Purchasing software, especially for the first time, is like going to a store where you buy a box with a long-awaited program or, more modern, downloading ready-made software from an Internet store.
A boxed program is a program that is distributed in large batches for a mass consumer. Sometimes it is better to purchase a boxed software product for running a business.
The reality is that every business is unique in its own way. If you take any two competitors, there will always be differences in how they do business. Despite the same result, everyone strives to achieve it in their own way.
Each firm has its own historical experience and business processes. Of course, in some ways this experience and these processes intersect.
Likewise, there is no universal program for custom software development company, with one single button “Do”, by clicking on which everything happens by itself. If the company’s business processes are unique, and every day more and more require automation. Then the best way to survive in today’s business environment is to order the development of a software product.
It should be taken into account that custom development can be an order of magnitude more expensive than boxed versions, but in the future, custom software made in accordance with your individual requirements can have a pleasant effect on your own income.
Let’s try to give a far from complete list of reasons why many are inclined towards purchasing custom software.
- The enterprise has organized a unique production, there is no program, since no one has written it.
- The company has many data sources, and reporting should be uniform.
- Partners have different software and a different data format.
- There is a desire for the corporate site to be able to automatically collect information from the internal network for publication.
- There are many branches, and it is necessary to synchronize their work.
- The company has unique equipment, but there is no corresponding software.
- The management of the company is used to relying on its own forces and independently controlling everything.
Software development stages
- Stage 0. Acquaintance. Technical and commercial proposal.
- Stage 1. Survey and development of technical specifications
- Stage 2. Design and development of the program.
- Stage 3. Testing.
- Stage 4. Introduction into trial operation.
- Stage 5. Personnel training
- Stage 6. Technical support of the software product acquaintance.
Typically, the process of developing a new custom program begins with a phone call or e-mail from a potential customer to the development company. After that, a meeting takes place at the level of the leaders of the two companies, where the goals of the project and wishes for it are briefly discussed.
After some time, the customer receives from the developer a technical and commercial proposal (TCH), a document that briefly lists the customer’s requirements and proposals for the development of a software system in accordance with these requirements.
This document also roughly estimates the labor intensity of the project by Fireart and its cost (the final cost of the work can be determined only after the development of the terms of reference, see below).
If the conditions suit the client, the parties sign an agreement for the survey and the formation of the technical task.
For the successful creation of the program, the developer needs to conduct a survey in order to identify all the customer’s requirements for the created software product. At this stage, the task is clarified. Specialists visit the customer, clarify requirements, analyze business processes, communicate with specialists. From the customer’s side, employees should be allocated for interaction.
Analysts of the developer company can request from the customer samples of incoming and outgoing documentation involved in automated business processes.
