Selecting software is rarely as straightforward as it seems. Much like standing in front of an ice cream counter, the options are abundant, the flavors all look appealing, and it’s easy to get swept up in the moment. Demos impress, features sparkle, and before long, organizations find themselves choosing based on what looks good rather than what truly fits.
Whether you’re picking dessert or a technology platform, the best decisions are made by narrowing, prioritizing, and understanding what actually matters.
By reframing software selection through the familiar experience of ordering ice cream, we can strip away some of the complexity and refocus on the fundamentals.
Allergies narrow the field of available flavors right away, whether it’s a nut allergy or lactose intolerance, certain choices become off limits. Similarly, organizations should know what their knockout (must have) requirements are at the outset of a software selection. This may be certain security standards required by your IT policies, multi-entity support, or a cloud-based architecture. Establishing this criteria early allows you to narrow your field of vendors before spending time evaluating those who are not suitable options for your organization.
Application Model – “Soft serve or hard ice cream?”
The type of ice cream you choose also fundamentally changes the field of flavors available. In software selection, determining the preferred application model (all-in-one solution, best of breed solution, industry-specific solution, or industry agnostic solution) will also significantly shape the vendor landscape. This decision will help your organization more easily compare solutions. Selecting an application model requires reflecting on what would work best within your existing application architecture.
Critical Requirements – “What flavor?”
Once your options are narrowed, the focus shifts from elimination to fit. Do you need chocolate-centric or fruit-based flavors? Maybe options with added texture like candy or cookies? What platforms offer the best alignment with what your organization needs to replace or improve your existing technology? Documenting your critical requirements or what a platform “should have” is a necessary step to undergo as part of an evaluation. These requirements should be used as the foundation for how demonstrations are scored and determining which platforms should advance in the selection process.
Nice-to-Have Features – “Any toppings?”
Sprinkles, M&Ms, fudge, caramel, gummy bears, whipped cream? With so many items to add it can be easy to let the toppings overshadow the ice cream itself. Similarly, “nice-to-have” features and add-ons can easily distract from core requirements during software evaluations. While these features may serve as differentiators when multiple platforms meet critical needs, they should not drive the primary decision.
User Experience – “Cup or cone?”
The cup or cone decision reflects how you want to experience your ice cream. Are you feeling ready to keep up with a cone or are you looking for the leisure of the cup and spoon? An often-overlooked part of software selection is consideration of the end user experience. Ensuring that the platform is easy to navigate and fits within the processes that it will help facilitate is a critical component as organizations look ahead to user adoption. Even if a platform checks all of the boxes, if it’s challenging to use your teams may struggle to fully embrace the system change.
Implementation & Support – “What size?”
Lastly, how big is your appetite? Picking the right portion size is important to avoiding brain freeze or a stomach ache later on. When thinking about your future software platform it’s important to consider the implementation effort involved as well as the ongoing maintenance. Key questions include: Do you have the internal capacity to support implementation or is an implementation partner required? What level of service does the vendor provide during implementation? What does ongoing support look like? Evaluating these factors helps prevent overextending resources and ensures the solution is sustainable.
Before making a final decision, a taste test helps confirm your choice. In software selection, this step involves a comprehensive evaluation of vendors beyond core functionality:
Cost and Pricing Model: Assess total cost of ownership, including licensing, implementation, and ongoing expenses.
Vendor Experience: Evaluate the vendor’s expertise, reliability, and customer support – recognizing that you are entering a long-term partnership.
Scalability: Ensure the platform can support both current needs and future growth, avoiding the need for premature replacement.
At first glance, choosing software and choosing ice cream couldn’t seem more different. One is a strategic business decision; the other, a simple indulgence. But the process behind making the right choice is surprisingly similar.
Both require discipline: ruling out what won’t work, focusing on what matters most, and resisting the pull of unnecessary extras. The most effective organizations approach selection with clarity and prioritize what truly matters. They understand their needs, evaluate options methodically, and choose solutions that will satisfy not just today’s appetite, but tomorrow’s growth.
Whether it’s an ice cream or a platform, the goal isn’t just to pick something that looks good, it’s to choose something you’ll be glad you committed to. If your interested in finding the right software for your company, simply reach out to info@atxadvisory.com and maybe we'll buy you a cone!
Authors: Paige Stolen & Andrea Hall