Difference between revisions of "WestCoast2008:Methods in Selecting Software"
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== Ahas == | == Ahas == | ||
| − | * Psychological and cultural divide between technies and the mission that is | + | * Psychological and cultural divide between technies and the mission that is inimitable to your interest. |
Seems that there has to be some fundamental understanding of how the technology works, and if you don't have that .... | Seems that there has to be some fundamental understanding of how the technology works, and if you don't have that .... | ||
* The concept of good enough. | * The concept of good enough. | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
Seth | Seth | ||
| − | * | + | * For CMS, picked tech first (Drupal), then put out RFP without specifying platform |
| − | * | + | * For CRM, picked platform first (salesforce), then put out RFP for customizing/implementing. |
Robert | Robert | ||
| Line 44: | Line 44: | ||
Laura | Laura | ||
* Idealware is a non-profit that provides information on software | * Idealware is a non-profit that provides information on software | ||
| − | * Two | + | * Two methodologists |
* look at what a market [set of features] looks like | * look at what a market [set of features] looks like | ||
* find 5-10 experts, interview them, find out what considerations are, market leading products | * find 5-10 experts, interview them, find out what considerations are, market leading products | ||
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
* Detailed tool comparison reports (example, doing grant management tools) | * Detailed tool comparison reports (example, doing grant management tools) | ||
* 10-20 people | * 10-20 people | ||
| − | * | + | * Vendor demos are followed by creation of rubric |
| − | * | + | * Nonprofits could use variation of this method |
Seth | Seth | ||
| − | * | + | * Method depends on size of org. large orgs bring in the vendors to demo the software. smaller orgs (<20 staff) do informal research. |
Cinderella | Cinderella | ||
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
[Name] | [Name] | ||
How do I find references? | How do I find references? | ||
| − | * | + | * Ask vendors for references |
| − | * | + | * Check out social source commons, socialsourcecommongs.org |
| − | * | + | * Just google and find references, then follow up by a email. |
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
I don't have time to join all these groups and do all this research. How do I get answers quickly. | I don't have time to join all these groups and do all this research. How do I get answers quickly. | ||
| − | * | + | * Look at market leaders |
| − | * | + | * Find something good enough |
Joe | Joe | ||
| Line 76: | Line 76: | ||
How to pick calendar sharing application | How to pick calendar sharing application | ||
Look at | Look at | ||
| − | * | + | * Cost |
| − | * | + | * Ease of use |
| − | * | + | * Ease to implement |
| − | * | + | * Interoperability with outlook |
| − | * | + | * Low support burden, no extra work for technies. |
Laura and Dyana | Laura and Dyana | ||
How do we define needs? | How do we define needs? | ||
| − | What is your system for coming up with checklist? | + | What is your system for coming up with a checklist? |
Arthur | Arthur | ||
| − | * | + | * We are not that systematic, we are intuitive |
Ken | Ken | ||
| Line 94: | Line 94: | ||
Joe | Joe | ||
| − | * Sit down and have a meeting, make a proposal for | + | * Sit down and have a meeting, make a proposal for something that meets your needs |
Robert | Robert | ||
| Line 105: | Line 105: | ||
Laura | Laura | ||
| − | + | *Get demos early in the process to know what is possible. | |
| − | Get demos early in the process to know what is possible. | ||
Arthur | Arthur | ||
| − | + | *Adoption can be a problem, if leader doesn't drive best practices and adoption, often doesn't happen. | |
| − | Adoption can be a problem, if leader doesn't drive best practices and adoption, often doesn't happen. | ||
Name? | Name? | ||
| Line 128: | Line 126: | ||
* Factor in if is generates income | * Factor in if is generates income | ||
| − | Consultant experience of what people pay for /budget for a donor database * | + | Consultant experience of what people pay for /budget for a donor database * seems totally arbitrary. |
.... Missed some stuff .... | .... Missed some stuff .... | ||
David | David | ||
| − | + | *Don't forget asking your peers, friends and colleagues offline. Call up people and ask them what they use. | |
| − | Don't forget asking your peers, friends and colleagues offline. Call up people and ask them what they use. | ||
Seth | Seth | ||
| − | + | *Put out queries on progressive-exchange mailing list. But may get lots of private responses from vendors. | |
| − | Put out queries on progressive-exchange mailing list. But may get lots of private responses from vendors. | ||
Latest revision as of 23:29, 15 January 2016
How do you balance the need to pick great software with the need to not spend a year full time doing it? We'll talk about processes and methods - including Idealware's research methods for understanding what software is available in a particular area - that can help.
Seth & Laura -- Software Selection
Ahas
- Psychological and cultural divide between technies and the mission that is inimitable to your interest.
Seems that there has to be some fundamental understanding of how the technology works, and if you don't have that ....
- The concept of good enough.
- Great idea to use others RFPs at shortcut feature list.
- Happy that others agreed that RFP's can be a waste of time
- Challenges can be very similar, but solutions very different.
Session
Seth
- For CMS, picked tech first (Drupal), then put out RFP without specifying platform
- For CRM, picked platform first (salesforce), then put out RFP for customizing/implementing.
Robert
- Long complex RFP processes often a waste of time.
- Short RFP (5-10) pages make a lot more sense,
- Some vendors refuse to respond to RFP's, unless there is an existing relationship
Laura
- We are in bad cycle of RFP abuse
- Lots of web site vendors won't respond to RFPs
Jonathan
- What do non-profits think about contracts
Kimberly
- Contracts help define relationship and build it out
Arthur
- Contract is valuable symbol, memorializes
Robert Always write a proposal for clients, and always write a scope of work * different from RFP
NAME
- RFP has a bad stamp to it
Laura
- Idealware is a non-profit that provides information on software
- Two methodologists
* look at what a market [set of features] looks like * find 5-10 experts, interview them, find out what considerations are, market leading products
- Detailed tool comparison reports (example, doing grant management tools)
* 10-20 people * Vendor demos are followed by creation of rubric * Nonprofits could use variation of this method
Seth
- Method depends on size of org. large orgs bring in the vendors to demo the software. smaller orgs (<20 staff) do informal research.
Cinderella
- How do we find out the top 3 software choices for list mgmt?
[Name] How do I find references?
- Ask vendors for references
- Check out social source commons, socialsourcecommongs.org
- Just google and find references, then follow up by a email.
Joe
I don't have time to join all these groups and do all this research. How do I get answers quickly.
- Look at market leaders
- Find something good enough
Joe
How to pick calendar sharing application Look at
- Cost
- Ease of use
- Ease to implement
- Interoperability with outlook
- Low support burden, no extra work for technies.
Laura and Dyana
How do we define needs? What is your system for coming up with a checklist?
Arthur
- We are not that systematic, we are intuitive
Ken
- Even though we are more structured, we have lots of false starts
Joe
- Sit down and have a meeting, make a proposal for something that meets your needs
Robert
- This is a place where other people's RFPs are very useful
- Look at other people's RFP for ideas, features to prioritize
Seth
- Keep ongoing list of needs, problems noticed
- Sit down with tech consultant
Laura
- Get demos early in the process to know what is possible.
Arthur
- Adoption can be a problem, if leader doesn't drive best practices and adoption, often doesn't happen.
Name?
Have group brainstorming and prioritizing. Do a 3 hour meeting with everybody in the room, as opposed to individual meetings.
Laura
- Knowledge of what is possible
- Knowledge of what tools exist
- Understanding organizational and people's needs
Seth How to rationally set a budget?
- Look at how tech relates to mission
- Look at how tech relates to income.
- Look at staff time / money saved
- Factor in if is generates income
Consultant experience of what people pay for /budget for a donor database * seems totally arbitrary.
.... Missed some stuff ....
David
- Don't forget asking your peers, friends and colleagues offline. Call up people and ask them what they use.
Seth
- Put out queries on progressive-exchange mailing list. But may get lots of private responses from vendors.