Goal Assessment

This scenario is the foundation scenario for all others and is always performed when mindAmp is initially engaged in a project.

First Contact

A typical situation is a software-oriented venture capital-based business that is having difficulty meeting milestones associated with gaining its next round of funding at the valuation that is desired. These milestones may be revenue-based, profitability-based, development milestone-based, or some other basis; however, the situation is that without some fundamental change the goal will not be met. Once this situation is recognized a board member or a senior operational executive (e.g., CEO, COO, Vice President) contacts mindAmp for assistance.

Planning

mindAmp then arranges and conducts a program review meeting. The results of this meeting are analyzed and an action plan is constructed based upon that analysis. That action plan is tailored to the specific situation; however, a common element of all action plans is a gap analysis of the realities of the situation from the perspective of the market/end-customer, senior management, and the individual contributors.

Integrated solution planning and execution.

Integrated solution definition.

Integrated point product or point service planning and execution.

Custom software for a point product.

Custom software for a well-defined subsystem.

The action plan is then presented to senior management and a go/no go decision is made concerning mindAmp continued involvement by both the senior management of the hiring company and by mindAmp.

Engagement Criteria

mindAmp uses the reaction by senior management to the gap analysis and action plan to make a fundamental decision concerning whether a relationship with the customer will be a win/win. The customer must be willing to face up to the reality of the mistakes made in the past and must be motivated by enough fear of failure and greed toward achieving the goal that the extreme measures that mindAmp typically recommends are heeded. This is not a binary decision on the part of mindAmp; instead, different relationships may be built with a customer based on differing levels of responsiveness to the gap analysis and action plan. The different levels of relationships that mindAmp may have with a customer may be found in the links in the middle of this page.