EIM
#3: You asked the tourist for directions
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 | EIM, Project Direction, SPM, Top 'n' Lists, Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements, large projects, requirements | No Comments
#3 of 5: Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements
It’s important to identify the true subject matter experts and speak to them. There are a lot of tourists roaming the streets eager to share what they know. Tourists have read all the guides and made a couple of day trips. They know more than you and they can sound very confident, but beware, they don’t live here. They don’t know that 5th Street is a one-way going south of Elm or that the Bob’s Big Boy landmark they’re using burned down two months ago. You need a native to give you details; only a native knows everything. At companies, there are many tourists roaming the halls with abundant enthusiasm and misinformation.
The Problem
Once again we like to pull information from those willing to give it. A fundamental problem with this approach is that it’s often the busiest and least available individuals to whom we really need to speak. I learned my lesson the hard way. This is a true story.
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- #2: You painted the wall from bottom to top - JasonKearns
- #1: You took the buffalo for a walk - JasonKearns
#2: You painted the wall from bottom to top
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | EIM, Project Direction, Top 'n' Lists, Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements, large projects, requirements | No Comments
#2 of 5: Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements
It is possible to collect requirements out of order, and it often happens. Just like painting a wall, there is some strategy involved. When you paint, you typically want to start at the top and work your way down. The reason is simple, drips. Even the most experienced painters aren’t going to be able to prevent all drips, streams and splatters. As you coat the wall you inevitably get streams of paint running down via gravity. If you are painting from top to bottom, it’s no big deal. You just paint over and smooth out the drips as you work your way down. But if you are painting from bottom to top, you have a problem. In order to smooth out the drips you have to go back and re-brush some areas that have already been covered. This amounts to a lot of wasted time and effort.
The Problem
When things get done out of order, it’s usually for good reason. Human nature is to do what you can, as soon as you can, with the least amount of effort. When you painted your first wall you probably started at eye level. You don’t have to bend over and you don’t have to climb a ladder. When collecting requirements, it’s typical to start with the easiest and most readily available information. This wouldn’t be so bad if everything was fully documented and available from Day One. However, in most case this just means you schedule whoever is available and forthcoming. Beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to getting client subject matter expert (SME) time.
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Similar Posts:
- #5: You put lipstick on a pig - JasonKearns
- #3: You asked the tourist for directions - JasonKearns
#1: You took the buffalo for a walk
Monday, March 23rd, 2009 | EIM, SPM, Top 'n' Lists, Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements, large projects, requirements | 2 Comments
#1 of 5: Top 5 Mistakes Collecting SPM / EIM Project Requirements
You need to be in control and organized. And if you’ve ever tried to walk a buffalo, you can attest to the fact that you are not in control of that situation. In this metaphor, the buffalo is a requirements meeting without an agenda. They can definitely get away from you and cause a lot of damage along the way.
The Problem
Implementations have a natural order of events.
• Scoping/Budgeting
• Resource Selection/Planning
• Project Start
• Requirements
• Design
• Etc…
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Similar Posts:
- #2: You painted the wall from bottom to top - JasonKearns
- #3: You asked the tourist for directions - JasonKearns
Share the Joy (or beneficially commiserate)
Monday, February 23rd, 2009 | EIM, SPM, User communities | No Comments
Are you part of an active user community for your SPM software? If not, you should be. The benefits can be immense. Some of things you might gain include:
• a different perspective on software function ability
• an understanding of how other companies have addressed issues similar to those that you may be facing
• advice on upgrade and feature utilization timing
• recommendations for product and ancillary service providers
• insight on how others have approached contract negotiations with the vendor1
How do you find an appropriate group of fellow customers? Often software vendors will provide references at sales time and beyond including lists of potential groups. User conferences or industry trade shows are another opportunity to find software user groups with which to join or if necessary (and often with even better benefits) to form your own user groups (e.g. Callidus’ TrueConnection conferences, Varicent participatory events,Oracle Users Conferences 2009, WorldatWork’s Total Rewards Conference).
Why do consultants like us encourage user group participation? The answer is that we find we can better provide excellent services value to more knowledgeable customers and that these customers better recognize our value.
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- Callidus Introduces SPM Community: OpenCommissions - MichaelStus
- SaaS Pricing for Callidus On-Premise Solution - MichaelStus