There are 6 main steps to take before proceeding with system implementation:
1. Describe your starting point and existing practice in detail
2. Establish any constraints affecting future operation of the system
3. Draw up a detailed functional specification of your requirements
4. Detail any proposed changes to working practices
5. Agree these with your management, colleagues and IT department
6. Evaluate your options for implementing the system
This article is primarily concerned with step 3, although there are a few other points worth noting. There follows narrative on some of the main issues that might arise and the article finishes with a feature check list.
Having drawn up your check list you need some systematic method of comparing your options. A simple scoring system might be suitable.
Bearing in mind that your requirements and calibration practices may change as you become more familiar with any particular system, create a feature rating list – for example:
· A = 5: we must have this feature
· B = 3: we will probably need this feature in the future · C = 1: we might need this feature in the future
· D = 0: this feature is of no interest to us
and grade your check list accordingly.
If you then evaluate the market offerings against this check list and give each candidate a score such as:
· 0 = not available · 1 = coming soon (so we are told)
· 2 = acceptable
· 3 = more or less what we want
· 4 = exactly what we want
Multiply the feature ratings by the candidate scores and total the results for each candidate.
This type of approach is subjective but it gives you a rational basis for comparison and discussion.
