Looking for all-in-one software and want to know whether teamspace is the right fit? Testing software fully and in depth is practically impossible – it would first have to be set up and the users trained. So that you can still reach a well-founded decision, we approach the trial phase iteratively. This article describes the approach and gives three tips that many tests otherwise founder on.
The fundamental problem
You have to make a decision, but you don’t really have a basis for it – and would otherwise have to rely on marketing and websites alone. You may have an initial feel for the software, but that isn’t enough for an investment decision. That is why we tackle it step by step.
The approach in three stages
- Requirements meeting (approx. 30 minutes). Together we clarify and document the broad requirements and check whether teamspace can deliver them. The time frame and budget should be discussed at this stage too.
- Solution presentation (approx. 1 hour). We set up a test system, configure it roughly and demonstrate your most important requirements. This is your session – the point is to check whether your requirements are met, not to advertise or train. At the end you decide whether to continue.
- Independent test. If you do continue, you receive login credentials for testing on your own. This is where it tends to get difficult: you enter a system you don’t yet know, one that isn’t set up for you – and often there is no test plan. Many people click around briefly and set the software aside as “too complex”. A shame for both sides. The following tips are designed to counter exactly that.
Three tips for the trial phase
- Tip 1 – Use the introduction videos. Watch the introduction videos. One of them sets practice exercises and shows the solution – giving you a head start and a steep learning curve. That is exactly what the Exercises for beginners are for.
- Tip 2 – Use the 14 days of free support. Don’t spend too long trying to work everything out for yourself. We know how to operate the software, you know your requirements – book an appointment online and ask directly whether something is possible.
- Tip 3 – Get it done. It is a test – not an onboarding and not a course, just a basis for your decision. A trial phase that drags on for months loses exactly the momentum you will need later, during the rollout.
What is a good test result?
You will never have complete certainty that everything is covered. A good result is when, by the end, you have found, say, two systems for which you know what works and what doesn’t. For the points that don’t work out of the box and matter to you, you should know whether and at what cost they can be adapted. That gives you a well-founded basis for your decision.
Notes
- Plan the trial phase with a fixed deadline – a clear framework keeps the test from quietly stalling.
- If the test comes back positive, the next step is the rollout: Rolling out teamspace in your company.