The digital age has brought about an explosion of digital interaction and customer data, which can be a goldmine for businesses that know how to leverage it.

Feature flagging and experimentation are two critical practices that can help companies make data-driven decisions about their software development and improve the user experience. However, with so many feature flagging and experimentation platforms on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. That's where a request for proposal (RFP) comes in.

💡 We created a free Feature Flagging and Experimentation RFP template you can access here. Feel free to make a copy of this template, follow along here and modify it based on your specific needs.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to build an effective feature flagging and experimentation RFP tailored to your individual requirements. From choosing the right features for your RFP, to researching potential vendors and their capabilities and customer service, we’ll provide step-by-step guidance so you can make an informed decision about your feature flagging and experimentation platform.

Preparing to create an RFP

To ensure that your feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP meets your business needs, it's important to prepare before diving into writing the RFP. Here are some key steps to consider:

1. Identify your current challenges and desired outcomes:

The first step in preparing to create an RFP is to identify your specific business needs. Consider the challenges or pain points your organization is experiencing that a feature flagging and experimentation platform could address. Consult with relevant stakeholders in your organization, such as product owners, developers, and growth teams to get a complete picture.

2. Understand your technology requirements:

Review your existing technology stack and determine what requirements your feature flagging and experimentation platform needs to meet. Consider factors such as data privacy and security, integration with other systems, and scalability. Consult with relevant stakeholders to get a technical perspective on these requirements.

3. Consider your budget:

You’ve probably already had the build vs. buy conversation, and if you haven’t, now it’s time to consider your organization's budgetary constraints when preparing your RFP. What is the acceptable price range for the platform and the services that come with it? Make sure to include detailed system and maintenance costs, as well as pricing for additional features and services.

Remember to balance affordability with quality. Selecting a cheaper vendor may cut costs in the short term, but it may lack the features and support that your organization needs, leading to long-term issues.

💡 Key Takeaway: Preparation is key to creating an effective RFP. By identifying your business needs, understanding your technology requirements, and considering your budget, you can create a more informed RFP that sets you on the path to finding the right vendor partner.

Identify your current challenges and desired outcomes

Before you start writing your RFP, you need to identify your current challenges and desired outcomes for a feature flagging and experimentation platform. This will help you determine the features and functionality you require, the level of vendor support you need, and your budget. Here are some questions to consider:

• What is preventing you from achieving your feature flagging and experimentation goals today?

  • How is that impacting your customers?

• What business goals are you looking to accomplish with a feature flagging and experimentation platform?

• What specific features do you need in a platform to meet those goals?

• How will you measure success and return on investment (ROI)?

• What is your timeline for implementation?

Based on these answers, you can then create a list of requirements and priorities for your feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP. You may want to consider creating a scoring system so that you can compare vendors objectively based on your business needs.

Outlining your specifications

Once you have identified your current challenges and desired outcomes, you can begin outlining your specifications for the RFP. This section should include the specific features and functionality you require, as well as any other technical and non-technical requirements. Examples of specifications you may want to consider including in your RFP are:

• Integration with existing systems

• Customization options

• User interface requirements

• Reporting and analytics capabilities

• Compliance and security requirements

• Vendor support and service level agreements

💡 Key Takeaway: Identifying your business needs is a critical first step in creating an effective feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP. This section should outline the importance of this step, and provide guidance on how to identify requirements and priorities for the RFP.

Understand your technology requirements

When developing a feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP, it is important to accurately understand the technology requirements of your business. This includes identifying the technologies currently in use, outlining any compatibility concerns or necessary integrations, and creating a roadmap for desired functionalities and features. Some sub-headers that can be included in this section are:

• Identify current technologies in use: This includes any existing platforms, applications, software, or tools that are already being used by your business. By understanding your current technology stack, you can determine what integrations the feature flagging and experimentation platform will need to have.

• Identify compatibility concerns: Your business may be using technologies that are not compatible with certain vendors or platforms. It’s important to identify these compatibility concerns and ensure the selected vendor is capable of overcoming them.

Our feature flagging and experimentation RFP template has various inputs in place to allow you to specify your current tools in place (for example, we have line items in the template like “Can the solution connect with {{YOUR DATA WAREHOUSE}}?”). Our RFP template also has inputs to denote whether the tools in your stack are supported out of the box or need custom development.

Consider your budget

When it comes to feature flagging and experimentation, finding the best platform for your business requires establishing a budget that suits your requirements. It's crucial to set a clear and realistic budget that encompasses all of the features and requirements that you have identified to remain informed of the offerings that fall within your range.

Creating a budget will allow you to narrow down your choices and ensure that you effectively prioritize your needs, while also being mindful of your bottom line. Consider the different pricing models provided by different vendors, including subscription fees, usage fees, and additional fees for additional features. Evaluate your options and determine which pricing model is best for your business.

Keep in mind that price isn't always an indicator of value, particularly in the feature flagging and experimentation industry. Be mindful of vendors who offer free or low-cost setup fees, but host additional, higher fees later on or those who provide expensive, comprehensive solutions but may not cater to the unique needs of your business.

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Writing your RFP

💡 We created a free Feature Flagging and Experimentation RFP template you can access here. Feel free to make a copy of this template, follow along here and modify it based on your specific needs.

After identifying your business needs, understanding your technology requirements and budget, it's crucial to write an effective RFP that ensures you get the best feature flagging and experimentation platform at the best value for your investment. Luckily for you, we’ve created a free Feature Flagging and Experimentation RFP template you can access here. Feel free to make a copy of this template, follow along here and modify it based on your specific needs.

Outlining your specifications

Once you have identified your business needs and understood your technology requirements, it is time to outline your specifications. This is where you define the exact features and capabilities you are looking for in a feature flagging and experimentation platform. Here are some key considerations to help you outline your specifications:

1. Functional requirements

• Which types of experiments do you want to run? A/B tests, multivariate tests, multi-armed bandit or feature flag experiments?

• Do you need to set custom conditions for your experiments, such as targeting specific user segments or triggering actions based on user behavior?

2. Technical requirements

• What integrations do you need with your existing tech stack?

• Do you need to integrate with specific tools, such as a warehouse, language specific SDKs, analytics tools or marketing automation platforms?

• What are the various data flows and latencies of the solution?

3. Security and compliance

• What are your security and compliance requirements for your feature flagging and experimentation platform?

• Do you need to comply with specific regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA?

4, Reporting and analytics

• What type of reporting and analytics do you need for your experiments?

• Do you need real-time data or do you prefer reports generated on a regular basis?

5. Deployment options

• Do you need in VPC deployment, cloud deployment or both?

• Do you require specific deployment modes, such as blue-green deployment?

6. Customization options

• How much customization do you require from the feature flagging and experimentation platform?

• Do you need to modify the UI, the API or the codebase?

💡 Key Takeaway: Outlining your specifications is a crucial step in crafting an effective feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP. It helps you define your exact needs and requirements, making it easier to find the right vendor partner to meet those needs.

Finding vendors

After you have created an RFP, you need to find vendors who can provide feature flagging and experimentation platforms that meet your business needs at a high level. Choosing the right vendors can make a significant impact on the success of your implementation. To help you find the right vendors, here are some key considerations to keep in mind.

• Start by researching online for vendors who specialize in feature flagging and experimentation. Use search engines, industry forums, social media, review sites, etc. to gather a list of potential vendors.

• Ask industry peers or colleagues for recommendations of feature flagging and experimentation vendors that they have used or know about.

• Attend industry conferences and events focused on software development and experimentation. Here, you can network with vendors and learn about their offerings. If you don’t have bandwidth for that, you can use Linkedin.

• Review analyst reports and vendor evaluations from reputable firms like Gartner, Forrester, and IDC. These reports can provide insights into vendors' strengths and weaknesses.

• Check vendor directories like Capterra, G2, or SoftwareAdvice to identify vendors who specialize in feature flagging and experimentation. These directories often feature reviews and ratings from actual users, which can help inform your decision-making process.

💡 Key Takeaway: Finding the right vendor partner is an important decision that can impact the success of your feature flagging and experimentation implementation. Take the time to research potential vendors, evaluate their capabilities, assess customer service and support, and check vendor references to ensure you make the right choice.

Evaluating your RFP responses

After you have sent out your feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP, vendors will start to respond with their proposals. But how do you move forward from there? Here are the next steps to consider:

• Evaluate responses: The first step is to thoroughly read and evaluate the RFP responses with relevant stakeholders. It's essential to ensure that the responses address the requirements outlined in the RFP, align with your goals, and offer value for the cost. Developing a score or rubric for each section in the RFP may be helpful to speed up communication with all relevant stakeholders in the process.

• Demo selection: After evaluating the RFP responses, you should select a few vendors to move on to the next stage and request a demo of their product or solution. The demo will provide a clear understanding of the vendor's offerings and allow the team to ask specific questions to ensure the solution aligns with their requirements.

• Proof of concept (optional): Once the vendor list is further narrowed down, you may request a proof of concept (POC) from each remaining vendor. The POC allows your team to validate the vendor's capabilities, test the solution in a controlled environment, and identify any potential issues before finalizing the decision to purchase. The POC may include a trial period, pilot program, or a limited scope implementation.

• Procurement process: After completing the evaluation, demo, and POC stages, your team should be ready to make a final decision on the vendor to proceed with. At this stage, the company should begin the procurement process, which may include negotiating terms, signing contracts, and finalizing pricing. Once the procurement process is complete, the company can move forward with the implementation phase.

Final thoughts

Creating an effective feature flagging and experimentation platform RFP is essential for identifying the best vendor partner to meet your business requirements. By following these steps, you can craft a comprehensive and tailored RFP that ensures you get the best value from your investment.

Hopefully this blog helps you feel confident about starting that process! To further help, we’ve created a Feature Gating and Experimentation RFP template, feel free to make a copy of this template and modify it based on your specific needs. Happy experimenting!

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FAQ

What is the difference between an RFP and a prototype?

An RFP is a request for proposal, which typically includes detailed information about the project and the vendor’s qualifications. A prototype is a preliminary version of a product or service that is used to test customer reactions and evaluate the feasibility of the project.

What is feature flagging?

Feature flagging is a process by which a product or feature can be enabled or disabled by a designated representative of the product or feature owner. This representative is usually a software engineer or manager. The purpose of feature flagging is to enable or disable the product or feature based on specific conditions that have been defined in a test plan or specification.

What is the purpose of an RFP?

The purpose of an RFP is to find the best vendor for a project. By specifying what you need in your RFP and making it clear to the vendor what the project requirements are, you can ensure that the vendor is able to provide the best possible solution.

How do I create an RFP?

To create an effective RFP, start by understanding your business needs. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can begin to craft your RFP by defining the specific features and functionality your business needs. From there, you can identify the technologies and vendors that can best provide those features and functionality.

What are the challenges of using an RFP?

There are a few key challenges to consider when crafting an effective RFP. One challenge is that not all businesses have the same needs when it comes to feature flagging and experimentation. Another challenge is that it can be difficult to find the right vendors for an RFP. By following these tips, you can help overcome these challenges and find the best possible solution for your business.

What is an RFP?

An RFP, or Request for Proposal, is a document that outlines the specific requirements of a particular project or offer. It is typically used in the procurement process, and is a way for businesses to specify the details of a project or proposal to potential vendors.

What is experimentation?

Experimentation is the process of trying out different ideas or solutions in order to learn more about what works and what doesn’t work. It can be used to test the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, product features, and even business strategies. By experimenting, you can find solutions to problems that you may have never been able to find before.

What are some tips for creating an effective RFP?

Some tips for creating an effective RFP include:

• Crafting your RFP to specifically meet your business needs.

• Including detailed descriptions of the features and services you’re looking for.

• Including a detailed budget and timeline for the project.

• Ensuring that the RFP is delivered in a clear, succinct, and easy-to-read format.

How do I respond to an RFP?

There are several different ways to respond to an RFP, but the most important thing is to be thoughtful and deliberate when crafting your response. You don’t want to waste the vendors’ time, and you don’t want to send the wrong message about your business.

Here are a few tips to help you respond intelligently to an RFP:

• Take the time to read through the entire RFP document. This will help you understand the vendor’s goals and how best to meet them.

• Be clear about your business needs and what features you need in a feature flagging and experimentation platform.

• Be willing to discuss specific examples of how a feature would be used in your business.

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Appendix

Why you need an RFP

When it comes to finding the right feature flagging and experimentation platform for your business, creating a creative request for proposal (RFP) is essential. An RFP is a document that outlines the specific requirements and criteria your business needs in a feature flagging and experimentation platform. It helps potential vendors understand your business needs, and provides clear guidelines for choosing the right vendor partner.

What is a feature flagging and experimentation platform?

A feature flagging and experimentation platform is a tool that enables developers and product teams to safely launch and test new features in their applications or websites. The platform allows teams to release features to a selected group of users, measure the impact of the new feature, and quickly roll it back if there are any issues or negative outcomes.

Feature flagging also known as 'feature toggling,' helps developers create new features with minimal disruption to the end user. The platform enables teams to hide or expose new features for different users, to do a phased rollout, and to obtain the metrics required for efficacy at each stage.

The experimentation component of the platform provides A/B testing capabilities to perform tests on the new features to determine the version that is more effective at achieving set goals.

With the help of a feature flagging and experimentation platform, businesses can safely execute rapid experimentation, minimize risks, and deploy new features faster.

What are the benefits of a feature flagging and experimentation platform?

Feature flagging and experimentation platforms enable businesses to move quickly and innovate faster. By enabling development teams to experiment with new features in a controlled environment, businesses can ensure that new features are tested and optimized before being released to customers. In this way, feature flagging and experimentation platforms can help businesses manage risk and increase the likelihood of success when launching new software features.

There are a number of key benefits to using a feature flagging and experimentation platform in your business, including:

1. Improved product development: Feature flagging allows your development team to work more quickly and efficiently by enabling them to test new features in isolation. This means that new features can be developed and tested without disrupting your existing software, enabling you to innovate faster and stay ahead of the competition.

2. Reduced risk: By testing new features in a controlled environment, businesses can manage risk and minimize the impact of any potential errors. With feature flagging, you can release new software features to a small group of users to test before rolling them out to your entire customer base, minimizing the risk of negative customer feedback or poor adoption rates.

3. Increased customer retention: Feature flagging and experimentation platforms enable businesses to understand their customers’ preferences and the preferences of different groups of customers. By testing new features with small groups of users and monitoring their responses, businesses can identify the features and functions that are most popular with their audience, helping them to create a more engaging and satisfying customer experience.

4. Speed to market: Feature flagging allows businesses to introduce new features to the market more quickly. By testing new features in a controlled environment, businesses can ensure that they are fully optimized before releasing them to the public.

5. Data-driven decision making: Feature flagging and experimentation platforms provide businesses with valuable insights into user behavior and preferences. By monitoring how customers interact with new features, businesses can gain insights into user behavior and adapt their marketing and development strategies accordingly.

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