CRIV CONNECTION

Author: Mary Jenkins, Library and Research Services Manager, Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A.

When you’re tasked with finding the right information product or platform for your organization, it can be a bit daunting. There are many considerations like content; coverage; functionality; features; user interface; price and budgetary considerations; license terms; integrations; training and customer support; risk management and information security issues, and more. You will find excellent guidance from legal information professional peers and from the AALL Principles & Practices for Licensing Electronic Resources, among other resources. I have drawn on my recent experience in leading a platform review and selection process to offer some of the steps I took to organize the process and get good participation in the review. The approaches described here can apply to the selection process for a variety of product types. In fact, we were considering a litigation support tool at my organization, not an information resource. While there are differences, these tips should prove useful and nearly universal, especially to people newer to product selection.

1. Keep your review documents and information in one place.

If you are a fan of information sharing and transparency, consider a dedicated page on a shared platform like your intranet, accessible only to the review group (mine was a team of staff and attorneys), to post vendor representatives’ contact information, links to demonstrations, an evaluation template, pricing proposals, and supplemental information. Ours was a one-stop shop for everything review-related.

2. Develop a timeline for the review process.

Know your deadline. Are you replacing an existing product with a fixed contract end date? Are you identifying a solution as quickly as possible? Maybe you’re gathering information in advance of a budget proposal. When you know your timeframe, you can manage vendors’ expectations and know which parts of your process need to be expedited. Build in buffers for inevitable delays.

3. Research available, relevant platforms.

Explore products that seem appropriate to the need. You can ask colleagues on discussion lists, read articles, visit vendor websites, and consider online guides. While you wouldn’t want to miss an excellent product, you will want to keep the process manageable and consider a reasonable number and array of products. If you start with a well-researched list, you won’t have to go back to the beginning and reengage people when another startup or missed platform surfaces.

4. Establish criteria for reviewing the products.

Before engaging with vendors or watching demos, ask what your reviewers expect from a platform. Make a list of criteria, perhaps consulting with colleagues at other organizations. You will save time and make the process as structured and objective as possible. You may have a more formal template for requests for quotes and information, but you will need to identify product-type-specific criteria.

5. Request recordings of virtual demos.

As you are scheduling demonstrations, ask the vendor to record sessions for later viewing. It’s not easy to find times that work for everyone and more than two initial demos might be excessive. Alternatively, the vendor may provide a canned presentation. The downside is that it won’t include your team’s Q&A and expression of their needs or concerns.

6. Create a shared spreadsheet as a template for evaluative purposes.

Enter the criteria into a spreadsheet with columns for each product. A shared document will make your coordinating role easier since all participants populate the same sheet. You might have broad categories and subcategories. Add descriptive text so that your reviewers understand the criteria and can complete the sheet well. Assume that you may need to fill in the gaps yourself or have follow-up meetings with the vendors.

7. Use a rating system if that seems helpful.

If you can keep it simple and your reviewers are amenable, use a numeric rating system for each criterion, like 0-does not provide, 1-provides, and 2-exceeds or a variation on that. More than a five-point system may be too cumbersome. While a granular approach to evaluation may be desirable, you may find that a simple ranking of the platforms, top to bottom, is the approach that is acceptable to or feasible for your group.

8. Maintain good, honest communication with the vendors.

From the first contact, share information with the vendors. Be prepared to tell them about the size and nature of your organization, your timeframe, your needs and expectations, with whom they may communicate directly, and your goal (Are you seeking a completed agreement or is it a preliminary evaluation?) Ask for involvement from their technical and customer support staff as you explore their platform. Be forthright about what you perceive to be shortcomings. If the timeline or expectations change, let them know. If the pricing proposal is far higher than what you expected, tell the vendor that the gap is substantial, even if it’s not yet time for the negotiation of terms.

9. Engage with your participating reviewers.

From the outset, encourage and thank your reviewers. If someone isn’t participating, discuss the barriers. If the process is too complex, determine what input you most need from the reviewers and pare it down. (What do they think about the user interface? Is the content and coverage good?) Remind the reviewers of the timetable and provide your team with the link to the evaluation site in any emails. If practical, use impromptu conversations to connect with reviewers and to solicit input.

10. Use the same Q&A for all the vendors.

Your criteria will be the basis for conversations with vendors and will allow you to follow up on unanswered questions or unclear answers. To the extent practicable, keep a list of questions and ask them of each vendor to ensure a level playing field and fewer emails and calls later. If a vendor simply does not provide you with all the answers your reviewers need, that can count against the vendor on your evaluation template.

11. Ask for references and a list of a few current customers.

Specify that you’re interested in users with the same platform configuration that you’re considering and in organizations like yours in terms of size, user types, and focus or practice areas. You may want to talk with customers who have deployed the platform within the past year as well as long-time customers. Ask the proffered references about their initial experience with adoption and training, any customer support issues, and any other factors of interest to you.

12. Get apples-to-apples pricing proposals.

Vendors will have their own pricing proposal templates, but you can insist on some standardization of cost information specific to your organization’s needs. If you can express your specific requirements and terminology when you’re ready for pricing, you will have less back-and-forth and a better basis for comparison. You might ask vendors to detail additional services and expanded offers in a separate document.