August 2009
Beginner
252 pages
6h 2m
English
Content preview from 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know
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Chapter 75. Buying Ready-Made Software
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 software (e.g., accounting systems, security software, etc.). Therefore, new software often has to be customized in order to support the company policies and procedures, 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 certain 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 ...