Buying the right solution

The steps listed below are those you might take to purchase software or services. Datalance can work with you to improve this process and buy the right software for your individual circumstances.

Detail your requirements

Who would use your software or service and why?	We can help you build a matrix of potential users, what functions they will undertake and steps they will perform. Using an external party to help with this means we will not be guided by existing applications or procedures, and may see problems or opportunities that may not be obvious.
What functions are going to make a difference?	Many of the functions you have described will be the sort of tasks every organisation of your type will undertake, but some will be unique to your organisation and are making you special. If you can't find anything that makes you special contact us urgently!!
Consider non-functional requirements	Think about whether you have a preference for particular types of software, or particular operating systems. Is everyone who needs to use this application at the same site, will you need to view information from home? Some of these will appear more obvious when evaluating the chosen shortlist.
Decide your budget and timings	Not just how much you want to spend but when do you want to spend it - up front or spread the cost? If some development work is required, would you prefer to pay time and materials or fixed price - there are benefits of both depending on how clear your requirements are. Do you have particular timing requirements? When are your busy periods, when are people on holiday?
Set your selection criteria	What will make you decide one solution over another? One thing is certain - the answer will not be black and white, so defining the shades of grey and how to quantify them will make the decision easier. If you are planning to issue a tender for the solution it is important to inform potential suppliers of these criteria.

Appraise the alternatives

Investigate the alternatives	Look at all the options. We can help you to consider build versus buy, service versus product, open source or free versus commercial, whether further development is likely to be required and who could do that for you.
Shortlist and tender	Once a shortlist has been determined, we can investigate the possibilities of testing the product or service, or if development is required we can help you to write a tender that will identify the best partner to deal with. As we work on both sides of the fence - writing tenders as well as answering them, we can help you to put the right level of detail into the document.
Select a solution	Returning to the selection criteria mentioned earlier, we would assess the solutions and request further information or presentations if appropriate. The final decision would of course lie with yourselves, but we can facilitate the process, helping you to decide which shades of grey are more important than others.

Purchase the software

Finalise the plan and price	Once a solution or supplier has been selected, it is necessary to determine a detailed approach and price structure - whether parts of the solution can be fixed price, what parts need further clarification. It is often the case that responses to tenders have a number of qualifications, based on assumptions that must be cleared up at the earliest point in the project.
Write a contract	You may have a standard contract or possibly an off-the-shelf contract from a consultancy could be used. It may be that a supplier has their own contract and you need help to understand the assumptions being made and the implications of some of the terms, particularly with regard to any falling-out, postponement or cancellation on either part. What if you have a downturn in business and want to delay phase 3? What if the market changes and you need this function now, not that.
Manage the implementation	There will always be an implementation, for even the smallest of products. How is this going to affect staff's work? Who is going to test the system, and then who will use it first or will everyone switch at the same time? What is going to happen to the data that you currently use - does it need typing in or will it be archived somewhere for us to view later? How will we view it?
Accept the solution and sign-off	It is important to have a conclusion to each phase of a project, with a clear sign-off and completion. This may seem obvious, but things are never black and white and typically you must agree which issues or tasks must be completed before acceptance takes place and which can be left. Never underestimate how hard it is to sign off a piece of work as 'completed'.

Based in Northampton, we tend to cover East Midlands and Northern Home Counties - Herts, Beds. & Bucks, but if you are further than this and need help, feel free to contact us and we will try to help - that may mean that we just find someone more local who can help, but we will make sure they are the right supplier and that they understand your requirements.

Our services are reasonably priced and can be success-based if scope and nature of the requirements allow.