In many companies, it always follows the same pattern: at some point, management realizes that "something is no longer running smoothly". Perhaps processes have become too slow, errors are accumulating, or the company is increasingly losing track of figures, customers or internal processes. The call for a new software solution becomes loud - preferably a modern, powerful ERP software that "can do everything". But this is often where a fatal fallacy begins.
New software without new thinking? An expensive mistake.
Many companies believe that their problems can be solved by new software alone. The fact that a modern ERP solution is the "broom with golden bristles", so to speak, which is swept through once and then everything is fine. But this is a misconception - dangerous and expensive at the same time.
After all, software can only be as good as the understanding of the processes it is supposed to map. If you don't know the internal processes, don't question them or have never really understood them, even the best software is just a digital image of old, bad habits.
If you don't understand processes, you can't optimize them
What is often missing is a deep understanding of the company's own operating processes:
- How do things work - really?
- Which steps are necessary - and which have grown historically but are superfluous?
- Where do bottlenecks, duplication of work or misunderstandings arise?
- Who actually decides what - and on what basis?
- What information is needed from where and when within a process?
These questions sound banal, but they are at the heart of every sustainable optimization process. Because before processes can be digitized, automated or poured into software, they need to be understood, thought through, evaluated - and in many cases, let go.
And this is precisely where the challenge lies: not everyone can think in processes. Not everyone immediately recognizes which information is really crucial - and which is just noise. It takes structure, clarity and a certain feel for data logic to turn "work steps" into clean, comprehensible processes.
Why even customizable ERP software is not a sure-fire success
Many providers as well as my own company gofilemaker.de today advertise the flexibility of their ERP systems: "fully customizable", "modularly expandable", "individually configurable". And that is true - technically speaking. But what sounds good in theory can also fail in practice due to the customer's preparation and cooperation.
Because adaptability does not mean that the software "automatically" adapts to the business. It means that someone has to say very precisely what needs to be adapted in the first place - and how the processes that are to be digitally mapped in the future work. And this is where two crucial things come into play:
- Does the customer really understand their own processes - or is it a matter of gut feeling and half-knowledge?
- Can the customer describe these processes in such a way that they are comprehensible and logical for a database developer?
In reality, this is often not the case. Many customers underestimate the extent to which software developers have to think in terms of structures, data flows and clear rules. What has perhaps "always been done this way" in the company or "is actually clear" cannot easily be cast in a data model. What is missing is a common understanding - a shared language in which business processes can be translated into comprehensible data and decision-making logic.
The less understanding of the process - the more expensive the adaptation
And this is where it gets concrete: the worse a customer understands their processes, the more expensive the software customization will be in the end. Why? Because the developer has to guess. Because requirements are constantly changing. Because the original briefing was unclear or contradictory. Because fundamental process errors only become apparent during operation - and then have to be corrected at great expense. These loops cost time, money and nerves - on both sides.
I have often experienced it: a customer with a clear idea, clearly structured processes and a basic understanding of data logic gets their ERP customization implemented quickly, cheaply and stably. Another - with vague ideas, contradictory requirements and a "the software has to be able to do this somehow" approach - pays three to five times as much. Not because the developer wants to take advantage, but simply because the preparatory work that every project needs is missing.
This is exactly where my book comes in: It builds a bridge between management and software development. It helps people who are not IT experts to understand and describe their own processes in such a way that good software can be created from them - in a structured, efficient and sustainable way.
Why I wrote "The Unconventional Database Book"
I wrote this book because I have seen time and again that the biggest bottlenecks are not of a technical nature, but lie in thinking. Many managing directors, department heads or project managers have a deep knowledge of their specialist area - but no language to systematically structure this knowledge. They have ideas, but no method. And they often have the feeling that "IT will do it somehow". But this is precisely where the problem lies.
IT cannot perform magic. It can only implement what someone has previously thought through, planned and put into a clean form. And that's not so easy - especially if you've never learned to think in terms of data structures and process logic.
The book helps with exactly that: it gets readers to think not just about software, but about the question behind the question. About the "why" behind every "how". And about the hidden levers with which you can achieve real improvements - before you even select a new ERP system.
Who is the book for?
- For managing directors and decision-makers
If you are responsible for shaping the digitalization or modernization of your company, you need more than just pretty software brochures. You need a basic understanding of data, interrelationships and process logic. This book will give you a solid foundation for this - without any technical jargon, but with plenty of eye-openers. - For employees who support or design processes
Whether in accounting, sales, production or warehousing: if you understand processes, you can improve them. The book conveys a way of thinking that goes beyond departmental boundaries and helps you to better understand your own role in the overall process - and to act in a more targeted manner. - For trainees and career starters
Young people in particular, who are new to a company, benefit enormously from learning early on how a company "thinks". Those who understand from the outset how data flows, how decisions are prepared and where typical sources of error lie become confident and independent more quickly - and valuable to the team.
It's not about technology - it's about clarity
"The Unconventional Database Book" is not a technical manual. It is a clarity book. It does not explain how to program a database - but how to think in order to create good data structures. It shows how to recognize processes, model them cleanly and keep an eye on the essentials. And it takes away the fear of terms such as "field", "table" or "primary key" by combining them with everyday logic and practical examples.
Think first, then digitize
If you want to optimize operational processes, you first need to understand what needs to be optimized in the first place. If you want to introduce software in a meaningful way, you need to know where you are heading - otherwise you will be driving in circles. "The Unconventional Database Book" is the ideal first step in gaining clarity, recognizing connections and practicing thinking in processes. It is not a book about technology - but about the thinking behind successful technology.
Book data:
The Unconventional Database Book
Paperback, softcover, 214 pages
ISBN-13: 978-3819262630
ISBN-10: 3819262636
Price: 19,90 Euro
Available via BOD, Amazon & bookstores
More than software: Systemic management consulting
Many companies only realize during operation that ERP software alone rarely solves all challenges. This is because the real problems often lie deeper - in unclear processes, missing roles or overloaded interfaces between people and technology. This is precisely where my new business area comes in: Systemic management consultingin a practical and independent manner. I help small and medium-sized companies to better understand their structures, identify blind spots and sustainably improve processes - even beyond technical solutions.
Frequently asked questions on the topic
1. is it not enough to simply buy modern ERP software to solve the company's problems?
No. New software is only as good as the understanding of the processes it is supposed to map. If you don't know your processes or can't formulate them clearly, in the worst case you're just digitizing existing errors.
2 Why is it so important to analyze your own processes before introducing an ERP system?
Because any software can only automate what has been thought through in a structured way beforehand. Without prior process analysis, there is no clarity - and without clarity, there is no stable, cost-efficient solution.
3. what exactly is meant by "data and process thinking"?
This refers to the ability to break down processes into logical, structured steps, to recognize correlations and to understand what information is needed when, how and why.
4 Who is "The database book with a difference" intended for?
For managing directors, department heads, employees and trainees - in other words, for anyone who works with business processes or would like to optimize them in the future, especially before introducing or adapting an ERP system.
5. can I, as a non-technician, benefit from this at all?
Absolutely. The book is deliberately written in such a way that it can be understood without prior technical knowledge - with lots of practical examples and a clear, understandable style.
6. which errors typically occur in ERP projects without sufficient process understanding?
Unclear requirements, constant change requests, incomplete data models and misunderstandings with the developer - leading to higher costs, time delays and dissatisfied users.
7. why does the customization of ERP software become more expensive if the customer does not understand its processes?
Because developers have to spend time guessing at requirements or reworking them several times. Without a clear plan, the effort increases - and so does the price.
8. can the book also help to make better use of existing software solutions?
Yes, if you understand your data and processes, you can also structure existing systems better, use them more efficiently and improve them in a more targeted way.
9 What distinguishes this book from classic IT or ERP reference books?
It is not a technique book, but a thinking book: it conveys the basics in an intuitive, practical way - with a focus on clarity, structure and process awareness.
10. how does the book support communication between companies and software developers?
It helps to find a common language. Anyone who has read the book can formulate requirements in a more structured way and understand technical queries better - which reduces misunderstandings and speeds up projects.
11. is the book also suitable as training material for trainees?
Yes, it is an excellent way of giving young employees a practical understanding of operational processes, data logic and systematic thinking - an ideal complement to traditional vocational training.
12 When is the best time to read this book - before or after the ERP selection?
Clearly: beforehand. Gaining clarity about your own processes before making a software decision saves time, money and unnecessary loops during implementation later on.