Tag: RFP

  • Migrating And Upgrading Systems

    Migrating And Upgrading Systems

    One of the challenges of software solutions is that, sooner or later, you end up migrating and upgrading systems. The two activities may seem separate, but often, you must do both. A good solution provides an easy path, whether to a new version of the solution or one created by another vendor. However, there are often some expectations on the part of the customer for smooth upgrades. That includes limited customizations and timely updates. It is unrealistic to expect a vendor to build a product you can easily migrate off of ten or more years in the future. Technology changes too quickly.

    Migrating And Upgrading Systems Are The Same

    The difference between a migration and an upgrade is in expectations more than reality. An upgrade almost always requires some amount of migration. That is due to modern systems working with and storing so much data. A smooth upgrade will provide a migration path that is invisible to the administrators and users. Unfortunately, that is often challenging to accomplish. At times, new features and even performance improvements or tuning can require substantial architectural changes.

    Your phone applications and the simpler forms of desktop applications tend to stick with solving less complex problems. That allows for a less complicated solution and easier upgrades. On the other hand, Software As A Service (SAAS) solutions are often very complex, and even the abstracted SAAS approach can require a migration or upgrade that impacts users. In particular, you will run into this when the solution integrates with other systems or allows for imports and exports of data.

    Architecture Is Critical

    One way that software is like a building is that the foundation is an essential part of how it handles the passage of time. Software architecture gives us a foundation we can assess to help determine how easy (or difficult) migrating and upgrading will be. It is a facet that often requires a highly technical eye to evaluate it. On the other hand, some intelligent questions can often quickly unearth architectural weaknesses. Think of them as ways to take it for a test drive. The bonus for us is that the requirements we want from an assessment are also a way to examine an upgrade.

    Questions To Answer For Your Solution

    The following list provides some questions to ask about a solution you are considering and the ones you need to answer for a successful migration or upgrade.

    • How do we back up our data and settings for the system?
    •  Can users and their environments be transferred/maintained?
    •  What integrations will require an update or reset? (Do I need to find that old user ID and password?)
    •  How are the users handled during a migration? (Training? Online Help?)
    •  Can a migration be done in steps or all at once?
    •  Can the migration be done in parallel with the old system?
    •  What happens to historical/past transaction data?
    •  How hard or easy is it to “swap out” the platform? (Operating System, Database, Core Frameworks)

    These questions are an essential part of planning for any form of migration or upgrade. Thus, they are also an excellent way to assess a product before performing one of those actions. It is hard to think about future upgrades during the selection process. However, that is the best time to educate yourself on the effort you will need when that day comes.

    Next Steps

    If the questions above have you stumped, then now is the time for you to get answers. Migrating and upgrading systems is one of those tasks where you are better off forewarned than finding out amid the activity where the risks are. You can avoid critical issues with some planning and adjustments. If nothing else, you can plan for the worst and minimize the costs and risks of a troublesome upgrade.

    About RB Consulting

    Please schedule a time to discuss your next project with us and see if we are your perfect partner. We take these relationships seriously and are happy to point you in the right direction if we are not a good fit. Years of being on both sides of these relationships have taught us a lot. That initial call is free, and there are no obligations. You have nothing to lose. 

    Our experience has taught us a lot about the pitfalls and challenges of custom software. Likewise, we have an e-book that can help you explore all the steps in building software, including a few templates. However, we ask that you share an e-mail address so we can send you a copy. We will add you to our monthly newsletter, but you can unsubscribe anytime. Your data is not shared with anyone else. Learn more about our book here.

  • Why Go Through A Request For Proposals

    Why Go Through A Request For Proposals

    We have looked at various topics over the years and consulted on many more. However, it is worth revisiting the idea of a Request For Proposals (RFP) and what you should look for in this process. It is not a small or simple thing in most cases. Therefore, it should be entered in with the respect and expectations it deserves. The steps may seem tedious, but they are worth the investment. We will explore the pros and cons and convince you of the value of this daunting task.

    Request For Proposals – More Than A Document

    First and foremost, an RFP is more than a document. It is sometimes misunderstood as little more than a document one sends out, and they get similar documents in return. Thus, it may be seen as a form of job posting. That reduces it to a set of requirements and applicants line up. However, even that analogy tends to fall apart as job applicants go through an interview process. That process often includes multiple interviews and time spent getting to know the applicant while teaching them about the organization. Hmmm, maybe that analogy is a good one for us to use.

    The RFP As A Job Posting

    We have all seen job posts that follow several formats. They differ from the size available on the platform (website, newspaper, etc.) and the specifics of the role. There is also a range from casual to formal in how jobs are listed. That being said, we all can recognize a good job posting includes key attributes.

    • Who is the job for? (The Company)
    • What kind of job is it? (Salary, Hourly, etc.)
    • What is the applicant expected to do? (How to apply)
    • What does the job entail? (A typical day or similar list of job activities)
    • What are the expectations? (Degree, experience, and other requirements)
    • How does the job get fulfilled? (Timeframe and locale. Is it remote?)

    Likewise, each of the above items can be brief or highly detailed. Most of us prefer more detail for a job posting to help us decide if we are a good fit. We also can craft our best arguments for winning the position when we have a lot of details about what an ideal candidate looks like to them.

    Posting And Resumes

    While a request for proposals can be seen as a form of job posting, the responses can be seen somewhat as resumes (or CV). The vendors (prospects/applicants) provide a background and reason to select them for the job. Likewise, the resume or response is not the end of the selection process. One must go through due diligence and check references and an interview process. A list of skills on paper or a nice cover letter is not (or at least should not) be enough to make a decision. Yes, we can read the packaging to help select a product. However, we will be more likely to make the best decision after a trial or test drive.

    Avoid An Expensive Mistake

    That brings us to the primary reason for going through an RFP process, avoid a mistake. Buyer’s remorse is common and an RFP might not avoid that. However, the time and effort invested in an RFP process will go a long ways in avoiding buying a lemon or ineffective solution. Your position might be that your organization has such a common problem to solve that anyone in that space will be sufficient. That is a position that often leads to regret. Even common problems can have very different solutions. The one chosen by a vendor might be incompatible with your organization.

    A simple example is target platform. Your company might be only Macs and the solution is only available for Windows machines. While a simple thing to check and avoid, there are many other ways a solution can be incompatible with your business or budget. The RFP process will help the buyer and vendor get on the same page for requirements and lead to much higher odds for a successful solution.

    Do The Research

    Finally, it must be pointed out that an RFP process in any form is research into solutions. You likely will research factors involved in buying a house or car due to the costs involved. Why then would you not do the same for an expensive software or solution purchase? Whether it is your time and money or company resources, there is a lot at stake for most IT projects and solutions. Avoid regrets (and career damage 😉 ) by using the request for proposals process to educate yourself and your vendors.

    Improve Software Success

    We have a couple of classes specific to RFPs and include templates and examples to help you. Check these out (paid and free courses) at https://school.develpreneur.com/p/rfp_courses

    We have an e-book that can help you explore all the steps in building software, including a few templates. We will add you to our monthly newsletter, but you can unsubscribe anytime. Your data is not shared with anyone else. Learn more about our book here. We are happy to help you in your journey if you would like to invest a little more time into planning for your project. We offer free consulting to avoid seeing avoidable mistakes. Please take advantage of it and avoid being the next cautionary tale.