Perhaps the most important thing we do at Data Guidance Group is analyze your needs. DGG has developed a comprehensive needs analysis system that documents your company's needs, provides you with an opportunity to review and correct our understanding of your requirements, and ensures complete coverage.
Our President, Bob Palmer, tells our clients about "The Gladys Principle." Here is Bob's explanation:
We do a thorough needs analysis because of the "Gladys Principle." Gladys was my first boss. If I had 100 things to do and did only 99, you could bet two things. First, the one I missed was the first thing she saw. Second, it was the most important. Now if I picked one of the other 99 the next time and forgot it, then that one became the most important and the one she saw.
We find that software is this way. You're probably very aware of all the things your software doesn't do that you need it to do. You see the 1. It's the 99 that you don't see that can bite you in the end. Many businesses assume that "our software is 10 years old; anything new will have all the features of our software plus some." But that's not true. In our needs analysis, we document the things your system is doing well in addition to the ones you need to function better. That way, when we make our recommendation, we can take in to account your full needs. We make sure that the recommendation we make takes you, "The right direction, the first time."
Needs analysis is a key to making sure you get the right software fit for your business.