This post is #3 and #4 in the continuing blog post series of mistakes that we have seen clients make before or after we are “on scene” to assist them with their order management, warehouse management, or inventory management systems projects.
3 of 12. Failure to develop detail business requirements
Develop requirements document into Request For Proposal (RFP) document or design document. Interview each functional area that are stakeholders in new system. Don’t recreate existing systems in the requirements. Address the functionality, not necessarily how it should be accomplished. Document interfaces necessary, including the data points and frequency data is passed. Select group should review requirements to make sure they fall in line with company’s strategic direction.
Tell vendors enough to understand your business: Background about company; company goals and objectives for project; timeframes to complete each step of project including deadlines for vendor responses to RFP; transactional volumes and user counts; directions on how to respond to RFP.
4 of 12. Limited search, limited vendors
Keep your options open – don’t settle on one vendor too prematurely. Initially, you want to consider all the vendors that sell or license applications you are looking for and then in a methodolical way develop a short list of 3 or 4 vendors in order to review range of functionality, services and negotiate price. No one vendor is perfect fit for all companies. Look for where you can get at least 80% of the critical functions.
Develop requirements document into Request For Proposal (RFP) document or design document. Interview each functional area that are stakeholders in new system. Don’t recreate existing systems in the requirements. Address the functionality, not necessarily how it should be accomplished. Document interfaces necessary, including the data points and frequency data is passed. Select group should review requirements to make sure they fall in line with company’s strategic direction.
Tell vendors enough to understand your business: Background about company; company goals and objectives for project; timeframes to complete each step of project including deadlines for vendor responses to RFP; transactional volumes and user counts; directions on how to respond to RFP.
4 of 12. Limited search, limited vendors
Keep your options open – don’t settle on one vendor too prematurely. Initially, you want to consider all the vendors that sell or license applications you are looking for and then in a methodolical way develop a short list of 3 or 4 vendors in order to review range of functionality, services and negotiate price. No one vendor is perfect fit for all companies. Look for where you can get at least 80% of the critical functions.
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