CRM Business Analysis - Fit-Gap Analysis

This article is a continuation of something I have wrote before about the Business Analysis best practices, so here follows some lights how to proceed for the Fit-Gap Analysis.

This will be a high level solution architecture, in terms of objectives engagement we need to validate and understand the project scope. Validate and understand the degree of Fit of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to the customer business and IT requirements. We should identify the major customization's that will be required to address the customer requirements as well any ISV add-on solutions that may be required. We should understand of how Microsoft Dynamics CRM will work in the customer business, and all this as more detailed as possible.

Overview and Schedule is the process flow that we should use to do our analysis, which i separated by phases for better understanding.

Fit/Gap Findings – Degree of Fit

Based on workshops and interviews conducted the Fit-Gap Analysis we will determined a percentage degree of fit for Microsoft Dynamics CRM to the customer business. Separating the effort estimates by configuration, customization (plugins or integration) and workflows. 

Fit-Gap Findings – Major Customization Requirements

We should list the identified customization requires during the Fit-Gap analysis by Business requirement and customization description, CRM design point (discuss how the customization will be handled in Microsoft Dynamics CRM) and effort estimate in hours or days. 

Fit-Gap Findings – Requirements for ISV Add-On Solutions

In terms of ISV add-on solutions we will use the same list as above plus the ISV-Add-On solution requires (providing information on the ISV add-on solution that is required) 

Fit-Gap Findings – Requirements for Integration's

For the integration we will mention the business requirements and integration description, the CRM design point where we will discuss how the customization will be handled in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the effort estimate in days or hours

Fit-Gap Findings – Requirements for Data Migration

I those projects that we need to migrate data we need to include this requirements, therefore we need to mention what data need to be migrated, number of rows (what volume of data needs to be migrated), frequency (one shot or how oven will occur), will be a manual, semi auto, or automated solution (manual, custom code like console application, biztalk, user interface, etc), and the effort estimate in hours or days. 

Fit-Gap & Solution Blueprint Deliverable`s

Our deliverable`s will be the fit-gap spreadsheet in which lists all the requirements, how they will be addressed (“out-of-the-box,” configuration and customization) and the effort estimate associated with each deliverable.

The solution blueprint is a Report (written in Microsoft Word) which covers our understanding of the requirements, discusses Microsoft Dynamics CRM functional fit, reviews key design points, discusses customization and integration requirements, reviews the proposed conceptual design and lists any assumptions made. 

Before moving on to the next steps it is important for us to validate this Fit-Gap & Solution Blueprint to make sure we have a clear understanding of the customer requirements. 
In all the fit-gaps findings the customer need to validate if these Business/IT requirements are truly necessary or if the requirement can be dropped in order to reduce implementation costs.