General Software Selection Tips
If you found this page to be helpful, check out our FREE Software Selection Webinar - September 7, 2010 at 1PM ET/ 10AM PT!
A good software selection methodology is critical to the success of your project. Whether you are looking for ERP software, HR/Payroll, CRM, or any other type of software, here are some tips you can use for a successful selection project.
Before you start, make sure you read the following white papers which will give you some things to watch out for as you embark upon your software selection process.
12 Deadly Mistakes of Software Selection - This white paper discusses the mistakes that many companies make when selecting software and how you can avoid them to have a successful software evaluation project.
5 Tips to a Successful Software Selection - This article was written to provide some general tips to organizations embarking on a software evaluation process.
The 6 Phases of Software Selection
We divide the software selection process into 6 phases and discuss ways that you can more effectively manage your project based on our combined experience of 600 software evaluation projects.
Phase I - Planning & Budgeting for Software
The initial step in the software selection process is your internal planning and budgeting. You need to set up your project team, get buy-in for the project and put together a high-level budget.
Phase II - Software Requirements Analysis
Next you need to put together your requirements document. Make sure it is focused on your key differentiating criteria so that you can concentrate on your most important requirements and quickly, yet thoroughly evaluate vendors.
Phase III - Software Vendor Research
Now it is time to evaluate your vendor options. This phase focuses on how to start with a long list of vendors and efficiently evaluate them to get to a Short List of approximately 3 software solutions.
Phase IV - Software Demos
When you have your Short List, invite the vendors for demos. Make sure they follow a structured Demo Script so you can see how they will handle your key requirements and you can compare them in an equal manner.
Phase V - Software Decision
When you narrow the list to one or two vendors it's time to do your due diligence and confirm your final decision.
Phase VI - Software Contract Negotiation
Most software contracts are written by the software vendor. Make sure you negotiate the contract to protect your interests and save you money.
Implementation Vendor/VAR Selection
A critical part of the selection process that most companies overlook is the selection of a qualified implementation partner or Value Added Reseller (VAR). In certain cases you need to do this evaluation during the vendor research, in other cases you will select the implementation partner after you select the software product. The selection of the implementation partner can make or break the success of your implementation.
Web Design and Web Development by OIC Group
© 2010 SoftResources LLC Phone: (425) 216-4030