How do you write a RFP?

April 26, 2012

Dawn

It’s time for another adventure into the world of Business Analysis (I know you’re excited).  In this blog I’m going to be discussing the process for developing a RFP, which you probably know stands for “Request for Proposal.”  I often interact with RFPs both in terms of creating them and responding to them.  RFPs are utilized to solicit potential vendors for the purchase of a good or service.  For instance, if your organization needed a new computer system for payroll, you would write an RFP to solicit vendors capable of completing the task.

One reason it can be so difficult to write a RFP is that the information in the RFP does not explain how the system will function, but rather what the system needs to do. (See What Does Your System Require? for defining how a system will function.)  Now I know how your curious minds work Dear Readers, you are wondering:

  • Who? needs to be involved in helping you write the RFP
  • How? you should approach writing the RFP

The Who?
If you have been charged in writing a RFP, one of the first questions you ask yourself is who else needs to be involved?   Well the first people you need are the stakeholders, and not just management, but those people who will be using the new system. As a Business Analyst it has been my experience that when members of an organization are tasked with writing a RFP, they can find it difficult.  The reason is that deriving this information can become complicated if there are many stakeholders involved.  In those instances, everyone wants to make sure their needs are voiced and met.  So who else might need to be involved?  The answer is an objective third party.  Bringing in an objective third party can be of great assistance in this process since they are neutral and have no reason to put one stakeholder’s needs over another’s.

The How?
How do you start to write a RFP? Meet with all the stakeholders, both separate and en mass.  Sitting down and allowing everyone to express their needs and desires (and documenting them), provides a basis for writing the RFP.  As more and more details are voiced and explained, a clearer picture of the needs of the system begins to emerge.  The next step involves sifting through all the information to define what the system will need to do at launch, what aspects are “must haves” and what other aspects are “nice to haves.”   For example if you were writing a RFP to purchase a new coffee maker, you would not want to include that it should fry eggs. But you might want to include that it have an automatic timer.  Can you still make coffee without the timer, yes, but it would be “nice to have” a timer.    Both must haves and nice to haves can be included in the RFP, but making a clear delineation helps create a concise, well thought out design (scope of the project) and can help to contain the cost.

So now you are ready for your own RFP adventure, but if you need a guide, please give me a call.

Image credit: Stuart Miles

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Posted by Dawn Bott

Strategic Planning 101: Prioritizing Objectives

April 9, 2012

Guest Blogger, Larry Martin

In my previous blog (Strategic Planning 101—taking the first step), strategic objectives were captured from all levels of the organization.  So what do you do with those strategic objectives?  The next task in Strategic Planning is to create a smaller list of no more than ten (10) objectives.  These 10 objectives will be narrowed down even further, creating a “Priority List” of 5 objectives that the organization can begin to implement.

How to do it?
One way to create this “Priority List” is to have all those involved with creating the original list divide into groups.  Then, depending on the number of groups, subdivide the large list of strategic objectives by the number of groups.  Each group will be responsible for reducing their list down to 1 or 2 objectives they feel are important for your organization.  One of the benefits of dividing up the list is that it mixes up the objectives such that a group may not be working on an objective they created.

After the smaller groups have completed their reductions, all the groups will reconvene. With the larger group assembled, the facilitator will lead the discussion, asking each smaller group to provide a reason why an objective should be placed on the “Priority List.”  The group as a whole will come to a consensus as to what objectives will make it to the “Priority List.”

Image credit: David Castillo Dominici

Why do it?
Having ten objectives that are important to the organization is great, but implementing all ten can be overwhelming.  Further narrowing the objectives down to a “Priority List” consisting of three (3) to five (5) objectives will allow your organization to gain success through implementation.

How to make it fun?
Control over the group discussion is critical, so that everyone is given an opportunity to speak without interruption. 

Your facilitator will need to manage and control the discussion in order to reduce the stress of a large group discussion.  This is where the group can have a little FUN.  I have seen sessions where the use of props such as stuffed toys are used to indicate a person has the floor and no one else can speak.  Conversely, I have also seen it where everyone has a stuffed animal and can throw into the center of the room to call the current conversation to a close (or if someone has been talking WAY to long).  The point is, make the discussion fun, light and productive.  You know your organizations culture, work with what you know to make the sessions count.

As external events, market forces, and the economy can change the course of the plan, it is recommended that a Strategic Plan not project any further out than five (5) years.  Also, all of these factors are a good reason to revisit the plan in validating that the objectives remain important and relevant.  If not, update the plan to project out another 5 years.  It is important to remember however not to discard any objective that does not make it to the “Priority List”.  As the organization successfully implements the priority objectives, or external/internal events affect the Strategic Plan, the organization can then decide what remaining objectives to implement next.

Now that we have a Priority List of strategic objectives, we are ready to create the . . . Action Plans.  Action Plans will provide the road map on how objectives will be implemented and the topic for my next blog.  Stay Tuned . . .

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Posted by Guest Blogger

Strategic Planning 101—taking the first step

February 21, 2012

Guest Blogger, Larry Martin

In her previous blog (It’s all in the Planning, Strategic that is), Dawn Bott started a discussion about Strategic Planning.  She mentioned the use of SWOT analysis as the beginning in order to start to the strategic planning process. Though a SWOT is part of a Strategic Plan, which can be a useful tool, I wanted to talk about the entire process of creating the Strategic Plan.

There is no one way in creating a Strategic Plan. There are many different approaches some can take a year other approaches can take a day.  What is common among them all is the inclusion of the organization at all levels. Strategic Planning is all about feedback and gaining the commitment from the organization’s employees to implement the plan created.

Image Credit: sheelamohan

In creating and implementing a Strategic Plan, by-in and input into the process from all levels of the organization is essential for successful implementation.  It starts by including a good cross section of employees at all levels to determine what is working and what is not.  To make an analogy, the TV show “Under Cover Boss” is a good example.  For those who have not seen the show, the CEO goes under cover for a week to see how their organization is functioning or implementing their goals.  They are disguised so no one will recognize them while they work alongside different employees in different departments over the next 5 days.  In almost all cases, the CEO learns that what he/she has implemented at the upper management level may not actually be the best strategies for improving the organization’s products or service.  And in some cases, what they thought was a good idea, turns out not to be a good idea at all.

So now let’s put this to practical use.  How do you get started?

One of the best ways to start a Strategic Plan is to take this cross section of employees I talked about earlier and move them into a room, preferably off-site to eliminate distractions such as email and phone calls, so they can develop a list of Strategic Objectives.  This process is led by a facilitator who has no connection to the organization and whose first job is to define a Strategic Objective for the group. Strategic Objectives are ideas and suggestions that will improve the organization in one form or another. The facilitator needs to challenge the group in developing these objectives.

Since the gathering of these Strategic Objectives is a brainstorming exercise, they do not need to be in any particular order; it’s just important to capture the ideas on paper.  The Strategic Planning process may end up revealing ways to improve existing products or services and/or ideas for new product and service offerings.   Just remember all of those ideas are captured through feedback from all levels of the organization, not just senior management.

So now that we have the Strategic Objectives, what do we do with them?   Stay tuned . . .

Larry Martin is a guest blogger for www.tuoutreach.com. Larry is a Senior Project Manager with Towson University’s Center for Applied IT.  During his 28 years in the project management field he has managed a wide-range of projects and has guided numerous state agencies and departments through the Strategic Planning process.    

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Posted by Guest Blogger

It’s all in the planning, strategic that is.

February 2, 2012

Dawn

CAIT has many skills and talents and I have highlighted some of them in my past blogs (What Do You Require?  and Three Scary Words (Standard Operating Procedures)).  But for this blog I thought I would talk about something we do that many organizations overlook, Strategic Planning.

What is Strategic Planning?

The first definition of Strategic Planning is:  “The systematic process of envisioning a desired future, and translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them.[i]”  Yeah, and what does that mean?

I prefer this definition by Rena Tom: “Think of a strategic plan as a roadmap to help guide you when there are too many distractions, opportunities, and unexpected problems keeping you from moving forward. Or, consider it preventative medicine that will help you avoid costly and time-consuming crisis management later on down the line.”

But isn’t all planning strategic?  Not exactly, strategic planning starts with the desired end results and works backwards.  So how do you even start one?

One strategic planning tool we employ at CAIT is a SWOT Analysis.  A SWOT Analysis looks at organizations Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats.  By performing a SWOT during your strategic planning, you can begin to see where your organization is the strongest and how to change threats into opportunities.  Performing a SWOT analysis does not equate to completing a Strategic Plan, but it has gathered information that now can be used to develop the strategic plan.

Image credit: scottchan

But before you go running off and creating your own SWOT (they are really a lot of fun), we need to talk about how to create the strategic plan process. As with all processes there is no one way to create the plan.  However, there is one thing that is common “inclusion” of the organization at all levels.   As I am not an expert in Strategic Planning but always strive to provide the best information, I consulted one, Project Manager Larry Martin.    Larry’s knowledge and experience far outweigh mine, well in this area, so look to some future blogs by Larry that will help you begin your Strategic Planning!

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Posted by Dawn Bott

Minority Entrepreneurs

December 15, 2011
http://tuoutreach.com/author/clayhickson/

Clay

According to the 2010 census, Maryland’s minorities account for almost half of its population, and the numbers are expected to continue growing throughout the next decade.  There also has been a corresponding increase in entrepreneurial activity by minorities, and in 2010 there were 164,253 minority-owned businesses in the state.

What is causing this surge in business activity by minorities in Maryland?  A primary factor is the state’s relatively stable economy.  Maryland has not been as affected by the recession as some states, like California, Florida or Michigan.  Unemployment rates have continually remained below the national average.  This translates into an environment conducive to entrepreneurial ventures by all groups.  A recent statewide survey conducted for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and the Greater Baltimore Technology Council, reported that 28% of all Marylanders have owned or operated a business… and many are minorities.

Additionally, Maryland’s prime location next door to the nation’s capital encourages both out-of-state and foreign companies to relocate or expand their operations here, which results in more jobs and increased investment.  Maryland also houses top-ranked schools and federal labs (e.g., FDA, NIH), which lure bright international individuals to the area.  And many of these people take their innovative ideas into the private sector for commercialization and development, spurring even greater economic activities.

By no means a new phenomenon, minorities, particularly those who migrate from other countries, have significantly changed the business environment because they bring a different mindset and cultural background, which enrich society and the economy.  They are generally pioneers and risk takers.

Such is the case of Debora Varon, owner of Izzy’s Chocolates.  Debora, originally from Lima, Peru, initially came to the United States to earn her Ph.D.  In 2009 she saw great opportunity in the fact that Peruvian desserts are a rarity in the US, and could potentially be tapped as a new market segment. She decided to launch her own business making and selling chocotejas, a delectable coupling of fine Belgian chocolate, dulce de leche, fruits and nuts. Some of her unique flavors include pecans paired with plum and apricot and pineapple. Her brand now has a presence in upscale supermarkets like Whole Foods and has a growing following.

TowsonGlobal Business Incubator has its own share of minority entrepreneurs as well, including Samuel Demisse from Ethiopia. Samuel owns and operates Keffa Coffee, which since 2003, has been importing high-quality Ethiopian coffee beans directly from the farmers in his homeland.  He then distributes his beans to roasters across the US as well as internationally.  The company now counts more than 100 roasters as customers in Canada and several Asian countries, including some of the most prominent in the industry.   Samuel’s standing as one of only 350 certified coffee cuppers (tasters) in the world guarantees his products’ high quality, which is one of the reasons Keffa Coffee continues gaining international recognition.

Similarly, there is Shoaib Mastoor, who was born in Pakistan and migrated to the US to complete his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering.  After graduating, he worked for various startups selling technology, and eventually joined the family business, which manufactures and fabricates steel furniture and equipment used by commercial offices in Pakistan.  In 2008, Shoaib launched Vulcan International, realizing his vision of creating a means for promoting brands that are manufactured by tier one companies in other countries but are not able to market their products in the world’s largest market, the US.  With vendor alliances from Pakistan, Vulcan has instant credibility with suppliers in South Korea, Italy, Germany and China, who the company is representing in the US.

Minority entrepreneurs such as Debora, Samuel and Shoaib, continue to add creative and innovative new elements to our economy. Efforts like expanding the small business tax credit and facilitating initiatives that will unlock venture capital will allow small businesses of all kinds, including those owned by minorities, to develop those innovative ideas, thus helping create the jobs that are so vital for achieving sustainable growth.

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Posted by Clay Hickson

Video: Meet the Team Video with Erin Neuslein

October 25, 2011

Daraius

I have had the great pleasure of working with Erin Nueslein the last 10 years. She has worked in a variety of capacities from project manager for RESI’s contract with the Department of Human Resources to Associate Director of RESI.  In each of these positions she has acquired skills and experience that will help her tackle the new challenges in the role as Director of DECO’s Administration and Finance unit. Watch the interview to learn more about Erin’s role as Director.

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Posted by Daraius Irani

Adventures in Surveying

October 20, 2011

Dawn

Adventurous is not a word people would use to describe me.  Solid, dependable, typical, predictable… they would work.  I usually like to do things the same way. If I know how to do something, why try something different.  Not a good mantra when you work in a tech industry. So when a client approached us this summer about trying to get a lot of information, from a lot of different people, who are not close by, in a short amount of time, the Center for Applied IT (CAIT) decided that our standard interview method may not be the best approach.  Here was an opportunity to try something different, and we decided to take a leap of faith using a survey tool.

For this project, CAIT needed to quickly identify IT resources overseen by one of the counties. Time was of the essence so we thought how could we get the information, eliminate or greatly reduce data entry and be able to manipulate the data easily. After looking at some of the commercially available tools, we found that a simple survey tool would do the trick. Aaron Guy at the Center for Professional Studies (CPS), another Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) unit, came to our rescue since they were currently using a survey tool that would easily meet our needs.

After obtaining the client’s approval, Lisa Walker, Bill Hansman and I set to work. The tool allowed us to ask questions that could be answered using text boxes, radio buttons (for a single entry) or check boxes (for multiple entries). We developed questions, organized our survey and launched it in only a few weeks.

Launching the survey was simple too. We provided our client with the URL and some basic instructions.   Our immediate feedback was minimal. A few questions, but for the most part the users found it easy to use and the questions to be straightforward. Next, we downloaded the information into an Excel spread sheet and now we are working to discover all the information our survey results hold.

No new adventure is complete without discovering some pitfalls. Here is what we have learned so far:

  1. Fewer more targeted questions would have been better, making the survey more concise
  2. Make every question mandatory would have been helpful
  3. Limit free form text box use, because some participants became a bit wordy, making it hard to discern facts.

Overall, we really enjoyed developing the survey. It was fun to create the questions and to then reap the rewards of our efforts through the data we retrieved, data that we did not have to manually enter!

Since our first survey experience, we have upgraded the tool we are using and are looking for more opportunities to leverage this new skill.   I can’t wait to share this tool with another client and to survey again!

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Posted by Dawn Bott

Video: University Economic Devleopment Association (UEDA) Summit 2011

September 21, 2011

Bobbie

The Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) is home to a wide array of centers that provide solutions ranging from GIS to Economic Forecasting, additionally DECO has a diverse set of partner organizations that are committed to sharing best practices.  University Economic Development Association (UEDA) is a national organization of higher education, business and economic development professionals. UEDA provides learning opportunities, comprehensive representation of entire education landscape and open networks for collaboration and opportunities.

One of the learning opportunities UEDA is best known for is the Annual Summit where attendees can

  • Gain the latest strategic insights on the roles of colleges and universities in economic development.
  • Examine the leading practices of colleagues as they compete for Awards of Excellence.
  • Build learning networks of colleagues to spot opportunities faster and develop partnerships faster.
  • Share success stories and lessons learned with economic developers from colleges and universities nationwide.

In the video below, Leslie Pachol, UEDA’s executive director, talks with our very own Dyan Brasington about the upcoming UEDA Summit.

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Posted by Bobbie Laur

RESI’s Fall 2011 Economic Outlook Conference at Towson University

September 7, 2011

Raquel Frye

It’s a busy time here at RESI as preparations for the November 9th Economic Outlook Conference get underway.  This conference is particularly exciting for us since it will be the first time since 1999 that it is hosted on campus.  We are really looking to hosting the event this year and taking advantage of the newest building on campus – the West Village Commons building.  Implications of the 2010 Census Data will be the central focus of the day with a variety of experts weighing in on the impact of the data on matters such as government services, the business community, workforce development and higher education.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

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Posted by Raquel Frye

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