Technology projects are on the rise. There’s pent up demand and “end of life” threats on existing systems. It’s tempting to move fast to get something done. But that’s not optimal for making careful and thoughtful decisions. I’d suggest that you use a structured process to reduce risk and enable you to achieve your goals without needlessly hindering your quest.
A formal assessment and planning process pursues the appropriate technology to fill your requirement gaps without buying more (or less!) than you need. It secures solutions that fit into your overall technology environment while delivering business value.
Conducting a discovery process helps your team understand your center and its business and technology situation as well as the external world and what it has to offer. Start by developing a thorough understanding of your current technology environment. Then envision the possibilities by gaining knowledge of the industry, the contact center marketplace, your competition, and industry leaders.
In the analysis & assessment phase, you’ll take the list of current technology and go deeper to understand how the technology is applied today. You should uncover ways that you could more effectively apply what you already have and identify the gaps to fill, the options to fill them, and the tradeoffs for each option. Part of your analysis should also include other success factors for effective application, integration, procurement, implementation, and support.
Define and develop the end state or vision. Make sure that you have synchronized your business, operations, and technology strategies. Suggest technology models that may be appropriate and recognize the risks and how you will mitigate them. Define a vision for architecture, sourcing, infrastructure, applications, integration, and support that will meet your goals. Define the implementation approach including phases. Complete any financial analysis required for project approval.
Document and validate all aspects of the plan, including the vision, required actions, budget submittal, and project phasing and timing. Capture sufficient detail for plan approval, but make sure that the whole team knows the “elevator story” – that is, the high level messaging to capture the interest and attention of key executives.
That’s a really quick overview of the process. If I’ve whet your appetite, I highly recommend that you read the full article.