straight into implementation has its pitfalls. 

One mid-size healthcare company shared its experience:

It sounds like this team is checking all the boxes, right? Soon after onboarding, however, the team realized it had extensive reporting and documentation needs that would have been better met by Confluence. The team was able to cobble together a working system using third-party plugins, but these plug-ins didn’t interface perfectly, leaving them under-utilized and unable to produce a high return on investment.

In an ideal scenario, the team would have stopped the custom fields train not long after it left the station. But in this story, custom fields continued to grow unchecked and further complicate the instance. It was time to face the music: this team required significant reconfiguration and support to get the system working correctly, so the company turned to an external partner for help. 

Contegix experts showed this company how it had been missing several opportunities to generate more value from the tool, including onboarding more departments and offering more comprehensive training. Contegix helped the team implement cost-effective external plug-ins that were vetted to interface well, and also comply with HIPAA to allow the team to start using patient information in the system. 

With support from Contegix, the team was able to start from a clean slate through Jira configuration. One of the core takeaways was the ability to use custom fields more thoughtfully, and in a way that added more flexibility to create seamless end-to-end workflows. 

The Careful Deployer

Our final Atlassian user, a financial services enterprise with federal clients, decided to invest in its Atlassian tools by partnering with Contegix for the implementation process. The client chose an external consultant not only to support implementation at scale, but to get it done right the first time. 

Here’s the company’s story:

In financial services, security and data privacy are top concerns. The Contegix experts working with this client had years of experience standing up Atlassian tools for high-security teams, helping them build trust and ensure that our toolstack didn’t just meet compliance and governance standards, but took advantage of every available security measure.

Contegix offered onboarding and training services that helped this team ensure its entire user base, not to mention its admin team, was equipped to make the most of its toolstack. Additionally, as part of our services, Contegix added a bank of service hours to this project, which allowed the organization to troubleshoot any of the issues that arose after the system was live, and stay up to date with the latest and greatest developments in Atlassian software. 

Your next steps in your Atlassian journey

As an Atlassian Solutions Partner, we strive to make it as easy as possible to evaluate your needs and choose the solutions that fit your business, providing the best experience for your implementation team and end users. As your organization continues on its journey to agile success with Atlassian tools, consider exploring the other valuable support an external partner can offer to enhance your toolstack. 

Engaging with experts who specialize in Atlassian solutions can provide tailored insights and practical assistance, ensuring that your tools are optimized for maximum efficiency and productivity. Solutions providers can even handle licensing, compliance, and maintenance, ensuring that your system remains secure and fully functional. 

Curious to learn more about what an external partner can do for your Atlassian toolstack? Reach out to Contegix experts today.