Hi all,
My name is Steve, and currently studying for my PMP while I am entering my 12th year as a project manager. Previously I worked at a software implementation company that sold a software suite that was about 80% standard with 20% added bespoke functionality.
Now, I am working at a company that is selling a software suite that in all project is about 70% bespoke, and a base model of 30% standard functionality. On top of that, they mainly work with tenders.
As I have had many years at the same kinds of projects, the tender business is relatively new to me. What I have noticed is that the requirements of the customer are so high level that they can be interpreted hundreds of ways. What currently tends to happen is that our commerce departments does an estimate based on assumptions they make, but when we win the tender during the requirements sessions we notice that a lot of times the customer wants something else than the way it was written or interpreted.
How do you handle this? I could really use some advice on what process to look at, documents to look into or even courses to follow to help me become a better software implementation project manager for tenders.
Appreciate any advice, thank you! Saving Changes...
Project & PMO Manager | Research & Enterprise Mentor| GFB HoldingSouth America, Brazil
When dealing with very open requests that contain gaps in requirements and assumptions or are presented in a very general manner, it is crucial to adopt a structured approach to ensure clarity and alignment with the client's expectations. Here’s how you might handle such situations effectively:
1) Detailed Requirements Gathering: Begin by creating a comprehensive list of specific considerations. This involves breaking down the general requirements into more detailed, actionable items. Engage with stakeholders to clarify any ambiguities and ensure that all aspects of the project are covered. Techniques such as interviews, workshops, and questionnaires can be employed to extract detailed requirements.
2) Assumptions Documentation: Clearly document any assumptions that are being made during the proposal stage. This includes assumptions about the project scope, resource availability, timelines, and any other factors that could impact the project's execution. By explicitly stating these assumptions, you set a baseline for further discussions and adjustments.
3) Formalization through Proposals: Incorporate the detailed requirements and assumptions into your proposal. This not only formalizes the understanding between you and the client but also serves as a reference point throughout the project lifecycle. Ensure that the proposal is comprehensive and includes sections for scope, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities.
By following these steps, you not only enhance the clarity and precision of project requirements but also build a strong foundation for successful project management. This approach demonstrates a thorough understanding of the complexities involved in managing open-ended project requests and aligns with best practices in the field. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Steve, one of the key responsibilities during the tender process is to seek clarifications from the client. They typically address all questions through an addendum. If someone proceeds with their bid based on assumptions without seeking clarification, it could lead to significant costs. Therefore, it’s always best to validate as many assumptions as possible! Saving Changes...
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Hi Steve,
In a tender-based environment, there are two main phases to consider: pre-tender and post-tender activities.
Regarding the pre-tender phase, I agree with Rami's advice on enhancing requirements gathering or client clarification.
I would like to add one more point: Leverage Lessons Learned. After each project, conduct a retrospective to identify what went well and what could be improved. Saving Changes...
One of the challenges might be that the clients have a conceptual understanding of the desired end state rather than a detailed one. In such cases, putting them on the spot to provide detailed requirements at a very early stage might be quite challenging so an adaptive approach to decomposing the scope of work and focusing on understanding the highest priority/value/risk requirements early on and others progressively over time might be a better option.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
My recomendation is taking a look to business analyst role and the related documentation in the PMI. Saving Changes...
Thank you all for the recommendations. From the posts above I created a few actionable items for myself to follow up on at my company:
1. Review current tender nvi (Nota van Inlichtingen), which is the document through which questions from tenderers are mentioned, and answers are given. Specifically review the questions my colleagues from commerce ask, and discuss involvement of subject matter experts.
2. Set up an assumptions log (just learned that yesterday though PMP study), for current tender project: post-tender. Check these assumptions with customer. Involve business consultant in creation.
3. Review the general plan of current tender, and decompose into WBS and activities. Until yesterday I only used a general plan (bird view), and decomposed it into specific activities. Yesterday when studying for PMP I learned about the baselines, WBS and activities list.
4. Finish PMP course and certification before questioning further on this item.
Kiron, your advice I have been working on previously (transition to adaptive approach). My advice for the group of directors internally has been to transition from predictive/waterfall to a hybrid approach. We are in the middle of this transition, but we are missing knowledge on the specifics of how to implement this approach. We are using KanBan and working in sprints, but we have no product owner, SCRUM master and only one business consultant and one technical consultant working on a project at a time. By trying to get certified for PMP, and afterwards look for agile education, I am trying to educate myself to be a better conversational partner for my board of directors, consultants and other stakeholders.
I am thankful for all your comments so far, and it helps me get even more excited to further professionalize my career in this field. Saving Changes...
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