Requirements Engineering and Solution Design

This process is about how we do requirements engineering, solution design and proper consulting together with Sol (Sales Process) so that we really understand potential customer’s need, only sell things that fit VSHN and know exactly what was sold (technical solution, cost, contract, service levels, expectations, etc.) before being tasked with implementation.

Process Description

This is a simplified view, details have to be worked out by the Solution Architects and Inside Sales.

  1. If there is a concrete request for a new. or an existing customer, Inside Sales owns this request and creates an issue (new issue type) for Customer Solutions.

  2. A Solution Architect pulls this request from the Backlog and starts working on it together with Inside Sales to address the request. This can include anything (and more) of:

    1. Meetings to understand the customer’s challenges and requirements, and documenting them.

    2. Doing (paid) pre-sales Consulting or Workshop.

    3. Coordinating with Product Management and Product Owners on what we can and should offer.

    4. Working together with other Solution Architects to get other perspectives and more in-depth knowledge.

    5. Designing and documenting a Solution, before it is offered, including:

      1. Estimate effort of iterations we’ve to deliver.

      2. Define which products / services need to be in the offer.

      3. Find out pricing for undefined things.

      4. Determine Security & Availability requirements such as encryption, backup, fail-over.

  3. Inside Sales keeps the commercial lead, one Solution Architect keeps the technical lead for the request.

    1. Works with BDM (potential customers) or CSM (existing customers).

  4. If the solution is ordered, the Solution Architect works with the Project Manager and / or team, until everything is clear and set up for the onboarding to start.

  5. During onboarding, the Solution Architect is available on short notice to support Project Management or involved Engineers.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Review this process after 2 months, then every 4 months: Retros with all involved parties.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Does this process address our need (driver) effectively?

This process is tracked and reviewed as part of as VIP-189