Published by JMB Project Management Co. LLC
A software demonstration can make a new system feel like the answer before the organization has agreed the problem. Features are visible. The decisions about processes, ownership and expected outcomes require more work.
A stronger starting point for digital transformation is to describe how the business should operate differently. That gives suppliers a clearer brief and gives leadership a basis for judging whether the investment has delivered useful change.
Describe the business problem
Start with a process that matters. Where does work wait? Which information is entered more than once? What causes avoidable rework? Ask the people performing the tasks and those receiving the outputs.
Record the current position using available evidence. If the figures are uncertain, explain the gap and agree how to establish a baseline. An unsupported estimate should not quietly become the business case.
Define the intended outcome
Translate the problem into an outcome that can be observed. For example, an organization might want staff to see the status of an application without asking three departments for updates. The requirement then involves shared information, responsibility and access, as well as technology.
The UK Government Service Manual guidance on performance metrics provides a useful reference for connecting measurement to service objectives. Choose measures that reflect your own business need.
Examine the operating changes
A new platform may change who approves work, who maintains data and how exceptions are handled. Identify these changes before procurement. Include interfaces, access needs, reporting, training and support in the assessment.
Separate essential requirements from preferences. A feature that looks attractive in a demonstration should not displace a requirement needed to run the business.
Use selection to test the proposal
Ask suppliers to demonstrate representative workflows using agreed scenarios. Record assumptions about configuration, integration and responsibilities. Compare responses against the same requirements rather than relying on the quality of the presentation.
The resulting scope should explain both what will be delivered and what the organization must do to make it work. JMB supports digital transformation project planning, helping teams connect business requirements, supplier delivery and operational readiness.