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Inadequate documentation of user requirements, leading to ineffective
criteria for selecting a vendor and ultimately disuse among users.
Having lived though the pain of using spreadsheets to consolidate plans and
keep track of changes, it's tempting to say, "We just want to fix
this" and leave it at that. But when it comes down to selecting a software
vendor, and making the best choice for the company and your users, it's not
enough.
You need to invest time in learning what the users (including senior
management) think of the current planning process and the tools it employs.
What's working and what's not. What's missing. What could make it better. Keep
in mind that:
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If nobody outside of the headquarters financial planning
group uses the planning package, it's often times not worth the expense. |
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In fact, if users are developing their plans outside of the
system, and merely plugging their results into it for purposes of communicating
their plan to headquarters, the real value of the system will go largely
untapped. |
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If the goal is to have willing participants in the process
and the system supporting it, then the users voice needs to be heard, and their
requirements need to be documented. |
What can be done?
In The Buttonwood Seven Step Process™ for finding and selecting a
planning software vendor, Step 3: Know What You Want
is specifically designed to uncover and document these needs.
If you have any questions about the process, or would like to find out how we
can support your efforts to find the right vendor for your circumstances,
please contact us.
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