Software Procurement: The Strategic Journey

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<<widget "randomChoices">> <<set _choices = $args[0]>> <<set _choices.shuffle()>> <ul> <<for _i to 0; _i lt _choices.length; _i++>> <<capture _i>> <li><<link [[_choices[_i].text|_choices[_i].link]]>> <<set $integrity += _choices[_i].integrity>> <<set $budget += _choices[_i].budget>> <</link>></li> <</capture>> <</for>> </ul> <</widget>> <<widget "Status">> <<set _statusText = $args[0]>> <h2>Status</h2> <p>_statusText[0].text</p> <p>Budget Remaining: £$budget</p> <</widget>>

<span class="meter-label">Strategic Integrity</span> <div class="meter-container"> <div class="meter-bar" @style="'width: ' + Math.clamp(($integrity * 10), 0, 100) + '%; background-color: ' + ($integrity >= 4 ? '#4CAF50' : '#F44336')"></div> </div> <span class="meter-label">Budget Remaining</span> <div class="meter-container"> <div class="meter-bar" @style="'width: ' + ($budget / 50) + '%; background-color: ' + ($budget < 1000 ? '#f44336' : '#4CAF50')"></div> </div> <small>Budget: £$budget</small>

<h2>The Mission</h2> <p>You are Alex, a project manager for a medium-sized company. You've been asked to procure a new Learning Management System (LMS) for your organization.</p> <p>You have an initial budget of £$budget. This will need to cover the procurement process and initial implementation costs.</p> <p>Every choice you make will affect:</p> <ol> <li> The ''Strategic Integrity'' of the project (how well the solution fits)</li> <li> Your ''Budget''</li> </ol> <p>Your strategic integrity rating and budget are shown in the panel on the left.</p> <p>Strategic choices often cost more upfront but prevent "bite-back" later.</p> <p>You may want to checkout my "<a href="https://leanpub.com/howtobuysoftware" target="_blank">How to Buy Software</a>" guide for more context on the choices you'll be making.</p> [[Begin Step 1: Identify the Problem|Step 1]] <hr> <p>This game is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>.</p> <p>Source code available on <a href="https://github.com/berthelemy/how-to-buy-software" target="_blank">GitHub</a>.</p>

<h2>Step 1: Identify the Problem</h2> <p>How do you start the process?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Focus on technical glitches and complaints about the user experience.", integrity: -1, budget: -100, link: "S1Ra" }, { text: "Define your organisation's strategic problems and measurements.", integrity: 2, budget: -500, link: "S1R" }, { text: "Prioritize look-and-feel based on user complaints.", integrity: -2, budget: -50, link: "S1Ra" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Focussing on technical issues or the look and feel is easier and cheaper, but it doesn't address the strategic problems. Expect 'bite-back' later."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 2: Identify Solutions|Step 2]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"The investigation stage is complete.Defining strategic problems cost a bit more in time/consultancy, but your integrity is higher."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 2: Identify Solutions|Step 2]]

<h2>Step 2: Identify Possible Solutions</h2> <p>What "landscape" of solutions fits best?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Specialist all-in-one closed-source solutions.", integrity: 1, budget: -1000, link: "S2Ra" }, { text: "Open-Source options with specialized implementation partners.", integrity: 1, budget: -2000, link: "S2Rb" }, { text: "Using existing software such as Sharepoint, Teams or Salesforce.", integrity: -1, budget: -500, link: "S2Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"You've narrowed the solution type. Working with a specialist, commercial solution provider allows you to leverage their expertise and reduce implementation risk."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 3: The Long List|Step 3]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"You've narrowed the solution type. Open-source implementation often requires a higher initial investment in partners but may offer a better long-term fit if managed correctly."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 3: The Long List|Step 3]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Using your existing software is a valid option, but it may not fully address the strategic needs of your organization."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 3: The Long List|Step 3]]

<h2>Step 3: Make the Long List</h2> <p>Where are you looking for candidates?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Search engine ads and sponsored 'Top 10' lists.", integrity: -1, budget: -50, link: "S3Ra" }, { text: "Peer networks, analyst reports and 'Alternative to' searches.", integrity: 2, budget: -150, link: "S3Rb" }, { text: "Visit an industry conference or trade show.", integrity: 0, budget: -300, link: "S3Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"You've found the suppliers that have the largest market presence, but their solutions may not be the best fit for your specific needs."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 4: User Scenarios|Step 4]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"You've found the suppliers that are recommended by peers and analysts, which may provide more reliable insights into their suitability for your needs."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 4: User Scenarios|Step 4]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"You've found the suppliers that are present at industry conferences or trade shows, which may provide valuable insights and networking opportunities."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 4: User Scenarios|Step 4]]

<h2>Step 4: Prepare to test the solutions</h2> <p>How will you test the software meets your requirements?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Create a checklist of features and non-functional specifications such as performance, security, and data protection.", integrity: -1, budget: -400, link: "S4Ra" }, { text: "Prepare a set of narrative stories for end-to-end testing from the user's perspective.", integrity: 2, budget: -825, link: "S4Rb" }, { text: "Use the suppliers' comparison charts", integrity: -2, budget: -100, link: "S4Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Features and specifications are important, but they don't tell the whole story. User stories provide a more holistic view of how the software will meet the needs of your users and organization."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 5: Requirements|Step 5]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"User scenarios provide a more holistic view of how the software will meet the needs of your users and organization. This can help identify potential issues and ensure a better fit."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 5: Requirements|Step 5]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Supplier comparison charts can provide a quick, albeit biased, overview, but they may not capture the nuances of how the software will perform in your specific environment."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 5: Requirements|Step 5]]

<h2>Step 5: List the Requirements</h2> <p>Once you have your user stories, it's time to use them to create a list of requirements. What should these include?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "A prioritized list of functional and non-functional requirements, and the rationale behind each.", integrity: 2, budget: -400, link: "S5Ra" }, { text: "A list of features based on what you've seen in the systems you've found during your research ", integrity: 1, budget: -250, link: "S5Rb" }, { text: "The requirements of your current system, copied over from the documents created when that was purchased.", integrity: -1, budget: -50, link: "S5Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"A prioritized list of requirements helps you focus on what's most important, ensuring that critical needs are met while allowing flexibility for less essential features."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 6: Short List|Step 6]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"A list of features based on your research provides a snapshot of what's available, but it may not fully align with your organization's specific needs and priorities."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 6: Short List|Step 6]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Copying the requirements of your current system may seem like a shortcut, but it can lead to outdated or irrelevant specifications that don't meet your organization's evolving needs."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 6: Short List|Step 6]]

<h2>Step 6: Make the Short List</h2> <p>How do you narrow 20 down to 5?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Filter out any whose websites are outdated or unprofessional.", integrity: -1, budget: -50, link: "S6Ra" }, { text: "Filter out any that fail to meet 'Must-Have' criteria.", integrity: 2, budget: -200, link: "S6Rb" }, { text: "Filter the solutions based on their estimated costs.", integrity: -2, budget: -50, link: "S6Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"The state of a supplier's website can provide some insight into their professionalism, but it doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of their software or services."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 7: Competitive Dialogue|Step 7]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Filtering out solutions that fail to meet 'Must-Have' criteria ensures that only viable options remain, focusing your efforts on the most critical requirements."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 7: Competitive Dialogue|Step 7]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Filtering solutions based on their estimated costs helps manage your budget, but it shouldn't be the sole criterion for selection."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 7: Competitive Dialogue|Step 7]]

<h2>Step 7: Competitive Dialogue</h2> <p>This is the most critical stage. How do you handle the finalists?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Request a proposal from each of the short-listed suppliers and score the documents.", integrity: -2, budget: -200, link: "S7Ra" }, { text: "Work through an iterative series of presentations and test drives, followed by an RFP", integrity: 3, budget: -700, link: "S7Rb" }, { text: "Request a sales demonstration based on the scenarios, plus a proposal to score", integrity: -1, budget: -300, link: "S7Rc" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Requesting a proposal from each of the short-listed suppliers and scoring the documents provides a structured way to compare options, but it often results in mis-matched expectations and overlooked nuances."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 8: Negotiation|Step 8]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"An iterative series of presentations and test drives allows for a deeper understanding of how each solution performs in real-world scenarios, leading to a more informed decision."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 8: Negotiation|Step 8]]

<<set _statusText = [{text:"Requesting a sales demonstration based on the scenarios, plus a proposal to score, provides a more interactive way to evaluate the solutions. However, it may not capture all the nuances of how the software will perform in your specific environment."}] >> <<Status _statusText>> [[Step 8: Negotiation|Step 8]]

<h2>Step 8: Negotiation</h2> <p>The finish line. How do you close the deal?</p> <<set _choices = [ { text: "Demand a massive discount or walk away.", integrity: -1, budget: +500, link: "End" }, { text: "Negotiate on levers (eg. recycling licenses, break clauses).", integrity: 2, budget: -250, link: "End" }, { text: "Sign the standard boilerplate contract immediately.", integrity: -1, budget: 0, link: "End" } ]>> <<randomChoices _choices>>

<h2>Final Results</h2> <p><strong>Strategic Integrity:</strong> $integrity / 10</p> <p><strong>Budget Remaining:</strong> £$budget</p> <<if $integrity gte 10 and $budget gte 1000>> <h3>Result: Strategic Hero</h3> <p>You spent your budget wisely on the <strong>process</strong> rather than just the software.</p> <p>You have a solution that fits and a contract that protects you.</p> <<elseif $budget lte 1000>> <h3>Result: Bankrupt Strategist</h3> <p>You followed the book perfectly, but you ran out of money! The project is stalled because you can't pay the vendor's first invoice.</p> <<else>> <h3>Result: Short Term Thinker</h3> <p>You are likely to face some "bite-back" issues because of skipped steps. At least you've not spent much of your budget.</p> <</if>> <<button "Restart">> <<run Engine.restart()>> <</button>>