Software Tool Evaluation Factor 10: Future Proof

This is one of the very soft evaluation criteria as you can´t predict the future. The only thing you can really do here well is to have as many insights as possible. The main question is: How does the company and the tool perform in the past? And this leads you to more questions, which you should consider.

Questions you should consider for this criteria

• How long does the vendor exist?
• How long is this product already on the market?
• What is the market share of this tool?
• Do the vendor have reference customer you can talk to?
• Does the tool follow industry standards?

Why these questions? They will lead you to a consumption, how the company and the tool will perform in the future.

You should at least research the company and the tool, there are many great pages on the internet which will help you. Gartner Quadrant or Forrester Wave gives you always a great insight on tools you´re evaluating.

You have to be aware that future proof is always done now and you can´t predict what will happen tomorrow.

Just remember

With COVID-19 so many future proofs became obsolete in less than a month.