R&D software implementation checklist

Overview

Most R&D software implementations don't fail because of the tool. They fail because teams skip the groundwork: unclear decision workflows, no adoption benchmarks, and vendor demos that never touch real use cases. This checklist walks you through the 25 activities that separate successful rollouts from expensive shelfware, structured across four phases: building the business need, evaluating and selecting software, rollout and go-live, and post-implementation.

Whether you're replacing scattered spreadsheets or consolidating multiple point solutions, use this checklist to align portfolio managers, R&D leadership, IT, and procurement around one plan and to hold both your team and your vendor accountable at every milestone.