Definition – Blueprint

The blueprint is a document that records the requirements of what a client wants a solution to do.

It is the official record of what all parties involved in a project want to do, for example it records the client’s requirements for a SaaS solution they are going to implement.

Before and during the blueprinting (requirements gathering) it is recommended that the client re-designs their processes and procedures to fit in with the new world they are creating. It is vital that the client should not just copy what they have / do now as it may not fit in with the solution they are implementing. Plus it may not be the most effective and efficient way to achieve what they want. Therefore it is best practice to use the time before and during blueprinting to do business process improvement.

In blueprinting the role of the solution provider is to records the requirements and to confirm if the solution can meet the client´s requirements. If not, then the client and provider have to agree on a workaround or the client has to change their requirements.

Sometimes the provider will lead the client and provide consultancy to them so the correct solution that meets the client´s requirements is created. Not all providers will provide consultancy and not all clients would even pay for it. Many providers will just record what the client wants the system to do and then confirms if that is possible or not.