RFPs can be useful. But when building complex custom websites, they can actually be more hurtful than helpful.
This presentation is for two groups of people:
Clients who are planning on building a complex custom site on a CMS.
Vendors who want to stop responding to RFPs but are having trouble explaining why RFPs are detrimental to the development process.
There are better ways to do things, and hopefully this will explain how.
This is based on a presentation done at the Drupal Dojo. If you'd like to get the full experience, check out the webinar with my full presentation.
http://groups.drupal.org/node/84939
1. PUT DOWN THE RFP
Beta!
How to save your sanity and help yourself AND
your clients lead happier and more fulfilling lives.
Drupal Experts For Non-Profits
Discover • Plan • Design • Build • Support
Friday, August 13, 2010
2. MY NAME IS ADAM
I’m a Partner / Business Development
I’m a recovering responder to RFPs.
(this is where you say “Hi Adam”)
Friday, August 13, 2010
3. “He who fails to plan,
plans to fail.”
Old Italian Proverb
Friday, August 13, 2010
4. FANCY TECHNICAL TERMS
RFP
Wikipedia says: A Request for Proposal (referred to as RFP) is
an early stage in a procurement process, issuing an invitation
for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a
proposal on a specific commodity or service.
Discovery
The process of investigating, developing and implementing a
plan for your website needs. Deliverables could include
wireframes, sitemap, feature specifications, user interviews,
personas, etc and most importantly,
f o r f l ag
a Drupal Implementation Plan. l at
er
Friday, August 13, 2010
5. WHO IS THIS FOR?
Smoother Sales Process Smoother Vendor Process
Better Drupal Sales Better Drupal Website
Better Client Relationships Better Vendor Relationships
Save Time Save Time
Save Sanity Save Sanity
Friday, August 13, 2010
6. WHO IS THIS NOT FOR?
If you have a flawless & If you are required by law to
automated estimation process write an RFP and have no way
that requires little analysis. to edit the process.
If you have a pre-cog on staff If you find budgets exploding and
who can read a clients future ever lowering expectations to be
thoughts. tons of fun.
Friday, August 13, 2010
7. WHO SHALL WE BLAME?
THE
PROCESS!
Friday, August 13, 2010
8. I’M NOT A SORCERER
RFPs are not going away.
RFPs can be useful.
RFPs are NOT evil.
But, most RFPs,
in the Drupal community,
currently waste
EVERYBODY’s
time, money and energy.
Friday, August 13, 2010
9. Official Boring Bullet Point Slide
WHY RFPS ARE AWESOME
(ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA)
• Informs suppliers that your company is looking to procure and
encourages them to make their best effort.
• Requires the company to specify what it proposes to purchase.
If the requirements analysis has been prepared properly, it can
be incorporated quite easily into the Request document. for f lag
l at
er
• Alerts suppliers that the selection process is competitive.
• Allows for wide distribution and response.
• Ensures that suppliers respond factually to the identified
requirements.
Friday, August 13, 2010
10. ADVOMATIC BUILDS
DRUPAL SITES FOR GOOD CAUSES
LOTS
OF EM
Friday, August 13, 2010
11. WE’VE WRITTEN A TON OF RFP
RESPONSES IN OUR DAY
50+OF EM
We won 5 RFP bids in 5 Years
Friday, August 13, 2010
12. TIME DEVOTED TO RFPS
1-3 3-5 10-40
WEEKS STAFF HRS
PER RFP PER RFP PER RFP
ALL FOR
FREE!
Friday, August 13, 2010
13. 1
OUR OLD RFP PROCESS
I find an RFP
or a lead 2
sends one. Julie Analyzes, Does Free
Discovery, Passes Developers a
Vague Feature Specification
3
Developers, Themers & Sysadmins Analyze, Do
Free Discovery, Guesstimate Client Needs, Write
A Technical Plan & Estimate, Pass Back to Julie
4 Julie reformats, adds PM, QA, and Contingency.
Contingency adds 33% to bottom line of project so client
isn’t surprised later. We then approve and send our honest
and forthright 30 page proposal to client.
Friday, August 13, 2010
14. OUR OLD RFP PROCESS
5
Friday, August 13, 2010
X
Profit!
15. OUR OLD RFP PROCESS
RFP
5A We make it to final round of discussions with client.
Executive sees our prices which is 33% higher
FAIL than competitors. They go with competitor.
Then scope balloons and they get mad at them.
5B
RFP
We get the gig. After going through a proper
discovery process, we discover that their needs
AIL
are far beyond what the RFP said.
F Then scope balloons and they get mad at us.
Friday, August 13, 2010
16. This made us sad.
The process was clearly fundamentally broken,
and worse, it was making Advobaby cry.
Ad Sad
vo
ba
by
We had our worst sales quarter EVER.
We were almost at rock bottom.
Almost.
Friday, August 13, 2010
17. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
Friday, August 13, 2010
18. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
Vague N on-Dru
pal
Sp e c Sp e c
Friday, August 13, 2010
19. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
Vague
Awk Wel Dr upal
war
RFP
For
d N on- houg
and
l t
ir re h
mat easy c t out
Sp e c
leva
nt l w/ S pe to
ang do c read
aug ume
e nt
Friday, August 13, 2010
20. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaForure
RFP g
Largewa
Awk Wel Dr upal
d N on- houg
and
l t
Budget at
ir re m Large ht out
nt e c w/
easy c
Spe to
Sp langauge
leva
do c read
Budget t
ume
n
Friday, August 13, 2010
21. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaForure
RFP g
Largewa
Awk Wel Dr upal
d N on- houg
and
l t
Budget at
ir re m Large ht out
nt e c w/
easy c
Spe to
Sp langauge
leva
do c read
Budget t
ume
n
m
e d f ro
F l ag g l ie r. . .
e ar Allows for wide distribution and response.
Friday, August 13, 2010
22. ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.
Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaFor+d
9va0 mart w/
RFP gue
Largewa
50+
Awk Wel Dr upal
N on- houg
and
l t
Budget
ir re
Large ht out
t la c
easy c
Spnoesnesuge
s p n ga
Spe to
le
Re ReBudget read
do c
spons n
ume
es t
m
e d f ro
F l ag g l ie r. . .
e ar Allows for wide distribution and response.
Friday, August 13, 2010
23. THE EXTRAPOLATION
90+ 50+
Respo
Responses nses
+
3 4 40
WEEKS STAFF HOURS
PER RFP PER RFP PER RFP
Friday, August 13, 2010
24. THE EXTRAPOLATION
(MY TOTAL GUESTIMATE)
90+ 50+
Respo
Responses nses
+
1-2 2-6 ?
HRS PER STAFF PER WEEKS OF
PROPOSAL PROPOSAL INTERNAL
DEBATE
Friday, August 13, 2010
25. SAD RFP MATH
80
UNBILLABLE
90
PROPOSALS
HOURS TO READ
1-2%
CHANCE
90
DIFFERENT
OF WIN IDEAS & BUDGETS
Friday, August 13, 2010
26. OMG, WHAT DO I DO NOW?
A B C
Friday, August 13, 2010
27. OPTION C WITH LESS RAGE
C
I found the problem.
(Like a billion firms before me.)
Friday, August 13, 2010
28. l ly t ly
*ge ne ra *cu r re n
DRUPAL RFPS ARE ANNOYING
They are bureaucratic.
They interfere with best practices.
They are ineffective.
RFPs sound great, mean well, but
their results don’t help, and in
some cases can hurt final product.
Friday, August 13, 2010
29. WHY EVERYONE LOSES
Spends untold hours Spends untold hours
on gig they most reviewing too
likely will not get many proposals
Gives away Places focus on
ideas for free budget over quality
Makes discovery Expectations ruined
assumptions resulting in when discovery
inaccurate estimates changes scope
Friday, August 13, 2010
30. THE COMMON THREAD
DI SCOVERY
Makes discovery Expectations ruined
assumptions resulting in when discovery
inaccurate estimates changes scope
Friday, August 13, 2010
31. WHAT I DISCOVERED
ABOUT DISCOVERY IN RFPS
*sometimes provided by client (from 2-75% of the time)
Project Overview User Research*
HELLO
my nam
e is
Feature List* CL IENT Competitor Analysis*
Technical Plan* Design Comps*
Wireframes*
Friday, August 13, 2010
32. COMPLETELY UNSCIENTIFIC CHART
% Chance of Vendor providing accurate estimate
% of Clients who provide discovery deliverable with RFP
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
rch
t
w
es
an
s
ysis
n
Lis
omp
atio
vie
am
Pl
eea
nal
ture
ver
cific
cal
refr
C
rR
or A
ign
hni
O
Fea
Wi
Spe
Use
Des
ject
Tec
etit
pal
Pro
mp
Dru
Co
Muy
Possible Discovery Deliverables Im po rt an te
Friday, August 13, 2010
33. WEB DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
t
Im p o r t a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re
? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
cov ch ire ve alit eL
ery nic f ram lop yA au
al ing me nch
Plan nt ssu
nin & & ran
g De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing
Friday, August 13, 2010
34. WEB DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
t
Im p o r t a n n I have anywhere from
pp e
Th i ng s H a 2-70% of the information
H e re
you need. Please tell me
how much this will cost?
? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
cov ch ire ve alit eL
ery nic f ram lop yA au
al ing me nch
Plan nt ssu
nin & & ran
g De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing
Friday, August 13, 2010
35. IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re
? ? ?
Qu Ex Te Dia Tr Cu
est am st gn ea re
ion ine & ose t
An
aly
ze
Friday, August 13, 2010
36. IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a I have a stomach
H e re ache. How much will the
surgery cost?
? ? ?
Qu Ex Te Dia Tr Cu
est am st gn ea re
ion ine & ose t
An
aly
ze
As a patient, do you want your Doctor missing 30%-50% of
the information they need to give you a proper diagnosis?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
37. YOU CAN CALL ME DR. DEVELOPER
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re
? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
cov ch ire ve alit eL
ery nic fra lop yA au
al min me nch
Pla g& nt ssu
nn & ran
ing De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing
As a client, do you want a vendor bidding missing
30-50% of the information they’ll need for accuracy?
Friday, August 13, 2010
38. YOU CAN CALL ME DR. DEVELOPER
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a Please figure out what I
H e re need for a website before I
tell you what I need.
? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
cov ch ire ve alit eL
ery nic fra lop yA au
al min me nch
Pla g& nt ssu
nn & ran
ing De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing
As a client, do you want a vendor bidding missing
30-50% of the information they’ll need for accuracy?
Friday, August 13, 2010
39. WHY EVERYONE LOSES
Spends untold hours Spends untold hours
on gig they most reviewing too
likely will not get many proposals
Gives away Places emphasis on
ideas for free budget over quality
Makes discovery Expectations ruined
assumptions resulting in when discovery
inaccurate estimates changes scope
Friday, August 13, 2010
40. HOW EVERYONE CAN WIN
STOP STOP
RESPONDING WRITING
TO RFPS RFPS
Friday, August 13, 2010
41. WHAT IF I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY
HAVE TO DO AN RFP?
Find a way to make the process work for you.
Break it into two phases. Do a Discovery RFP. Take those
deliverables and then do a Development RFP.
Remind your decision makers that quality of work saves money in
the long run.
Build relationships with Vendors you trust. Lean on them for
advice on how to approach your leadership.
Friday, August 13, 2010
42. I’VE BEEN RFP FREE
FOR 6 MONTHS
WOOT!!
Friday, August 13, 2010
43. OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
A client send us an RFP.
We tell them we don’t respond to RFPs.
Friday, August 13, 2010
44. OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
an RFP. A client send us an RFP.
We tell them we don’t respond to RFPs.
Friday, August 13, 2010
45. OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
an RFP. A client send us an RFP.
We tell them we don’t respond to RFPs.
RFPs tend not to We’ve found that scope and
be accurate in budget can change dramatically if
determining cost. you don’t do Discovery first.
We can’t estimate project
costs until after you go
through a proper discovery
phase with a Drupal shop.
Friday, August 13, 2010
46. OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
an RFP. A client send us an RFP.
We tell them we don’t respond to RFPs.
RFPs tend not to We’ve found that scope and
be accurate in budget can change dramatically if
determining cost. you don’t do Discovery first.
We recommend talking to We can’t estimate project
your peers and find a Drupal costs until after you go
firm that you trust to engage in through a proper discovery
a Discovery phase with. phase with a Drupal shop.
If you’d like to see what we can do, After a flat rate Discovery phase
we’d gladly sit down with your decision with us, we’ll provide you with a
makers and walk you through our process Drupal Implementation Plan and an
with previous clients. We can give you estimate. You can then take that plan
vague ballpark costs. elsewhere for bids, or hire us!
Friday, August 13, 2010
47. HOW VENDORS CAN WIN
Get paid to diagnose. Your expertise is valuable.
Encourage potential clients to scrap the RFP
process, and engage in a discovery process.
Instead of writing proposals, write case studies,
and show potential clients your process.
Take all the time you would be spending writing
proposals you are guestimating, and fix bugs in
Drupal instead.
Friday, August 13, 2010
48. HOW CLIENTS CAN WIN
Don’t write RFPs. If you must have some formal
process in place, write an RFQ (Request for
Qualifications).
Only send your RFQ to a few vendors that you trust
or were referred to. Better to get 6 great proposals
then 90 of all shapes and sizes.
Find a vendor within your budget, whose process
makes you the most comfortable, who has expertise
in your specific industry and hire them just to do
Discovery.
Friday, August 13, 2010
49. WHAT IF I’M TOO SMALL OR
NEW TO SAY NO?
Make sure that the potential client will add to your credibility.
Make sure that they will improve the street cred of your portfolio.
Make sure they will help your bottom line.
Don’t just send a proposal, get to know the client. Try to find an
advantage that will make your proposal stand out.
Friday, August 13, 2010
51. RESOURCES
Blair Enns:
http://www.winwithoutpitching.com/
Becoming the Expert
The Manifesto
Advoblog:
Web Dev for Noobs
Discovery and UX Design
Friday, August 13, 2010
52. THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Adam Mordecai
Partner / New Business Development
How’d I do? Let me know:
http://www.advomatic.com/NoRFP
mordecai@advomatic.com
Twitter: @advomatic & @advodude
FB: http://facebook.com/advomatic
Friday, August 13, 2010