Software Is Strategic, SIs Tactical

Saskatchewan is the latest Canadian province to implement comprehensive modernization and automation of its social services case management technology. It took advantage of other organizations' efforts by analyzing procurements and implementations by government agencies in the UK, US, and elsewhere in Canada. Its conclusions? The software vendor is strategic, the systems integrator (SI) is tactical, and so the ministry rather than the SI should manage the relationship with the software vendor. This case study reviews Saskatchewan's comprehensive six-stage software selection process and the extra twist it applied in the final stage to ensure that it: 1) acquired the most out-of-the-box functionality available, and 2) minimized future reliance on systems integrators.