The Objective
The plan should be understandable before implementation begins. If there are multiple reasonable approaches, ETS can explain the differences so the business can make an informed decision. The most expensive or most complicated option is not automatically the right one.
The plan should fit the business, the environment, and the budget. That may mean improving what you already have rather than replacing it. It may mean planning a larger project. Sometimes the right answer is to leave something alone.
What the plan considers
- Scope and priorities
- Business requirements
- Technical requirements
- Cost and timing
- Security and reliability
- Maintainability
Planning may include
- Defining the scope of the work
- Identifying requirements and dependencies
- Determining what should change
- Determining what should remain
- Identifying equipment or software requirements
- Considering security implications
- Considering maintainability and documentation
- Establishing expected timing
- Identifying risks or potential disruptions
- Determining the appropriate level of involvement
- Establishing the expected investment
Depending on the project, a proposal or estimate may separate the following costs:
- ETS project labor
- Equipment and hardware
- Software or third-party licensing
- Procurement or deployment costs
- One-time onboarding, when ongoing management is included
- Recurring managed services, when applicable
- Other customer-specific expenses required for the solution
ETS keeps these costs separate. So the customer can see the difference between the professional services ETS provides and the products or services being purchased for the environment.
Hardware, software licensing, cloud services, and other customer-specific third-party costs are generally paid separately by the customer rather than being hidden inside ETS service pricing.
Equipment & Purchasing
When new equipment is required, ETS can help identify, source, configure, and deploy the appropriate hardware. Equipment purchased through ETS may include a procurement margin and any applicable configuration or deployment charges. These costs should be identified as part of the proposed investment.
For substantial equipment purchases, ETS may require a deposit or customer prepayment before placing the order.
This keeps equipment ownership and project costs clear while allowing ETS to focus its resources on delivering and supporting the solution.
Options & Tradeoffs
There is not always one correct way to solve a technology problem. When multiple reasonable approaches exist, ETS can explain the differences between them, including considerations such as:
- Initial cost
- Ongoing cost
- Performance
- Reliability
- Security
- Complexity
- Maintainability
- Expected lifespan
- Ability to grow with the business
A lower-cost option may be completely appropriate when it meets the requirements.
A more expensive option may be justified when it meaningfully improves reliability, security, capacity, or long-term operating cost. The purpose of the plan is to make those tradeoffs understandable before a decision is made.
Approval before implementation
For larger work, ETS will define the expected scope, major requirements, and anticipated investment before moving into implementation. If something significant changes after work begins, the customer should understand the impact before the original scope is materially expanded.
The goal is to avoid surprises and make sure both ETS and the customer understand what is being built, what it is expected to accomplish, and what resources are required to complete it. The most expensive or most complicated option is not automatically the right one.
The right plan is the one that solves the problem responsibly and makes sense for the business.
