Setting your objective

Why?

The first step of the software-buying journey is to decide what you want it to do. Which problem do you want it to solve? Which goal do you want it to achieve? Answering this will help you narrow down the type of software you need. Having a clear and well-defined objective from the start is one of the critical success factors in making solid software choices. When salespeople are promising you the earth, you can use this to check whether the thing they are offering is something you actually want.

For example:

• We need to get invoices out there faster to speed up cashflow
• We need to spend less time on HR admin now we’ve got more people
• My inbox is rammed, we need a better way to share and store project document
• We need to co-ordinate the way we communicate with clients
• We need to get better at making delivery deadlines
• We need to process more orders in a day without paying so much overtime

How?

Download the Objectives template below, make notes on it and refer back to it throughout your software selection process:

• When you’re compiling a shortlist of software products, use it to decide which products will meet most of your requirements.
• When you’re talking to software salespeople use it to check whether the things they’re promising are the things you actually want.
• When you’ve chosen and installed your new software, use it to see whether it’s delivering what you wanted. Did it work? Was it worth it?

Once you’ve identified the thing you want it to do, it’s worth then considering what the future might look like. Without a clear vision for what you want to happen, you won’t know when you’ve achieved it.