What is the solution spectrum
The success of any project is strongly predicated upon correct identification of the problem domain. This ‘setting the architectural context’ is critically important in rapid determination of project goals and solution scope.
All organisations (or departments) that use salesforce as an enterprise tool can be plotted onto a spectrum vis-a-vis their maturity on the platform. Their position on the maturity line can easily be translated into an architectural context in order to arrive at valuable inputs for arriving at appropriate solutions.
Similarly, organisational goals with respect to platform investments can be plotted on the spectrum in a range spanning tactical or quick wins through to strategic enterprise needs.
Using the spectrum to model scope
Together, the different organisation goals can be used to derive a solution spectrum on which customer requirements can be plotted and prioritised to derive the scope of the solution exercise.
Once the customer organisation or department’s maturity on the platform is understood, every macro customer ask can be fit into the tactical to strategic range. The position of the requirement is then an input into a potential solution – e.g a pilot process rollout for a department or a re-engineering of business process for incorporating newer business needs.
This spectrum helps in many ways: in clarifying solution scope, in determining the priority of customer asks based on their strategic or tactical value as well as in enabling solution architects visualise the context in which the solution needs to be designed.
At bluepineapple, we use this spectrum as an extraordinarily effective tool to start the larger architectural exercise required for enterprise platform deployments. Using this with other tools and templates for solution model selection, our salesforce architects accelerate understanding of the customers’ problems and requirements better, improve and speed up the entire solution lifecycle.