The Minimum Viable Proposal (MVP) approach prevents wasting time on elaborate plans that might need complete revision after validation. Instead of creating 50-slide decks initially, focus on a concise 5-7 slide presentation highlighting the core problem, measurable impact, proposed solution, and rough timeline. This creates momentum as stakeholders who say "yes" to your core concept become invested in its success, making them more receptive to further development.

Minimum Viable Proposal

Nobody wants to read your 50-page transformation manifesto, no matter how brilliant the ideas within it. I've seen exceptional proposals die on arrival simply because they arrived wrapped in lengthy documents that stakeholders couldn't find time to digest. The MVP approach creates psychological buy-in that transforms theoretical discussions into tangible action, opening the door for gradual expansion of details.

Short is king

When implementing a new enterprise-wide framework, start small and focused rather than comprehensive. A client's 90-page cloud governance proposal remained stuck in review for months, while our 10-slide MVP focused solely on critical applications was approved within a week. Remember: your goal in the Request Phase isn't complete approval—it's permission to advance to the next stage.

Request is to show

Structure your implementation roadmap into 3-4 distinct phases with clear milestones, rather than presenting a monolithic transformation. For example, a Cloud Adoption Program might include: Building Cloud Strategy (1 month), Defining Target Operating Model (1 month), Building Initial Landing Zone (1 month), and Delivering Pilot Migrations (2-3 months). This creates natural checkpoints for evaluation and adjustment, without stakeholders feeling locked into an unchangeable grand plan.

Milestone it

Proactively identifying implementation challenges demonstrates foresight and builds credibility with decision-makers. When implementing a cybersecurity framework at a financial services company, we explicitly acknowledged temporary slower deployment cycles for DevOps teams. By building in parallel approval processes and additional resources during transition, we neutralized what could have been a major objection from the CTO's organization.

Credibility is your coins

The most elegant proposal can fail spectacularly when implementation teams aren't consulted early. I've seen million-dollar initiatives collapse because the teams responsible for execution weren't engaged until after approval. When leading a telco digital transformation, we brought in senior developers during roadmap creation who immediately identified integration challenges that would have doubled our timeline had we discovered them mid-implementation.

Consult it

Implementation teams provide three critical inputs: technical feasibility assessment to identify hidden dependencies, resource reality checks based on true capacity, and alternative approaches that might achieve the same outcome more efficiently. Create a simple feedback template asking what makes the proposal difficult to implement, what resources would help, and what alternative approaches might better fit their team roadmap.

Befriend with delivery

Effective decision-making requires gathering diverse perspectives across organizational levels. When implementing a new CRM at a financial services firm, we discovered critical workflow requirements by interviewing frontline staff that weren't on executives' radar. Balance quantitative metrics (costs, timelines) with qualitative insights (team readiness, cultural fit) while examining similar past initiatives for valuable lessons.

Search widely

Raw information requires rigorous validation before informing decisions. Cross-verify data points from multiple sources, challenge foundational assumptions, and test how your proposal performs under different conditions. In a streaming platform automation project, we discovered our core assumption about vendor flexibility was based on pre-pandemic conditions that no longer applied, requiring significant adjustments.

Cross-verification

When formulating decisions, clearly define 2-4 distinct approaches with their respective benefits, costs, risks, and implementation requirements. Avoid presenting false binary choices that limit options. When implementing an enterprise-wide security protocol, we created a decision matrix that made trade-offs explicit and facilitated productive discussion among stakeholders with competing priorities.

Maintain options

Even meticulously planned proposals can hit unexpected roadblocks during approval. While finalizing a banking data analytics platform, the EU announced GDPR enforcement dates three days before our sign-off meeting. This created a six-month delay requiring complete redesign of data collection, implementation of new functionality, and development of retention policies we hadn't budgeted for.

Compliance matter

C-suite executives don't fall in love with technology—they fall in love with results. A technically flawless 2.3M Euro cloud migration proposal was rejected when presented primarily as "improved scalability" and "technical debt reduction." The same proposal sailed through approval six months later when reframed with projected cost avoidance, quantified performance improvements, and competitive advantage metrics.

Not all C-suite are geeks

Translate technical benefits into financial outcomes that resonate with decision-makers. Instead of saying "This architecture reduces latency by 200ms," say "This performance improvement will reduce cart abandonment by 8%, translating to approximately 3.4M Euro in recovered revenue annually." Combine both hard benefits (direct cost savings) and soft benefits (risk reduction, compliance improvements) for a complete ROI picture.

ROI is god

Structure your ROI narrative to show value realization across multiple time horizons to satisfy different executive priorities. For an ERP modernization, we presented Wave 1 (Month 3): 350K Euro in immediate license optimization; Wave 2 (Month 9): 1.2M Euro in process automation savings; and Wave 3 (Month 18): 4.5M Euro in inventory optimization. This satisfied both the CFO's need for rapid returns and the CEO's interest in strategic positioning.

Show Cash-flow

Build ROI verification into your implementation plan to establish credibility. Establish clear baseline metrics before implementation, define measurement methodologies, and schedule formal ROI reviews at key milestones. For a sales automation platform, we created a dedicated dashboard tracking key metrics weekly, which helped us gain immediate credibility for more ambitious second-phase proposals when we hit 73% of projected first-quarter improvements.

Verify Cash

Address executive skepticism about ROI projections head-on by acknowledging implementation risks, including sensitivity analyses showing returns under different scenarios, and referencing similar implementations with verified returns. In one challenging approval process, we secured buy-in by proposing phased funding, where additional investment depended on achieving specific ROI milestones from earlier phases.

Be Cautious

The RAPID decision-making framework transforms chaotic proposal processes into strategic advantages that consistently deliver results. Starting with a Minimum Viable Proposal creates momentum, while engaging implementation teams early builds crucial organizational buy-in. Rigorous information validation prevents costly missteps, and translating technical benefits into financial outcomes addresses the ultimate decision criterion for executives.

Be Systematic

This post is to get deeper and talk about process of decision-making. 

My Approach to conducting proper proposal process.

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Corporate Culture

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Technology & The Future

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Strategy

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Entrepreneurship

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Business

[RBM] Decision-making step-by-step guide. 

Identifying the right decision-makers is the most crucial step in any decision-making process. Most companies struggle with this despite having hierarchical structures.

Why Decision-Making Framework?

Two common scenarios hinder modernization: either too few people are engaged, or too many are involved without clear roles. When responsibilities aren't defined, progress stalls regardless of participant numbers.

Problematic Scenarios

The RAPID framework has been adapted to RPIAD (Recommend, Perform, Inform, Accept, Decide) to better suit modernization initiatives. This reordering reflects the practical flow of decision-making processes.

RPIAD order of RAPID framework

For the "Recommend" phase, identify champions and influencers whose endorsement carries weight. Their support is crucial for gaining acceptance from decision-makers.

R like Recommend

The "Perform" category should focus on actual end users who will work with the system daily. Consider how changes will impact their workflow and what support they might need.

P like Perform

The "Inform" role includes everyone who will interact with the system and could provide valuable input. Their feedback might reveal blind spots or opportunities for improvement.

I like Inform

For "Acceptance," validate what formal approval processes are required. Determine what documentation, signatures, or compliance checks must be completed before moving forward.

A like Acceptance

The "Decision" phase requires identifying who holds actual decision-making power. Look beyond titles to find who controls the budget and has final authority.

D like Decision

Describing each person's engagement in steps helps anticipate what information they'll need. Gathering this information upfront simplifies the process later.The inability to make correct decisions hinders most modernization processes. Clear role assignment, especially regarding decision-making authority, is essential for progress.

Clear Roles

Make several attempts to fill in stakeholder data, evaluating each time whether involvement is necessary. This prevents unnecessary complications from too many participants.

Evolutional Process

When implementing new systems, include all stakeholders who might have requirements in the "Inform" category. This ensures comprehensive input before decisions are made.

I best practices

Having a systematic tool like RPIAD can clarify objectives in numerous scenarios. It provides structure to what is often a chaotic and politically charged process.

Summary

RAPID-based modernization is a method to find the right people to engage in change proposal process and achieve success. 

[RBM] Decision-making step-by-step guide.

[RBM] Finding right Decision Makers

Marcin Karkocha