(^150) 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know
Buying Ready-Made Software
Ernani Marques da Silva, MBA, PMP, PgMP
Mairipora, Sao Paulo, Brazil
CURREnTly, IT IS vERy CoMMon AnD USEFUl to buy software that is ready-
made—ready to be tested, implemented, and used out of the box. Why? Such
software allows organizations to leverage their efficiency and optimize their
effectiveness by cutting time spent in the developmental and implementation
phases. In this kind of purchase, you are not only buying the software, but the
know-how of the company that wrote the software.
Of course, each organization has its own procedures, policies, and legacy soft-
ware (e.g., accounting systems, security software, etc.). Therefore, new software
often has to be customized in order to support the company policies and pro-
cedures, and to integrate the programs with previously installed legacy systems.
In many cases, the vendor will capture the knowledge for that customization
during the presales process.
This is the point where the major problems may arise. Even if you follow a very
detailed procurement process, it is very complicated to determine whether cer-
tain functionalities (e.g., formulas, data entry screens, integration with legacy
software, etc.) inherent in the new application will work as business/product
area requirements intended. Once the procurement process is complete, the
contract is signed, and the project plan is approved and in implementation,
issues can pop up during the testing phase. The troubles can be related to the
customization or, in the worst-case scenario, related to the functionality that
the software was assumed to have based on the demo.
It is very important to follow specific steps before the contract is signed:
- Prepare a very detailed checklist regarding the company’s software needs.
- Visit the company and prepare a due diligence report.