Granite Leadership breakfast - Vendor Management & Quality of Delivery

First up, I find it strange how different sectors describe the same things with different names and have the same problems. It’s simultaneously refreshing and depressing that small and large organisations have exactly the same problems with their projects.

Small or large, what is the fundamental problem?
 

Here’s my bullet point thoughts on the breakfast

• Vendor management = project management etc
• Deliver more that you promise, not the other way around
• Beware of a lack of skills on customer side
• Get yes in writing
• Involvement from all, agile principles
• Uniqueness of supplier and contractors, even if requirements are the same
• Document the need for any specialists
• What do vendors get out of a project,  treat them as partners. Understand your Vendor, their strengths and weaknesses.
• What role does a contract have in a project?  A stick, a backup, legalise, scope of project? Or are they too meaningless and vague.
• Measurements, but also what actions will happen as a result of certain measurements.
• What is the chain of command
• Have key kpis in contracts
• What is the internal hiring process and ethics of vendors,  especially if relying on a resident specialist.
• Spend some time with those who will be working on you project.
• Ask for pieces of the project, screenshots, tests