It did, however, make me think of the selection process for choosing your business solution as often potential suppliers produce battlecards that compare themselves favourably against the competition.
It is recognised that most significant software system decisions involve more than one partner. Perhaps one is a consultant, an influencer or an advisor. And there is usually a process involving some, or all, of the stages of RFI, RFP, Requirements, and Scoring – to a greater or lesser extent, formal or informal. There are some useful templates available here for anyone embarking on this process and wondering where to start.
System selection will follow decision criteria (short-listing those who meet the essential requirements), but invariably it still comes down to cultural fit. I have been involved in two selection processes recently and great store is put on the formal process to ensure it is fair, equal, and objective. This is particularly important the larger the organisation, when internal justifications need to pass muster through multiple departments.
However, in my experience, when you strip away the process and the scorecard – you only have one chance to make a good first impression. The personalities and the demo dictate the decision.
Although you may choose your political party based on their attributes and policies, at the end of the day you will choose the person based on who you like the most.