A practical starting point for a more useful conversation about the way your organization works.
Bring a representative workflow
Describe a typical request from start to finish. Include the people involved and the decisions they make. Bring a fictional example or remove personal information from a real one before sharing it.
Ask about the exceptions
A standard demonstration often shows the easiest path. Ask what happens when a request changes, an approval is refused or the assigned person becomes unavailable. These cases help reveal the practical boundaries of a product.
Separate standard from custom
For each important requirement, ask whether it is included, configurable, dependent on an integration or subject to custom development. Record assumptions about timing, ownership and additional costs instead of relying on verbal impressions.
Discuss access and data
Clarify which roles need to see or modify information. Ask for the documentation your organization needs to evaluate security, privacy, data location, exports and retention. A demonstration does not replace a technical or contractual review.
Define the next decision
Finish with a short list of open questions, the information required to resolve them and the people responsible. A useful next step might be a scoped workshop, a test environment or a review with finance and IT.