Engage in process redesign before seeking technology

By Kim Wilkes
Senior Vice President

Over the past year I have seen a new realization that people and process are still the keys to achieving improvement over “out of the box, we’ll have to adapt” technology.  Simplified processes can gain significant productivity that is many times lost when the “cow path is paved.” Transitioning to new technology is also easier when more standardization is gained and business rules and requirements are more thoroughly understood earlier in the development process by the business side. A resulting Request for Proposal (RFP) will be aimed more closely at the correct solution.

By simplifying processes before searching for workflow, BPM solutions, etc., a company can more fully dictate their requirements in RFPs rather than having to adapt their processes once the system is being installed. Often, there is not one right answer when it comes to technology solutions. Instead, there are more efficient, elaborate and effective solutions.

Due to this lack of absolutes in the technology world, companies will find that if they send out a vague RFP to 10 different vendors, they are likely to get 10 solutions that differ from each other. What’s likely lost in the range of proposals is the company’s vision if they do not thoroughly understand what they are seeking. A fresh reeducation of the processes through thorough review and redesign assure that a company will more likely understand what they are looking for.

One of the most important aspects of generating a successful RFP is to effectively communicate the organization's functional requirements. This will include basic information as to what that functionality is, why it is needed and any special requirements the organization is looking for in that functionality. It is also important to prioritize these requirements so vendors can describe in detail the specifications of their solution. It is also essential to know if the requested functionality is a pre-existing product or if the vendor needs to create it from scratch.

Companies that have engaged in process redesign before technology is sought find that the business side is more aware of what is needed and can work more closely with the IT side to find the right solution. Exploiting people and process improvement before seeking and installing new technology can vastly change the “garbage in, garbage out” adage to “garbage out first, doesn’t go in.”