Solution Design Feasibility

When putting together an approach for addressing a client's needs for your consulting services or when comparing the pros and cons of different solutions, there are several questions that you should consider when it comes to design feasibility. The following are an example of the minimum questions you need to pose to ensure a successful solution design.

Technical Feasibility

• What business problems and client objectives will your solution address? Are these strategic or tactical in nature?
• How important are these problems and objectives to the client?
• Are there specific drop-dead dates to be met?
• What might solutions are likely to work here? What are unlikely work?
• How likely are the client's executives willing and able to publicly commit to the goals and results you are proposing?
• How much change, knowledge, and processes can the client absorb at once?
• What demands can reasonably be made and sustained with those with responsibility for implementation?
• Have you been in organizations like this before? What did you learn about the forces for and the forces against change in such organizations?

Financial Feasibility

• What are the budget constraints for the engagement?
• Where are there opportunities to influence and adjust the client's perception of value?
• What unique capabilities or advantages can you offer?
• Is there a clear linkage to the goals and critical success factors for the organization?
• Are you facing competition? What is the competition offering or likely to offer?
• What is the engagement worth to the company in both the short-term and long-term?
• What internal resources from the client's side are available to devote to the engagement?

Operational Feasibility

• How does the solution address the wants and requirements of each buying influence?
• What are the risks associated with the engagement? How can the chosen approach be structured to mitigate these risks?
• What implementation activities or responsibilities can the customer take on?
• What implementation activities or responsibilities can be performed by subcontractors?