In-House Custom Software Development: Is It A Good Idea?

Gagandeep Gandharv March 8, 2021

Indeed, one size does NOT fit all. Every business need is different from the other and so as its solutions. So why choose custom software solution for your company?

According to statistics, custom software solutions have played a significant part in a business' success. It changes the way the company entirely does business. Whether you're a startup or an established company, these software solutions are reliable to maintain the business operations running smoothly at an advanced level.

To help you decide whether to hire an in-house developer, here's a shortlist of strategic factors you might want to look at:

Technological requirements

Looking at a software’s technological requirements is one of the most critical steps in building a custom solution. Before you create an application from scratch or integrate various applications into one system, it is essential to list your business goals and requirements. What will the application do and how will the business gain return from these software solutions?

Answering these questions can help you clearly identify the purpose of the application:

• How will you lay out the purpose of the application? No matter how much time you put into brainstorming, a software application's success always depends on how the developer understands your business needs. Invest time and effort to make a of how you want the application to work, including system requirements and purpose of the application. The better the developer understands what you need, the better the end-product will become.
• What can the business hope to gain with this application? Setting realistic standards helps developers generate a practical solution to business needs.
• What needs to be done? To promote the efficiency of the development process, both the developer and the management need to have a clear picture of the core business requirements.
• How do you want to implement the developmental process? Work hand-in-hand with your software developer to incorporate the management's plans on time and within budget.

1. Aftercare maintenance

The work doesn’t end after launching the software application. There might be bugs or updates that were overlooked during the development process. Proper documentation of the software development process is crucial to help with software updates and maintenance.

Tip: Always ask your developer for a planned and well-documented software development program. This way, implementing changes and updates to your application will be easier and faster. 

2. Return of Investment (ROI)

As with any project or business venture, it is vital to measure the ROI to determine if maximum output and profit have been delivered for the company. For software development projects, businesses need to know how the application improved their business processes and not just how it burns cash.

3. Consider the Impact on Your Staff

Development in any area of a business will always have a level of impact on your staff. A black-and-white response will always be present when it comes to technological-related changes in your organization. So, before you start developing an internal software solution, try to consider the following:

• Identify how your staff will perceive the changes, including how they will adjust to using the software after implementation. Incorporate a communication plan in the overall project and align it with your developer.
• Create a training plan. Ensure that your staff is well-informed and well-trained of the anticipated changes. Schedule a briefing with your team in an adequate and timely manner to provide your staff enough time to familiarize the processes of the software.

Tip: Don't schedule the training far from the launch date so the staff will not forget the software processes.

The key to the success of any custom software solution is to plan, plan, and PLAN. Detailed planning will help the development process and ongoing support easier while curbing the budget cost in the long run.

Leave your comment