The proposal was built on empathy. The team creating the proposal knew the client – the IT landscape, the business, the people – and what was important to them. At every stage, the team asked “If we were X, Y or Z in the client’s organisation what would we wish to see?” Key points were included to address the needs of the sponsor and to satisfy the potential concerns of key stakeholders and subject matter experts.
The proposal was written in the client’s language. Where IBM had a different word or phrase to describe something than the client, this was changed to the wording used by the client.
The document was well designed and structured. A clearly written executive summary highlighted the main points and the value proposition for the client. More detailed sections described the details of what was proposed and showed how and when this would be delivered to address the needs and concerns of key client stakeholders and subject matter experts. Simple diagrams and pictures brought the technology solution to life. Appendices with references and so on were included as appropriate. All potential inputs were reviewed to verify they added value – if not they were not included in the submitted document.
The proposal told a story which could be easily understood of the journey the client would be taken on, the end point and steps along the way. The document had a strong narrative and was easy to read and understand. There was even had a strap line or catch phrase included “It will end in Tiers” reflecting one of the key design points on the solution. The client often quoted this line afterwards.