NetSuite Becomes Better By Design

 

I recently had cause to invite an architect to my house to survey a space. I needed an expert to look at my house and give me a sense of how I could carve into it to create another bedroom.

 

Over the course of 90 mins or so, he ruled out the basement space. The foundations may have problems with damp or need reinforcing in some way and whilst it isn’t impossible, costs can quickly spiral out of control. He also suggested building on top of the current extension may have complications since the foundations might only be capable of carrying the weight of a single storey.

 

The build, he said, would be best to go into the loft as it doesn’t compromise the current structure of the house. It would have to include dormer windows on the gable end of the house and south facing to incorporate an entrance to the room with the right amount of head height to pass planning permission. The walls could be pushed back to enlarge the space into the eaves. I would have to sacrifice 100mm of the box room downstairs to enable stairs to be placed into the attic room.

 

This headline information was free of charge.

 

Part of the “sales process”, he was meeting with me to give me a sense of whether my goal could be achieved with the space I had. He was giving me a reality check around which parts of my hopes could be accommodated, and which parts were madness.

 

What comes next is a quote for the rest of the work; the hard stuff; the detail.

 

Design Detail

 

If I accept his quote (which comes to thousands of pounds) I can progress to the next stage which includes a home survey, help with the planning permission applications and detailed drawings of the build – a blueprint which will be used to get quotes from builders. The drawings will include measurements (correct within a millimetre), a schematic of electrics and pipework including building materials and structural engineering drawings. It includes details about the light fitments, and security features like integrated smoke alarms and fire proofed doors. It draws attention to where the work specifically complies with building regulations in terms of locations, spaces and materials used.

 

The devil really is in the detail. And to get the detail, I must pay for the expertise. It doesn’t mean that I expect my build to go without hitch or that there won’t be the inevitable “work around” required by either builder or architect. No matter how much expertise the architect has, they have never worked with me or designed a space for my home (with all its idiosyncrasies) before.

 

Are there any Architects in the Building?

 

Going through this process with my house I cannot help but draw parallels between software architecture and engineering (it is no surprise they are monikered thus!). A software architect also must collaborate with all the stakeholders to ascertain the details of the build. The specifications will be high level but eventually a set of architectural blueprints will be provided to the development team. The software architect will guide and assist them through the build and troubleshoot issues with coding or design. They must have intimate knowledge of their software solution and be able to marry that up with the customer’s expectations and project outcomes.

 

In turn it got me thinking about the hundreds of NetSuite sales processes I have been involved with over the years. Many of the prospects are happy with the free sales consultation, which helps them determine the suitability of the product and understand their bill of materials and a rough cost. But often what follows is an expectation of “architect type” work. They want the conclusion of the process to be the blueprint of the software build, including points of connection, process mapping and all identified customisations.

 

And they want it without a single penny of investment.

 

Building Castles in the Sky

 

I understand that putting new software into your business is a risky and expensive project but eliminating all the risk prior to the sale is nigh on impossible.

 

Similarly, it got me thinking about project build expectations. If a particular detail pertaining to the build doesn’t work the way it was anticipated, this is not evidence of mis selling or misleading, instead it is simply the software equivalent of building planning red tape. It is an obstacle in the road for the architect to attempt to design their way around. And yes, I still expect to pay for their expertise throughout the process, despite the snags.

 

In short, why should software vendors be expected to know the landscape of your business intimately without an investment of time and effort? Just like paying for the expertise of a building architect, you must make an investment to get that level of detail.

 

CloudTamers is happy to help you identify whether NetSuite is the right software for your business. If you are looking for certainty, we can be commissioned to design a business requirements document in advance of software procurement.

 

Written by Emma Stewart, who has built an extension but never an attic bedroom, also Sales & Marketing Director at CloudTamers Ltd