Appian Enterprise Buyer's Checklist

Appian
Appian

The Appian “Buyer’s Guide for Business Process Automation” is a checklist that helps teams evaluate BPA platforms and choose the right one. It breaks down the process into clear steps like building a business case, organizing a buying team, and comparing vendors based on features like scalability, integration, and AI.

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What Makes it Great

  • Well-Organized Framework: The guide is structured into key stages—like defining needs, assessing vendors, and avoiding pitfalls—making it easy to follow and actionable for teams at any stage of the buying process.
  • Vendor Comparison Scorecard: Provides a detailed scorecard that helps buyers assess features like integration, AI capabilities, and compliance, making vendor comparisons straightforward and measurable.
  • Addresses Common Mistakes: Highlights potential pitfalls, such as underestimating scalability needs or ignoring integration challenges, helping buyers make informed, long-term decisions.
  • Focus on Collaboration: Encourages teams to include stakeholders from IT, operations, and leadership, ensuring all perspectives are considered in the decision-making process.
  • Actionable Questions and Tips: Includes prompts like “How will the platform support my existing systems?” and “What does scalability look like for this solution?” so buyers know exactly what to ask during vendor discussions.

🎯 Takeaway Tip

When creating a buying checklist, include a vendor evaluation scorecard that allows buyers to rate specific features based on their importance and performance. For example, under “Integration,” add a scoring column like “Compatibility with legacy systems: 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent),” so buyers can easily compare options in a meaningful way.