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The task of researching software products and service providerscan be so daunting that projects are often waylaid until anorganization finds itself making critical business decisionsduring a crisis. Inaction is a course of action which can costan organization both in terms of employee morale and lostfinancial resources. Typically a company will use the cost ofthe proposed project as a deterrent to decision making. Beforeanswering that you can't afford to, ask yourself if you canafford not to.Good companies have standardized processes in place so thatlimited human resources aren't wasted on proceduralinefficiencies. Elite companies have taken it a step furtherand have even standardized their decision making processes. Forthese companies, a good decision is simply a logical conclusionto a well administered plan. Good planning consists of severalkey elements: -> A documented decision making process-> Needs analysis -> A budget-> A realistic implementation timeline-> Product and vendor research-> Service provider selection criteriaDocumentation: Without appropriate documentation, there is nostandardization. Decide who in the organization will beinvolved in the selection process and at what level. Thenidentify an individual to be responsible for facilitating theneeds assessment and ultimately deciding which products toconsider. Decide who will research and present the solutionsand the pros and cons of each to the group. Your finaldocumentation should also include information regarding theprocess by which a final decision will be made and the deadlinefor making that decision.Needs Analysis: Due diligence is your responsibility andbegins with a detailed understanding of your needs. Regardlessof what type of product you're researching, you'll need toidentify the critical element that drives the business need. For example, if you're looking for accounting software andinventory management is key, you have narrowed your search downto products with inventory management capabilities.The next step in your process should be a comprehensive needsanalysis of the already identified critical elements and theneed as a whole. Determine what features are non-negotiable. These are your deal breakers--the things you can't livewithout. Then develop a wish list based on your organization'sfantasy of the perfect solution. The items on this list arethings you would like to have but could live without if all yourother needs are met. Budget: You'll also need to set a budget. Your budget shouldinclude the software costs, additional hardware, changes inoperating systems, and product implementation and training. There are also long term costs to consider when evaluatingproducts. There may be the cost of ongoing maintenancecontracts, support contracts, and additional training due toproduct modifications or staff turnover. Don't be alarmed if at some point the vendor asks you what yourbudget is for the project. If you are working with a reputablefirm, they are using this question as a means of establishingwhether or not they can offer you a viable solution within yourprice range. Good consultants will refer you in anotherdirection if they are unable to meet your needs.Implementation Timeline: A successful implementation isdependent on a realistic timeline. After having establishedyour timeline, determine whether or not you have the capacity tomeet your timeline and then determine whether or not theconsulting firm has the capacity to meet your timeline.Good clients are working proactively so that they can enjoy theluxury of making good decisions. Good consultants are managingclient expectations so that projects are managed and completedaccording to a mutually agreed upon and well communicatedschedule.Research the Product and the Vendor: Your decisions goesbeyond that of product selection. It is equally important toresearch the vendor. Have a list of questions you ask eachvendor. Start with the following list of questions.-> How long has the vendor been in business?-> Historically, what has their commitment been to the end user?-> How have they managed to keep up with changing technologies?-> What is the guarantee?-> Is there a guaranteed response time?-> Is the product supported locally? -> Can you view the working product at a local business?Selecting a Consulting Firm: Successful softwareimplementation can only happen if both you and the consultantsare equally committed to the project. When you have identifiedtwo or three plausible software solutions, your final decisionwill be made based on which consulting firm you feel can besthelp you achieve your goals. Pay attention to details, and aska series of questions of each firm. -> Throughout the sales process the consulting firm is courting you--it doesn't get any better than this. Are they readily answering your questions or are you waiting 2-3 days before your calls are returned? -> How long have they been working with this product?-> How and why did they choose to represent this particular product?-> What is their professional background?-> Were they end-users?-> What is their implementation process? Is it tangible? Can you see the materials?-> Who are their clients? -> Ask for references for whom a project has gone smoothly and also ask for references for whom the project went less smoothly. The idea here is to find out how the consultants handle things when the going gets tough.Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is andwhen people tell you who they are, listen. Article Tags: Decision Making, Consulting Firm