AGUSTIN JON JEFFREY G.

Q040
BSCPE-3
ACTIVITY 2
1. In the section of choosing off-the-shelf software, eight (8) criteria are
proposed for evaluating alternative packages. Suppose the choice was
between alternative custom software developers rather than prewritten
packages. What criteria would be appropriate to select and compare among
competing bidders for custom development of an application? Define each of
these criteria.
➢ The list of custom software developers to evaluate would be very similar to the
list of off-the-shelf application software, computer hardware, and system
software to select. In addition to cost, functionality, vendor support, vendor
viability, flexibility, documentation, response time, and ease of installation, we
may consider current staff familiarity with the software, the need for retraining,
compatibility and connectivity with current systems, and the vendor's track
record of successfully implementing similar software in other organizations. Such
vendors should have a track record of developing similar software for other
organizations. Their references, including visits to these other websites, should
be thoroughly checked. If the developer's role will be terminated once the
application is accepted, the vendor's track record of managing the transition from
external development to internal maintenance is critical. Legally, you should
select a custom developer based on their willingness to sign a non-disclosure
agreement, which will prevent them from developing a similar system for one of
your competitors, at least for a limited time.
2. How might the project team recommending an ERP design strategy justify
its recommendations as compared with other types of design strategies?
➢ The project team would have to justify an ERP strategy by emphasizing the
strategic benefits of reengineering business processes so that they could
integrate with ERP modules. As a result, there will be a single data repository,
which will streamline all IT within the organization and ensure data consistency
and accuracy. Furthermore, if additional modules are required in the future, they
can be integrated immediately. Finally, given the regulatory environment, the
ERP vendor (and consultants) will almost certainly be better at ensuring the
organization's compliance with regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, and so
on.