A not unusual scenario, that has been repeated countless times:
The EVP Technology of the parent company had a successful first week visiting their new subsidiary declaring: "I have never seen a company with such a good fit to our system." As he headed back to the airport with the integration team, the newly acquired company was a bit bewildered: Aren't they going to look at our requirements in any detail? What are the benefits? What are the costs?
Two years later the project to implement the parent company system collapsed, leaving the subsidiary with some deep challenges. Commitments had been made to suppliers, business partners and regulators that couldn't now be met without a system.
The traps are all to evident with 20/20 hindsight.
Of course, if you start knowing an answer it will always fit the question. But is it the best answer? Is it the full answer? Most importantly if you are blinkered by the answer you will simply miss business requirements that can't be met by the "solution". They are simply missed if you just start from a checklist of package features.
It may be a "no brainer" but that doesn't mean you abandon all critical faculties, or tear up the methodology. It should mean you get through the process far faster. But don't leap to conclusions.
