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Don't Buy Software, Buy Processes
A briefing on the art of
effective enterprise software selection
We’ve all seen the feature
comparison charts outlining a particular software platform
against its competitors with the subtly emblazoned “Sign-up
Today” link underneath. Valuable information, sure…a basis
for making a decision to purchase, far from it.
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"Forrester advocates a streamlined applications
selection process that avoids the traditional
request-for-proposal (RFP) process, unless procurement
regulations mandate it, as in government organizations."
Source: Forrester Research,
“Application Vendor Selection: Making The Process Work For
You”, 2007 |
"Proactive enterprises aren't born, they're built!"
Source: Shawn Torkelson,
Managing Director of Synapse SE |
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Rule #1 in the art of effective software selection is that
you don’t buy software, you buy processes. In
addition, there’s no better time to re-evaluate and
streamline those processes than during the software
selection and implementation cycle.
For the most part, software companies are great marketers
and are more than willing to share, with anyone who will
listen, why their particular platform is superior to their
competitors. Because of their adept marketing abilities, a
wealth of information about emerging and long-standing
products is at the fingertips of CIOs everywhere. However,
this information overload can be a double-edged sword.
Every article published on software selection will generally
offer up a “Top 5”, “Top 10”, or “Top 20” tips on software
selection and every single author will include a step called
Requirements Definition, or something similar. After
obtaining executive buy-in to start the shopping process,
this is one of the first and most important steps in the
software selection cycle. A set of ill-defined business
requirements is also one of the single largest points of
software implementation and satisfaction failure.
So, how can the CIO ensure that the business isn’t wooed by
elaborate feature sets, slick user interfaces, and
outrageous vendor discounts? Simple, make sure that everyone
involved in the software selection process, from the AP
Clerk to the VP of HR, gets down to the brass tacks of
effective software selection; focusing on what the business
does, and doing more of it.
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// TALK WITH US |
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// AUTHOR |
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Shawn Torkelson, Synapse SE
Managing Director |
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