running an efficient cms evaluation and procurement process: hands-on tips, insider knowledge and...

Piero TintoriCEO – TERMINALFOUR

[email protected]

Running an Efficient CMS Evaluation & Procurement Process

Hands on tips, Insider Knowledge & Advice

Who am I?

• CEO & Founder of TERMINALFOUR (a really good CMS vendor )

• 12 years experience working in the Content Management market

• Spend most of my time working on business development & helping customers with requirements analysis

• Presentation came out of University project & interviews with other vendors

What I’m going to cover?

• Why is getting the process right so important?

• Running an efficient evaluation & procurement process

• Writing an efficient RFT/RFP document

• Inside the mind of a vendor• Evaluating vendors efficiently• 10 Golden Rules

What I’m not going to cover?

• Why you might need a WCM / CMS?

• How to structure your project team?

• How much should we budget for?• Anything about specific solutions

Getting it right

Why is getting the process right, so important?

• Obvious reasons:– Value for money, project

success, Return on investment


• Obvious reasons:– Value for money, project

success, Return on investment

• The more important ones:– Less stress, kudos / admiration,

career advancement, reputation


• Similar to a staff recruitment process:– You’re looking for key “qualifications”– You’re looking for potential– Your looking for the right fit– You have a budget in mind

A transferable golden rule from Recruitment:

“It’s better not to recruit anyone, then recruit the wrong person”


• Similar to a staff recruitment process:– You’re looking for key “qualifications”– You’re looking for potential– Your looking for the right fit– You have a budget in mind

• A transferable golden rule from Recruitment:

“It’s better not to recruit anyone, then recruit the wrong person”

• It’s all about finding a company that fits in with you and your requirements:– Right size– Right price– Nice people to work with– Enthusiastic about your project– Knowledgeable about your

sector


• If it all goes wrong:– Impact on team moral– Delivery reputation damaged– User expectations damaged– Additional costs / loss of budget– Time / competitiveness lost

– (typically 3 years)


• Key areas where mistakes are made:– Not allowing enough time for the

process– A RFT document that even bores

you!– Not involving the vendors as early

in the process as possible– Not properly checking references– Not involving the right people from

within your organizations

Running an effective Evaluation Process

Running an efficient evaluation & procurement process

• Plan out your process– Consult with procurement– Consult with legal– Consult with budget holders

Don’t rush:– Allow 6-8 weeks for RFP evaluation

projects < $50,000

– Allow 8 – 12 weeks for RFP evaluation projects > $50,000

• Total time involved: 4-12 months

Running an efficient evaluation & procurement process

• Plan out your process– Consult with procurement– Consult with legal– Consult with budget holders

Don’t rush:Allow 6-8 weeks for RFP evaluation

projects < $50,000

Allow 8 – 12 weeks for RFP evaluation projects > $50,000

• Total time involved: 4-12 months

Identify Business Need

Write Business Case

Receive Project Approval

Gather High Level FunctionalRequirements

Write very short RFIdocument

Issue RFI/PQQ document tovendors

Identify List of PotentialVendors

Organize “quick”demonstrations

Gather FunctionalRequirements

Gather TechnicalRequirements

Write Functional / TechnicalRequirements Document

Consult with Procurement /Legal

Write RFP

Issue RFI document tovendors

Answer vendor queries

Receive vendor proposaldocuments

Review proposal documents

Organize vendor end userdemonstrations

Organize vendor technicaldemonstrations

Pose clarification questionsto vendors

Conduct end user trainingsession / meet project team

Select “favourites”

Check & visit references

Select Preferred Supplier

Negotiate Contracts

Agree Contracts& Quantify Pilot Phase

Inform other vendors

Begin Pilot Phase

Identify needs/ potentialvendors

Release RFPdocument

Evaluate &Review

Contracts &Pilot

Writing an Effective CMS RFT document

Writing an efficient RFT/RFP document

• Problems to avoid:– A very large document = a very

very large responseAvoid repetition at all costsDifficult to evaluate = simple

questions / simple answersAvoid “crazy” procurement

questions (i.e. is your product radioactive! etc.)



very large response– Avoid repetition at all costsDifficult to evaluate = simple





very large response– Avoid repetition at all costs– Difficult to evaluate = simple





very large response– Avoid repetition at all costs– Difficult to evaluate = simple

questions / simple answers– Avoid “crazy” procurement



• Recommended structure:– Project Overview– Describe procurement process– List Functional Requirements– List Support, Training &

Integration Requirements– Pricing information (what do you

want to purchase?)


• How to pose questions:– Pose clear questions – receive

clear answers– Easy to evaluate & score


• How to pose questions:– Vague questions vague answers

QuestionNumber

Pose question / detail specific functionalrequirement

Yes

Yes, with customization

No

Answer from vendor:


• How to pose questions:– Pose clear questions – receive

clear answersQuestionNumber

Mandatory/ Highly

Desirable /Optional

Pose question / detail specific functionalrequirement

Yes, out of the box

Yes, with configuration

Yes, with customization(chargable)

Yes, with customization(not chargable)

No

Answer from vendor:

Writing an efficient RFT/RFP document• Bad example questions / requirements:

– “use of unique IDs for users to allow for changes to fundamental parts of their profile, such as surname, while ensuring seamless continuance of their rights/roles profile”

“XYZ is actively expanding its customer base. The WCM system must allow increasing customer numbers to be supported whilst maintaining good performance”

Writing an efficient RFT/RFP document• Bad example questions / requirements:

– “use of unique IDs for users to allow for changes to fundamental parts of their profile, such as surname, while ensuring seamless continuance of their rights/roles profile”

– “XYZ is actively expanding its customer base. The WCM system must allow increasing customer numbers to be supported whilst maintaining good performance”


• Good example questions:– “The WCMS must allow for the

application of multiple templates to a single item of content.”

– “The WCMS should not produce content that is reliant on client-side scripting languages.”

– “The WCMS should offer the facility to produce site maps.”

– “It is highly desirable that the WCMS can publish to multiple servers.”

Evaluating vendors efficiently

• Meet the project team (or a few members of it)

• How enthusiastic is the vendor about your project?

• Check disclosed and non-disclosed references

• If you have the time, run a Pilot Project

• Is the fit right?

Conclusion

Conclusion

Get inside the mind of a vendor

• Vendors are adverse to risk as you are– Except:

» if they aren’t very busy» the sales person is under pressure to

make their numbers» If the software company is bigger than

your organization

Hidden variations in prices:Risk of the projectHow easy are you to deal with?How well they know your industry?


• Vendors are adverse to risk as you are– Except:

» if they aren’t very busy» the sales person is under pressure to

make their numbers» if the software company is bigger than

your organization

• Hidden variations in prices:» Risk of the project» How easy are you to deal with?» How well they know your industry?


• For example, timing is critical:

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

January March May July September November

10 Golden Rules

1. Don’t rush the process2. Time the release of your RFP3. Don’t have too many people

attend the initial presentation4. Don’t mix end user & technical

parts of a presentation5. Seek vendor advice as early as

possible in the process

10 Golden Rules

6. Allow enough time for the presentation

7. Ask specific questions - expect specific answers

8. Avoid repetition in RFT 9. Be careful using “Open Demo

Areas”10.Make sure they are the right fit

Conclusion

Thank you

[email protected]

running an efficient cms evaluation and procurement process: hands-on tips, insider knowledge and...

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