Table Of ContentSelection Management for Systems and
Services
Selection Management for
Systems and Services
JACQUIE WAKEFORD
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contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the
publisher and the author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or
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IT Governance Publishing
IT Governance Limited
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www.itgovernance.co.uk
© Jacquie Wakeford 2012
The author has asserted the rights of the author under the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this
work.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2012
by IT Governance Publishing.
ISBN 978-1-84928-426-4
FOREWORD
‘Choose wisely’ may be one of the best pieces of advice
you are ever given, but, like all good advice, the trick lies in
how to put it into practice.
In business we are faced with choices on a regular basis and
the decisions we make may have far-reaching
consequences. Certainly in the business of information
technology it is important that our systems and services are
up to the job and capable of meeting our information
processing requirements. Briefly articulate those
requirements in a search engine and a quick trawl of the
web will undoubtedly uncover many ways to meet the need,
however, despite the endeavours of the smartest algorithms
or the cleverest search optimisations, the product at the top
of the list may not be the one for you. Choosing wisely
from the options available, sorting the wheat from the chaff,
deserves a rigour and a process that’s more than the click of
a mouse, or the poke of a finger.
When the expenditure is minimal and the obligation none
too onerous we may be inclined to trust our decision
making to good judgement and the past experience of
ourselves or others, but when the budgetary figures increase
and the commitment becomes demanding, we should look
for a method that brings insight, robustness and reliability
to our decision making. Selecting the right system or the
right service from the multiplicity that is today’s
marketplace is a valuable skill and many of us would
willingly devote time and study to hone that skill.
5
Foreword
Learning the art and science of any topic frequently benefits
from an expert guide and this book provides excellent
guidance through this essential process.
Martyn Croft, CIO
The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of
Ireland
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since starting her IT career as a mainframe software
programmer in the 1980s, Jacquie has successfully
performed a number of roles including project/programme
manager, methods consultant and Head of ICT for a
national charity. Experience gained by working in a number
of sectors is complemented by knowledge and skills built
on meeting diverse business challenges, as well as
academic learning.
For the last five years, Jacquie has used this wealth of
expertise and knowledge to run her own business, Miriona
Ltd., an independent IT management consultancy. This has
involved a range of assignments and roles, with assistance
in system and service selection being a common request.
When not working, Jacquie enjoys a variety of sports,
including golf, horse riding and running.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
No book is written in isolation, so I have to thank a number
of people who have helped to support me through the
process. A special mention must go to my husband,
William, for putting up with me typing away during
evenings and weekends, my sister, Karen, for giving it a
sense check and transferring it into the template and a
colleague, Bob, who proofread it and gave good feedback
on content too.
I also have to thank all the organisations I have worked for
and with over the years, which has given me the experience
needed to write the book.
Thanks also to the two reviewers of the manuscript, Brian
Johnson, CA Technologies and ir. H.L. (Maarten) Souw RE
Enterprise Risk and QA Manager UWV (National
Employee Benefits Administration).
A final thanks goes to my lovely cats, Bosun, Diesel and
Alfie. They can’t resist keeping me company at my desk
which has made the whole process much more pleasurable
for me!
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CONTENTS
Introduction ...................................................................... 11
Chapter 1: Overall Process ............................................. 15
Stages in the process ....................................................... 15
Documentation ................................................................ 20
Fit with project management methodology .................... 24
Chapter 2: Define Selection Parameters ........................ 26
Who should be involved? ................................................ 26
Why are you doing it? ..................................................... 29
What are the outcomes? .................................................. 30
What is the scope? .......................................................... 30
Is the business case realistic? .......................................... 31
Are there any constraints? ............................................... 34
Chapter 3: Gather Requirements ................................... 36
Purpose and objectives of requirements ......................... 36
Who should be involved? ................................................ 38
Ways to gather requirements .......................................... 38
Detailing and prioritising requirements .......................... 39
How to write up requirements ......................................... 42
Example requirements specification document template 44
Chapter 4: Draft the Request For Information (RFI) .. 46
Purpose of the RFI .......................................................... 46
Possible alternatives to an RFI ........................................ 47
How to compile the RFI .................................................. 49
Example RFI template .................................................... 51
Chapter 5: Agree Longlist and Issue RFI ...................... 57
Reviewing and agreeing the RFI ..................................... 57
Compiling the longlist ..................................................... 58
Non-disclosure agreements ............................................. 61
Managing the issue procedure ........................................ 62
Chapter 6: Agree Review Criteria and Team ............... 64
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Contents
Agreeing the review team ............................................... 64
Determining the review criteria ...................................... 66
Options for reviewing ..................................................... 67
Example scoresheets ....................................................... 68
Dealing with the suppliers .............................................. 71
Chapter 7: Review Responses and Produce Shortlist ... 74
How to review the responses .......................................... 74
Example summary of responses document template ...... 76
How to shortlist ............................................................... 78
What if a decision cannot be reached? ............................ 79
Advising the rejected suppliers ....................................... 80
Chapter 8: In-depth Investigation .................................. 81
Common activities for your in-depth investigation ........ 81
Example of pitch meeting notes template ....................... 87
Possible additional activities ........................................... 89
Chapter 9: Final Selection ............................................... 91
Making the final selection ............................................... 91
Whether to have a final activity – or not ......................... 92
Contract negotiation ........................................................ 94
Example evaluation report template ............................... 94
Chapter 10: Next Steps .................................................... 98
Guidance on next steps ................................................... 98
Learning lessons ............................................................ 100
ITG Resources ................................................................ 102
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