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Overcoming indecision
One of the most frequent problems that plague proposal development is indecision. All the processes and best practices in the world can’t help you if you can’t make up your mind. Indecision on proposals takes several forms:
- Technical approach. Should you use this platform, or that platform? Should you bid this product or that? Sometimes there are so many things to consider in finalizing the solution that it becomes hard to decide. Often, the writing is easy, it’s defining the solution that’s hard. And often, defining the solution is easy, it’s deciding that’s hard. The end result is the same: indecision that makes the technical approach take longer to get on paper in final form.
- Teaming. Will you team? Will your team include a given company? And will the company you want to join sign the teaming agreement? Indecision on teaming takes two forms--- your own (selecting your team mates), and theirs (signing the agreement). If the teaming partner is to be responsible for any writing assignments, this indecision can have a snowball effect on your schedule.
- Level of Effort (and other estimates). How many people will really be required? How many hours will it actually take to do what you have proposed? Getting everyone to agree to the estimates in a proposal can be troublesome. Sure you can focus on documenting the basis for an estimate, but what do you do when you just don’t have the information you need? Make assumptions? Now everyone has to agree on the assumptions…
- Cost. Is it low enough? Can it go lower? How low should you go? Is it realistic? Will you make money or lose your shirt?
Often these reasons combine themselves into a big knot. The platform you bid affects the cost and may influence who you need on the team.
When delays add up, they can jeopardize quality. Often the people responsible are acting on the best of intentions – they just want to make the proposal better. But, as a wise colleague of mine used to say, “Better is the enemy of good enough.”
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