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Software Development: Plan to Succeed, Don’t Plan to Fail!
When you use the term architect, most people think of people who design buildings or maybe even bridges, but most people don’t think of software. It seems perfectly natural to pay someone a considerable sum to create plans for you new home or office building so why not for the software that runs your business?
All to often organizations large and small believe that software design “Architecture” is a waste of time. It’s so much easier to hire some developers, give them a brief description of what you want and throw them in a room to start coding. Oh, and we can’t forget the age old question “How long is this going to take?”. I love this question.
If you build DVD players, do you think you could tell me how long it is going to take to build one. What if I told you I wanted it to have fast forward, fast rewind and a remote control? Still no? Why? Because you don’t know what your building because I have only told you the most basic, and obvious features. So we clarify some and I want language choice, parental lock, random play and I want it to play my audio CD. So let’s get started and I’ll see you next week to check on your progress.
Next week, we meet and you show me your progress. You have the major components in place and should have it finished by the end of the week. Great news! And then I ask “So, where is the digital video and surround sound output?”. Your heart sinks and you exclaim “You didn’t ask for that!”. But isn’t that a normal feature? Maybe, maybe not. It’s easy to understand that a change to digital video and surround sound will not be easy and cause you to change hardware components. It’s not so easy to understand when the same scenario happens with software. It’s just not as evident.
More often than not, custom software projects are late, over budget and do not meet the requirements. In the DVD example, who is at fault? Did I not tell you what I wanted or did you, as the knowledge expert, not ask enough questions? Usually, it’s some of both, but mostly the developer for not leading the process and managing expectations.
Good design begins with good communication. To “Architect” a successful software solution, everyone must agree upon what is being created. We accomplish this by a few simple steps.
1. Scope of Work - What is the problem to be solved and, at a high level, how do we plan on solving it. What is the purpose of the application. What are the high level goals. What general features need to be included.
2. Requirements - This is a detailed breakdown of the solution including form designs, reports and business rules. What internal business processes and calculations are required. What steps are required to complete a specific process. Architecture provides a well thought out design.
3. Project plan- This is a critical piece of the puzzle which defines responsibilities, Use Cases, deliverables and delivery dates. It will also define procedures for tracking issues during development and testing as well as change control procedures.
You will not get all the questions answered. The users will not be able to think of everything they need, but if you can define 70% of the project up front, your chances of success are greatly increased.
Looking at it from the point of view of someone considering custom development as a solution, how important is design to you?
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Carter Software solutions provides custom technology solutions to solve business problems.
Custom Software Development Benefits
In Today’s world, It’s a fact of life that your business needs software. It may be accounting, contact management, ecommerce or any number of other solutions. Some of the time, these applications meet the majority of your business needs In almost every instance you find your self saying “I wish it would do ….”.
In many cases, commercial software lacks critical features, does not meet your requirements, would require you to change your business processes and can be extremely difficult to integrate with other systems or existing infrastructure.
A professionally developed custom software solution can be a cost efficient way to meet your business needs and provide a long-term solution.
Custom Software has many advantages:
- Will be specifically designed to meet your exact business needs and follow your existing work-flow.
- Can potentially expose deficiencies in current business processes and provide a solution.
- Will reduce personnel costs
- Improve integration with other systems
- Fees are usually paid once and you own the solution so there are no ongoing licensing fees.
If your “Off the shelf” software is not solving your problems, then consider the advantage of a custom designed solution.
Upcoming articles: Software Development Life-cycle: Building Real Solutions
Carter Software Solutions is a Custom Solutions provider in Little Rock, Arkansas providing Application Design and Development to leading local and national companies. if you are looking for a custom solution for your business, contact us at info@carterss.com or visit our website at www.carterss.com.
We also provide customized solutions for contact management, ecommerce, website design, search engine optimization and traffic generation.
HOW POOR BOYS BECOME SUCCESSFUL MEN.
I ran across an interesting book call Barkham Burroughs’ Encyclopaedia of Astounding Facts and Useful Information which was published in 1889. I am finding this to be a fascinating book covering a wide range of subjects, from Business to cooking. The first chapter I found was so intriguing I thought others would like to read it. Wise advice from almost one hundred twenty years ago that is still applicable today.
You want some good advice. Rise early. Be abstemious. Be frugal.
Attend to your own business and never trust it to another. Be not
afraid to work, and diligently, too, with your own hands. Treat every
one with civility and respect. Good manners insure success. Accomplish
what you undertake. Decide, then persevere. Diligence and industry
overcome all difficulties. Never be mean–rather give than take the
odd shilling. Never postpone till to-morrow what can be done to-day.
Never anticipate wealth from any source but labor. Honesty is not only
the best policy, but the only policy. Commence at the first round and
keep climbing. Make your word as good as your bond. Seek knowledge to
plan, enterprise to execute, honesty to govern all. Never overtrade.
Never give too large credit. Time is money. Reckon the hours of
the day as so many dollars, the minutes as so many cents. Make few
promises. Keep your secrets. Live within your income. Sobriety above
all things. Luck is a word that does not apply to a successful
man. Not too much caution–slow but sure is the thing. The highest
monuments are built piece by piece. Step by step we mount the
pyramids. Be bold–be resolute when the clouds gather, difficulties
are surmounted by opposition. Self-confidence, self-reliance is your
capital. Your conscience the best monitor. Never be over-sanguine,
but do not underrate your own abilities. Don’t be discouraged.
Ninety-nine may say no, the hundredth, yes: take off your coat: roll up your sleeves, don’t be afraid of manual labor! America is large enough for all–strike out for the west. The best letter of introduction is your own energy. Lean on yourself when you walk. Keep good company. Keep out of politics unless you are sure to win–you are never sure to win, so look out.