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Software Package Evaluation and Selection

Due to the increasing complexities of the software development process, more and more organizations are considering the purchase of Off-the-Shelf (OTS) software as an alternative to custom development. Evaluating marketplace options against existing and future business requirements often becomes a major effort in itself since each side of the evaluation has both data and process components. Successful evaluation requires the ability to derive detailed requirements from both current production applications as well as any required functional enhancements, and compare the result to the intricacies of each potential OTS alternative.

Sometimes, a side advantage of software package implementation for large organizations is the potential transition to seemingly standard business processes. In some situations, software packages may be perceived as silver bullet solutions to inconsistencies which may abound due to conflicting and/or redundant implementations of distinct internal applications. When standardized processes are an added objective, it is essential that the package functionality be evaluated in terms of its ease of interface with existing data sources and targets. Consultants involved in this undertaking must be well experienced business analysts with the technical skills necessary to evaluate package internals and customization capability. They should be able to separate vendor hype from actual package characteristics.

Database Design Solutions, Inc. approaches package evaluation from the same global perspective used in data integration/consolidation efforts. Our enterprise-based package evaluation methodology considers the role of the package's internal data with respect to:

• Its role within each functional package alternative
• Its source(s) and how they functionally interact with package processing
• Target recipients of package data and the planned subsequent downstream processing

In addition we consider the obvious process characteristics of:

• Each package alternative
• The functional environment which is targeted for package replacement, including any existing applications as well as client-specified and consultant-derived requirements
• Components of the general enterprise process flows, as relevant to package processing

Database Design Solutions, Inc. has successfully evaluated marketplace software options for a variety of industries and applications including pharmaceutical (clinical trials, research tracking, manufacturing, and order processing), public sector (municipal budgeting, accounting, health care claims processing), retail, manufacturing, and corporate support (human resources, accounting, order tracking). We have worked with software vendors in order to represent client requirements for potential package customization. Finally, we have remained on-site during package transition in order to ensure the presence of vendor-neutral client representation when software package issues arise.