Do I need Application Development?
Custom Application Development is not for every business. In many cases there are standard programs off the shelf that can perform all the tasks you need sufficiently. Of course programs like Microsoft Business Systems Accounting and Quickbooks and many others can and should handle standard accounting tasks. They are good at it because Accounting is a very standardized process and is unlikely to be your competitive edge. But small business is a reflection of the management team and frequently of one or two people who start a company. Just as personalities are different companies are different and have their own personalities. It is frequently the case that two companies that make competing products or have competing services actually operate completely differently. In the competition for both customers and great employees that personality can make the difference between mediocre and great success.
So how does Application Development fit in? There are operations in many businesses that require a great deal of information and frequently that needs to be acted on by many people over a process. Getting the right information to the right people at the right time using paper is cumbersome. Computers have aided that process by managing it and frequently by not loosing the information on some one’s desk or in their briefcase. But applications that are standardized can not handle the specific personality of your business and if that’s your niche, your competitive edge, then custom application development becomes an option.
How do you know if this applies to you? Do you have databases that have sprung up in Access or other personal databases that are now being relied on by many people? Do you have someone who is creating huge unwieldy spreadsheets that many people need to keep up? Do you a person called a programmer or Access guru that you live in fear will disappear? All of these are indicators that you have a need. Other indicators are frequent questions around the office like “Do you know if ……”, “What is the status of …..”, “Who knows where we are with ……”. These are indicators that the right information is not available when needed.
Squaretree has analysed many companies over the years and helped a good percentage of those. Sometimes we decide with the client that Custom Application Development is not necessary for the circumstances, the systems and processes are likely to fit just fine in a standard program. Many times though we are able to steer a company through a successful application development cycle that results in a reliable, manageable program that meets their needs and saves time and money through increases in productivity.
Tags: Application Development, Software