Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Checklists
Figure 9.2
Checklists are not always good.
Avoid asking for things you do not need straight away or presume
their need in the distant future
, for you might be rejecting a
perfectly acceptable product.
There are other high-level factors to consider, including the culture of the
vendor and the metaphor for selecting the OTS product.
The Culture of the Vendor
Think of OTS products as cultures, not in the sense that SAP
is a German
®
product and Siebel
is an American product, but in the sense that the
product is the outcome of a particular company culture. In any company
where things are done in certain ways — some acceptable, some not —
certain value (design) systems are adhered to, which in fact point to a
deep-rooted behavior pattern. The product that one is purchasing is a
product of some design and development culture. For example, one might
be baffled by the way the same functionality is implemented in different
products, or the way it differs from how one would have done it. Screen
navigations, default values and processes, menus, toolbars and short keys,
terminology, error messages, and data and tool interfaces can all be
different, driven by the varying design cultures behind them.
Another reason why it is important to try to understand the vendor's
culture is because it affects one's future relationship with the vendor.
Some (vendors) believe in slower release cycles, ensuring that they take
their time to introduce new functionality reliably. While working with
such vendors, one needs to adjust one's expectations accordingly. On the
other hand, one may be dealing with a company that puts out software
versions frequently, and cleans them up as one goes along. In that case,
one needs to recognize it and give it due importance.
®
