How Every Decision Connects to Change
A CIO of a $100-million organization wanted to implement a system-wide enterprise software solution to replace a failing platform but faced several challenges. The organization had just completed the implementation of a smaller solution without gathering proper requirements, and the project ended with significant problems. Specifically, users of the new system were not included in the process, the new system failed to meet those users’ needs, and in fact made their jobs more difficult. As the final straw, the organization learned after the implementation that the vendor would not allow them to directly interface their primary enterprise solution with the new platform.
It was a disaster–the organization was faced with replacing the brand new software just a few months after it was installed. Not an inexpensive task. The CIO’s team was already stretched with other initiatives, and he worried they would have neither the bandwidth nor the experience to lead an informed selection for the new enterprise-wide solution. He couldn’t afford a similar failure on a larger scale.
To help facilitate a smooth transition, Brightwork designed and led a structured, informed decision-making process to include the appropriate stakeholders from all departments of the organization and guide them through a formal requirements-gathering process.
Brightwork came on board to help the CIO, his team, and his organization gather requirements and select a new enterprise software solution. To help facilitate a smooth transition, we designed and led a structured, informed decision-making process to include the appropriate stakeholders from all departments of the organization and guide them through a formal requirements-gathering process. The resulting RFP highlighted a select group of vendors that closely matched the needs of the organization as outlined by the stakeholders most directly impacted. In addition, we built in a methodology and process for stakeholders to directly assess each vendor against the requirements we defined using a technology scorecard during vendor demos. Each vendor’s solution was scored numerically, thus eliminating subjective decision-making.
To help the initiative sponsor make a fully informed decision, we built a total-cost-of-ownership for each vendor that paired with the technology scorecards to ultimately select the solution that not only met the needs of the organization’s stakeholders (those actually using the system) but also provided the most value for the organization.
If you’re curious how Brightwork’s experts can help with your enterprise software solutions and informed decision-making, click here.