Is there a need for a SAP functional consultant during the discover phase in SAP activate?

[former_member793608]

During the discover phase in a SAP implementation project using the Activate methodology, is a SAP functional consultant (like an SAP MM Consultant) needed or is everything done by the business people. How many days are needed for discover per module?

[former_member782418]

Hi Dominic,

No you don't require functional consultants during Discover phase. The tasks to be completed by Customer team, Project Manager and Basis.

[butterfussk]

Having a functional consultant or business process consultant in discovery is necessary when following the ACTIVATE methodology. You no longer spend your time documenting what the customer does today but giving them the best practices in your specific area and asking the hard question.. WHY WON'T THIS WORK FOR YOU?

If you are following any methodology having a functional consultant is a benefit. They can ask specific questions and get to specific details that a generalist may not be able to do. You are able to have multiple consultants cover an entire process stream instead of a specific "module" this allows you to keep the price down while providing the same value to the customer.

[Thomas_Winkler]

Hi Bien and Kathryn,

only short additional remark:

• The functional consultant have to "SHOW & TELL" the business process - he has also to know the Bestpractices from SAP, not only his personal experiences.
• He should demonstrate this on a 100% SAP Bestpractice system (SBX) - this is the foundation for the requirements (FIT&GAP-Analysis) which is followed by the backlog priorization.
• When the functional consultants (architects) make this in this way, then you have much more content produced, than in the past with "useless words in many document", because the keyusers can see and understand much more than before. This makes it easier that the whole team have one big picture (the whole process value stream and his neighbors) in mind - even when there are open points - he can try it on the Sandbox system again.

Cheers Thomas

[former_member793608]

In the SAP Roadmap Viewer, there are three sections for the Discover Phase and these are 1) Cloud Trial 2) Discovery Assessment 3) Cloud Mindset Assessment 4) Application Value and Scoping. Is the Functional supposed to be involved in all 4? In the process overview for Discovery Assessment, step three of the Process Overview says "The Account Team provides an enablement session of the Digital Discovery Assessment app". Would you say that the Functional Consultant is part of the Account Team? Also, if the Functional Consultant is involved already in the Discover Phase does it follow that the Project Manager is also already involved in the Discovery Phase?