Choosing Software Applications

Choosing Software Applications

Shareece Barnes

CIS/ 568

July 19, 2014

Instructor: Robin Deitsch

University of Phoenix

The selection of software application packages requires advanced technical knowledge of IT systems that many companies do not have. In addition to the extremely high demand on the company in the technical aspect, there are financial limitations for most companies that prevent them from accessing the most effective programs, which can prove to be very costly. For these reasons, companies are more and more frequently outsourcing the selection process to those better equipped, or vendors, to make an informed decision on what course of action would best serve the company. Vendor selection, in this situation, would be the prerequisite to moving forward with program selection.

Vendors are sourced through a variety of measures and many forms of research. A company may choose to hire a consulting firm that is familiar with software application and the vendors available in the field. Alternatively, a company may opt to do the research themselves, conducting searches on via the internet and consulting with trade journals to find the vendor that suites them. In addition, software catalogs may provide a company with a standard of what to expect from a vendor, and even offer suggested or featured vendors, known for their success in the applications area. A company may also consult with current hardware vendors, if they have them, to find a suitable vendor whose software is compatible with the current hardware systems.

Once a company has an initial list of vendors, the process of narrowing down the perspective candidates can begin. This requires the company to evaluate several criteria. One of the most easily identifiable factors is vendor reputation. With so many vendors available that provide the same or similar services, a company must consider the reputation of the vendor they are to select and how that reputation affects the company, both directly and indirectly.

For example, Walmart works in cooperation with Non- government Organizations (NGOs), as well as government leaders to verify product production is done in an ethical manner (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 2014). A vendor bearing a reputation for difficulties with employee relations would find it difficult to obtain an agreement with the company due to their inability to meet the standards Walmart sets for their suppliers. Such an association would have damaging results on Walmart's reputation, despite how the company may treat its own employees.

In lieu of selecting a vendor for development, I would take the road less travelled, continuing in Walmart's tradition of being more innovative and resourceful in obtaining technicians of my own. This is mainly due to the size and demand of the company. It also does not hurt that the company sells in excess of $1 billion/ day, meaning the cost of hiring tech in house shouldn't be a huge factor. Sam Walton used an outside - the -box attitude in sourcing in the 1960's, when he attended an IBM school in upstate New York to find experts to computerize his operations (Traub, 2012). This bold action has resulted in the development of RFID and smart tags being "the next generation in supply chain innovation" (Traub, 2012), aiding Walmart in saving time and money with a faster inventory turnover, increased warehouse space and accurate inventory forecasts. The option of using in house technicians also relieves the company from any possible scandal as a result of selecting the wrong vendor to provide services. Technicians will be specifically familiar with the capabilities and needs of the system and the process should be more expeditious in return. Also beneficial is the ability to have training conducted without using a vendor. Using its own developers enables Walmart to train users sans outsourcing. It also serves to provide a more efficient support system, getting an immediate response from a tech team within the organization as opposed to waiting for a contractor to arrive.

The software selection process requires that several basic criteria be upheld in order to meet the needs of the company. Table 13.3 of the text for this course, Introduction to Information Systems, lists the general