In a business of any size, certain types of software are needed in order for time-consuming tasks to be carried out automatically and without the involvement of a human operator. And by implementing effective pieces of software programmes that can carry out these tasks, employees can be freed up to switch their attention to other duties.
Whether it’s a platform designed for simplifying the process of managing an e-commerce website, storing large amounts of data, improving communication between employees, strengthening internet security or creating different types of documents, software solutions appear in many forms, all with the sole purpose of improving the efficiency of a business.
In this blog, we explain the importance of having software solutions tailored to your business and consider a number of ways that software development problems can be solved.
What are bespoke software solutions?
For many businesses, a software solution may be an off-the-shelf programme used to fix a simple problem and improve the speed or quality of a process. However, in some cases, an off-the-shelf solution may not meet the needs of a business. Instead, the business may require a solution that has been developed specifically for them.
Also known as custom or tailored software, bespoke software solutions are programmes that are created for a certain user or purpose. In a situation where a business would benefit from a programme that is designed to perform multiple tasks on command or automatically without manual human input, bespoke software solutions are likely to be the ideal option.
What are 5 common solutions to software development problems?
As software development can be a complex process, many different problems can arise. However, problems with software development are generally caused by one of several core factors. Below, we’ve highlighted five of the most common solutions to software development problems:
Clear communication – Although it has a relatively simple solution, many problems during a software development project arise when there’s an issue with communication between the client and the software developer. It could be that the client isn’t being clear on the software’s fundamental purpose or how they want it to look or work. But if these key details aren’t being properly communicated to the software developer, it’s likely that there will be significant problems with it, leading to money and time being wasted somewhere along the way.
Software developers should start a project by speaking with the client at length about exactly what they want. Then, during the process of creating the software, both parties should stay in regular contact to ensure that any and all questions are answered to prevent any unexpected problems from arising.
Maintain a grasp of initial purpose – It can be difficult to complete a software development project if its original purpose has become lost. In some cases, an extensive list of problems can lead to the software developer going off on unexpected tangents or the client seeing a new benefit to the software that is totally different to the original brief.
In order to stay focused on the task at hand and avoid unnecessary time and money being spent on additional problems, the software developer should remain in communication with the client. Between them, they should agree to deadlines and target dates for when certain parts of the software project will be completed.
Perform extensive testing – Whenever software is being created, frequent testing should be done to check that it’s working correctly. By doing this at regular intervals, the developer can check that nothing is causing any damage to the software, and if for any reason it shows any issues, they will know that it was more than likely caused by a change that was implemented since the previous check.
This approach would be advisable for any process involving software development, and it would also benefit a software consultant when finding a solution to a problem. Without an emphasis on testing, the consultant may fix the problem after implementing several changes, making it difficult to understand the correct solution.
Set realistic deadlines – During any software development project, it’s likely that a deadline of when it will be completed and ready to go live will be decided. Unrealistic, premature deadlines can cause major issues further down the line, causing developers to rush through the process of creating the software. When this happens, some areas of the software may be unfinished or there could be unidentified problems with the software, and if there’s no contingency time for processes like testing, bug fixing and implementation changes, there may be significant problems.
Poor time management is also likely to cause problems during the process of initiating software solutions. As such, both software developers and software consultants should insist on working within a timeframe that reflects the work they’re carrying out as well as additional tasks that are needed.
Understand software requirements – Before an effective software solution is implemented, the software consultant performing the fix should first speak at length with the client to understand their requirements. By having a thorough explanation from the client, they can gauge what exactly the problem is and what they want from the solution.
The software consultant should then check the software themselves to see whether what the client said matches up with it or if they need to consider other changes to fix the problem. Between the information from the client and a first-hand assessment of the software, the software consultant will have all they need to determine a quick and effective solution.
What does a software consultant do?
A software consultant is equipped with all the knowledge, skills and experience to assess a business’ processes, requirements and potential shortcomings to identify a form of software that could improve their efficiency and effectiveness. They can then use information from the business and observations they’ve made to create a tailored piece of software.
If you’re interested in exploring the potential benefits bespoke software solutions could have for your business, contact us and a software consultant will be in touch to assess next steps for creating an effective programme for you.
