With each passing year, global business is becoming more and more customer-centric. Whether we’re talking about B2C or B2B model, providers are doing their best to create solutions that would cater to clients’ specific needs.
Like all other industries, IT is experiencing a similar thing. Buyers aren’t willing to invest in software where they wouldn’t have full control over the project and the software features. This is especially true when customers are looking to build an in-house solution to streamline their day-to-day operations.
In fact, the main reason why clients develop on-demand software is because the current market options don’t suit their business model. These programs are commonly made for a broad range of users, and it’s often cheaper for brands to create a customized platform than to use the existing ones.
In this article, we’ll outline the standard process for custom software development and talk about its benefits.
The Process of Custom Software Development
When it comes to a customized approach, things can get pretty dicey depending on the features and functionalities that the client’s looking for. This is why many businesses opt to collaborate with custom software development teams to ensure that everything is designed to their exact specifications.
The goal of custom software is to solve specific problems that a business may be experiencing with its current software while also allowing for plenty of room for growth and modifications down the line. Here’s what the process looks like in practice:
Determining Complexity
First off, you should bring everyone together and decide on the project scope. The complexity of software development will vary based on several factors, such as the program’s application, number of features, timelines, and budget.Creating Strategy Outlines
Before embarking on the development journey, it’s vital for the team to learn more about the client company and their business needs. By analyzing their day-to-day challenges, the software provider can create a better-suited solution.
After accruing enough data, the developers will create a strategy and implement the optimal methodology. The main emphasis during this step is on delivering a prompt solution that won’t break the bank.Ideating Design
Once the customer development team understands what’s asked of them, they can create product outlines. Ideating phase is a vital step during the process, during which the provider is in direct contact with the client. It’s vital for the software company to create a perfect solution with appropriate features to prevent backtracking.Product Development
Now, you can start with the development phase. Nowadays, most companies use the agile methodology that allows them to break down the project into smaller pieces. That way, the software team can create features separately, tackling one challenge at a time. Take your time analyzing data to ensure each feature is done according to the client’s expectations.Product Testing
Before the official rollout, the development team needs to check the software and its features for potential bugs and other issues. Identifying all these problems in advance will ensure that the final product is of a much higher quality.Product Release
The last phase of the process is the product release. However, the developers’ job doesn’t end there, as they’ll be responsible for subsequent support. Furthermore, the client might ask them to add extra functionality down the line.
How Does Custom Software Development Help Your Business?
Despite a few disadvantages, custom software development is the way to go. Regardless of the high costs, this model is becoming more popular every year. Here are all the benefits businesses can experience by relying on this model:
Competitive Edge
The best thing about the custom development process is that it gives client companies a major advantage in their respective market. Software developers can integrate features that other competitors don’t have access to, allowing the buyer to get a streamlined solution for the business.
Most of these programs are designed to offer a high degree of scalability. That way, as the client company grows, it can still harness benefits from the platform.
If a client company is willing to invest in continuous development, it can ensure that the software changes with the market. The client has full control of the product, adding extra functionality over time, which would help resolve future business challenges.
Increased Security
As these are proprietary technologies, buyers always have full control of the security measures. Customers can introduce an advanced system tailor-made for tackling the brand’s external risks. Creating advanced controls isn’t that hard from a technical perspective, but it can go a long way in protecting a business.
During development, a client can ask a provider to introduce advanced encryption, which would help protect sensitive business data.
Improved Integration
Business processes can vary significantly from company to company and from industry to industry. And while brands usually follow the same industry standards, they might have a completely different workflow compared to their peers.
Ideally, clients should develop solutions that can be easily integrated into their workflow and serve to enhance their daily operations. Most notably, the tool should fit your workflow, not the other way around.
Improved Onboarding and Support
Another major benefit, which is often overlooked, is improved onboarding and support. Basically, as the client company is working with the developer throughout the process, the client’s employees can be slowly introduced to software features. Alternatively, they might provide first-hand training that will make things much easier.
Furthermore, a client can choose when and what to add to the platform. The buyer can ask for additional features once the staff gets acquainted with the basic functionality. This could prevent any errors that might occur due to improper software use.
Cost-Efficiency
While software development might be expensive in the short run, it provides major returns after a while. Not only can a company avoid recurrent software fees, but it also gives a client a tangible advantage over the competitors resulting in higher profits.