When you have narrowed your construction management software choices down to a select few finalists, it's time to ask the vendors to demonstrate their software. The key to getting as much from the demo as possible is to ask tough questions that drill down deep on the issues important to you.

"No company is going to show you a bad demo," Brown said. "Project management software is a major long-term commitment, and if you don't have the in-house expertise to choose the right product and get it up and running effectively, make sure you find a consultant team that can."

Make sure you accomplish the following things in the demo:

• Demo the vendor's support team, too. Brown says that checking out the vendor's engineering and support teams could be the smartest thing you do. How will the vendor deliver your software? Will it use an in-house team to customize and support it, or rely on value-added resellers (VARs)? Don't stop with the salesperson's demo; if necessary, pay extra to bring in the vendor's consultants or engineers and have your own experts on hand to quiz them, using your own real-life data and scenarios. Make sure that the people who will actually implement your purchase have worked with construction companies; you don't want to have to educate them on time you're paying for.
• Understand where the vendor is coming from and where it's going. The vendor team should tell you the current and future focus of the company. Is it primarily dealing with construction software, or does it supply "construction modules" to work with a generic package. If the latter, does the vendor have sufficient experience in the construction industry -- and a dedicated construction team -- to  really understand the business? Is it the business for the long haul, or is there a danger that construction support might be phased out?
• Test in the field. Since much, if not most, project management actually takes place in the field, you'll want to gauge performance out of the office as well. If the vendor claims its construction management software will run flawlessly over a wireless connection at a remote site, don't take their word for it; set up a test at a construction site and try it.
• Get references. Can the vendor supply you with contacts at companies similar to yours, experienced project managers who can describe the product and how it's working for them?
• Be open. When you've narrowed the field, let all the vendors know your list of potential choices. If anyone will know of a product's weaknesses, it will be the competition. Once you have a list of possible problems, candidly ask each vendor to defend its position.

*** Go to the final article: Construction Project Management and Scheduling Software Buyer's Guide: Implementation