One of my favorite movie scenes is from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Upon entering the room where the Holy Grail is located, the bad guy (Donovan) and Indy are presented with a room full of various cups and chalices. The bad guy selects first and picks the most ornate, bejeweled cup available. His outcome is bad and the knight guarding the grail utters the phrase “He chose … poorly.”
Indy then proceeds to pick a much simpler and more functional cup and is rewarded with the phase “You have chosen … wisely.” Thankfully, he also does not die.
While not quite as dramatic, choosing the right partner for a SOA/BPM project can be risky and painful if the results do not deliver the targeted value for your organization.
Here are 6 things to ask or consider when choosing a SOA/BPM partner:
- Referenced: Does the partner have solid and recent reference accounts that they can point to?
- Value: Does the partner focus on value, not just rate? You will likely end up paying for something multiple times if it is not done right the first time.
- Thought Leadership: Does the partner display thought leadership via industry presentations, blogs, training or white papers? Do they have key certifications that prove mastery of the tools?
- Recommended: Is the partner recommended by Oracle?
- Focused: This can mean many things and will depend on your needs as a customer. Is the partner clear on the tools, technologies and processes that they focus on? Are they honest about limitations they have in certain areas and clear about telling you that? If you are looking for a broad partner, do they cover all of the technologies you need?
- Real: Do they give you honest answers, including telling you when you are making a potential mistake, using a tool for the wrong problem or when they may be the wrong partner for the job? Can you trust the people engaging from the partner?
What questions do you recommend to ensure you “choose wisely” on your next engagement?