Solution success depends on taking a rational, common sense approach. Key principles of solution success are:
 

Off-plan solutions are prone to be off-target in terms of business strategy, prone to delays and cost overruns, and prone to failure. And, off-plan tends to proliferate. If off-plan becomes standard practice, the IT portfolio will break down with consequences varying from serious to disastrous.
 

At a minimum, every solution will impact the infrastructure and the sustaining management system, but also other applications, platforms, and databases. Failure to see this bigger picture will result in unplanned costs, delays, significant risks, and collapsing to negative ROI.

The Rational Way
 

With new clients, because initial engagements are usually solution engagements, we often have a “moment of truth” when we ask how the solution relates to the IT plan. Many do not have a plan, or if they do, they have not looked at it in six months, which is as good a measure as any of the value of the plan.
 
Unless the solution is addressing some time-critical, high-risk problem, we typically recommend that we help them develop an IT plan. Since our approach to IT planning is very streamlined and does not spontaneously generate “big, honkin’ Dilbert binders,” most clients in this position opt for the 2-3 weeks it takes to complete the plan.
 

Solutions demand method. There has to be a solution plan. That plan must relate backward to the IT plan and forward to support plan. In the middle it must define requirements, risks, tasks and timelines, resources and budgets. There must be a structure for day-to-day management and for managing contingencies. There must be accountability in all directions. There should be well-developed process management tools – solution projects have many internal processes. These tools should be supported by a robust infrastructure, preferably web-based. This is Ratio.
 

Many people suffer the delusion that method is a substitute for talent. They fail. Our approach is to place a powerful methodology, supported by powerful tools, in the hands of very talented people.
 

Talent, technique, and tools are not enough. Rational IT has a culture of commitment. Every day we strive to make a difference in everything we do.
 

Our vision is to deliver breakthrough solutions to our clients. Our approach is to embed solutions into an IT planning framework on the front-end and into sustaining management framework on the back-end. And then repeat. And repeat again. Until the Virtuous Cycle is sustained.

 
Rational IT is organized in cross-functional Solution Teams along three dimensions
 

 
Solution success depends on taking a rational, common sense approach. Key principles of solution success are:
 

Meeting the needs of the enterprise means giving very special attention to the complexity and scale of the enterprise environment. It demands more than the standard focus on requirements and risks, tasks and schedules, resources and budgets. Special attention must be paid to multiple solution touch points, some of which may be external. Impact on the infrastructure must be carefully considered. Requirements for cross-platform integration warrant deep scrutiny as future changes and upgrades will create multiple interdependencies. The focus is on mastering complexity, delivering functionality and high performance, ROI, and minimization of business risk and interruption.
 

Emerging businesses look deceptively similar to small businesses … until growth is considered. Very special consideration must be paid to the ability of a solution to scale and to function without interruption as the business scales. Also, the IT environment of an emerging business will evolve very rapidly as new capabilities are needed and added, so not only must scale be considered, but future interoperability must be carefully considered. The focus is on planning and execution, flexibility, cost creativity, and making sure that IT helps accelerate business growth rather than being a drag on it.
 

In a small business IT should be almost invisible most of the time. IT should “just work.” Solutions should be stable and long-lived and not “overbuilt.” There is usually no need to be on the “leading edge,” but neither should the investment be allowed to sink into chronic obsolescence. The focus is on creating a stable and easy-to-manage IT environment that delivers sustained value. Basic needs should be met first, but should not preclude the ability to do support “cool stuff” when appropriate.
 

Solutions must always be adapted to meet industry specific requirements. Collaboration requirements vary: architects collaborate differently than do product development teams. Business processes are different: document management needs at law firms are different than for a high tech manufacturer managing ISO 9000. The key is to have deep command of the underlying solution technology and layer on industry practice knowledge – Rational IT’s Solution Libraries and KnowledgeBase underlie this capability.
 

Technology solutions are those that underlie industry-specific solutions and those that span industries. IT infrastructure is a good example of a set of technologies that varies less from industry to industry, but can vary a lot by class of business. The key is deep command of core technologies.