10 Ways to mitigate proposal solution development risks

At the 2011 APMP International Conference, Lohfeld Consulting Group’s Managing Director Brenda Crist presented an informative session on mitigating proposal risks. Here are Brenda’s identified Solution Development Risks and recommended Mitigation Strategies:

1. Does your solution meet the customer’s requirements for usability and navigation? Confirm that your company understands the user’s requirements for usability, navigation, and responsiveness. Test the solution to verify it meets the customer’s requirements and adds value to operations.
2. Does your solution incorporate the customer’s required business logic? Test the solution to confirm it contains the business logic or rules needed to validate the customer’s data and system integrity. If needed, redesign the solution to fit the customer’s requirements. Explain how your solution will accomplish the customer’s requirements at best value and build advocacy.
3. Does your solution provide a scalable, flexible, and available architecture for meeting the customer’s requirements? Gain an understanding of the customer’s current architecture and plans for upgrades. Verify the type and scope of architecture the customer requires. Determine what trade-offs the customer is willing to make and what the customer is willing to spend.
4. Can your company provide appropriate training and technical support once the solution is deployed? Determine the customer’s learning objectives, schedule, and preferred training methods. Determine the level and type of technical support required by the customer and if the customer has preferred service level agreements (SLA).
5. Can your solution meet customer requirements for secure storage? Test and verify your solution can store the volume of data required by the customer. Test and verify your storage solution can deliver backup and recovery within the customer’s required service levels. Test and verify your storage solution meets the client’s requirements for continuity of operations and recovery in the event of an issue or disaster.
6. Is your solution compatible with the customer’s other systems? Test and verify your solution can integrate with the customer’s other systems and secure data exchanges are possible.
7. Can your solution meet the customer’s security requirements? Test and verify your solution is compliant with the customer’s security requirements.
8. If you are providing a product, does the product meet the customer’s requirements for safety, human engineering (ergonomics), or environmental/green requirements? Test and verify your product is technically acceptable and meets client requirements for safety, human engineering, or environmental requirements.
9. Do you have sufficient personnel to perform the work? Have a plan to capture incumbent personnel if needed, have sufficient staff within your company, or obtain new hires to perform the work. Verify personnel are available to transition on schedule.
10. Can you transition the work without interrupting or adversely affecting client operations? Acquire and train a transition team. Build a viable transition schedule with frequent milestones. Define a communications process that keeps the customer informed.

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