How to Select the Right Software
We get a lot of requests from organizations to assist with software selection projects. In many cases, the organization is often needing to make a decision quickly due to year-end budgeting or pressure from senior leadership to demonstrate progress. In our experience, a go-slow-to-go-fast approach is often the best plan in situations where the technology is likely to have a transformational impact.
While it is technically feasible to select a software platform within a few short weeks, it is often the stakeholder component of the system selection process that can take much longer. A balanced framework focused on both stakeholders and technology is recommended. Our methodology consists of four distinct phases to facilitate software selection, create stakeholder buy-in and foster commitment that will lead to reduced resistance to change and accelerated system adoption.
PHASED APPROACH
A phased approach to software selection is recommended because it enables the project team and stakeholders to stay focused on the key decisions that are relevant to each phase. It is often human nature to want to jump ahead to the most challenging or interesting areas of a project; however, successful teams are those who build momentum with a disciplined approach to completing the highest priority tasks. A phased approach also enables stakeholders to understand the process that will be used to select the technology in a way that is viewed as inclusive, fair, data-driven and unbiased.
Below is an illustration of Darby Consulting’s phased approach for technology selection projects:
PHASE 1: INITIATION & PLANNING
For initiating a project, we typically begin by forming a project steering committee made up of a cross section of key departments and formalizing project objectives that align with the strategic plan of the organization. We recommend conducting a few important activities to ensure the team gets off to a good start:
- Conduct Stakeholder Analysis
- Identify Project Objectives & Constraints
- Develop Project Charter
- Conduct Requirements Discovery
- Identify Technology Selection Criteria Matrix
PHASE 2: DATA GATHERING
We begin the second phase by developing a list of preferred vendors. Next, the project team prepares a request for information (RFI) to gather data about the vendors’ software. We recommend this step as it is the best way to communicate the full project requirements to potential software suppliers while conducting an objective evaluation. We typically begin with a generic RFI template, which is then tailored to meet more specific needs of the organization. It is also a best practice to conduct discovery work sessions with key stakeholders to identify, rank and prioritize requirements.
PHASE 3: SUPPLIER EVALUATION
The Supplier Evaluation phase provides the project team with an opportunity to review and analyze the responses from software vendors as well as spend time interviewing the selected companies, reviewing their literature and participating in initial demonstrations. Most software suppliers offer literature and self-serve demonstrations on their websites, as well as customer success stories; however, to ensure the team is not sold by the glitz and glamour of sales presentations, demonstrations (both remote and on-site) should also be conducted to allow a much more focused look at the software and its potential fit for the organization’s needs. Once the team has conducted the demonstrations and reviewed RFI responses, most team members will have positive feelings toward one or two of the suppliers. If the process is conducted properly, the team will not only feel good about choosing one supplier over the other, they will also have the data to support the decision.
PHASE 4: SUPPLIER SELECTION
Next up is the Supplier Selection phase where we create a business case that is used to gain both organizational and sponsor support for the preferred vendor. When preparing the business case, it is important that business problem (or opportunity) is succinctly defined, alternative solutions are listed and, based on each solution’s individual merits, a preferred solution is recommended. The last step taken when creating the business case is to define a plan for the implementation of the agreed solution.
ABOUT DARBY CONSULTING
Darby Consulting is a management consulting firm specializing in project management, change management, IT project staffing and finance & advisory services. We provide extraordinary people, processes and technologies to help support organizations in planning and delivering transformational change. You can visit Darby Consulting’s website and blog to view previous articles. Our blog address: http://darbyconsulting.com/blog/
