Application packages and outsourcing services seem to offer the promise of low-risk, cost-effective business solutions. However, the risks and costs are often poorly understood.   As with all significant investments, successful product selection and implementation is dependent on the commitment of highly skilled and experienced resources allied to proven methods and techniques.   Without these, the business productivity goals and planned service level targets are unlikely to be realised.

The Application Product Selection Service

We have distilled our many years experience of product selection and implementation projects for a wide range of institutions into a PC-based consulting aid.

The Application Product Selection Tool (APST) provides A&A consultants and their clients with a requirements definition, evaluation, selection and planning process for Front, Middle and Back Office systems acquisition.   The tool makes use of a Business Model that contains detailed generic business and technical requirements, definitions and templates for key deliverables.

Benefits of the Service

With the aid of the APST, we can support the total product evaluation and implementation process by guiding our Client's project team, step by step, through all of the processes that must be addressed within the acquisition exercise, including the production of an RFP/ITT, Recommendations report and Implementation Plans.

The APST provides:

tabulated evaluation results of both quantitative and qualitative judgements made throughout the analysis;

an audit trail of the product selection process;

a valuable shortcut for the product selection process without any prejudice to due diligence because it already contains functional and technical descriptions of the essential characteristics and processes of a generic Investment Management firm (the Business Model).

Because the model is flexible, the generic functions can be modified to represent client-specific requirements.   Superfluous functions can be deleted.   Specialist requirements can be added.   The APST is particularly useful in identifying composite requirements and in supporting the integration of “best of breed” products into a mixed platform or mixed supplier environment.

In short, the Application Product Selection Service utilising the APST helps reduce risk and cost of high profile investment programmes. 

For further information please contact us.