Just Use It Already

By: solstice technologies Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Creating and implementing a custom workflow software suite requires an investment of time, energy, and money. Once that investment has been made, it is crucial for the resulting program to be utilized quickly and effectively. Developing a custom software solution is similar to building a car. Why spend thousands of dollars on it and never drive it? Why devote hours of time to a project if you are never going to reap the benefits? It is crucial that the end user drives his car once it has been built.

Establishing a timeline for release and implementation is critical. The longer the project goes without being released and implemented, the higher the risk of running into major setbacks and failing to obtain an adequate ROI. The most crucial deadline involved in workflow software development is the release date. When does the project go live? The majority of software projects are not released on time because of modifications. It is important to focus on producing a program that satisfies the major requirements before worrying about ancillary modifications. Users frequently feel a need for features that were unavailable previously and not considered for the initial release. If the feature was unavailable before, how does the user know they need it? Might that requirement change in the near future? Is it possible there are more important expenditures that your budget could be used for?

Input and feedback coming from end users is crucial to the success of your project. The longer users go without actually utilizing the program, the more difficult it will be to change, as more and more infrastructure will be relied upon to continue development. Getting feedback on small steps on your project allows users, management, and consultants to adapt. Performing a trial implementation of small parts of the project can provide valuable information into the current success of the project. It is beneficial to the cost and lifecycle of a project to identify and alleviate issues before they are "cemented" into place. It is almost always counterproductive to build on an untested foundation.

The budgeting process must be handled delicately when investing in workflow software. It is extremely easy to go over budget with additional feature requests. Decision makers, end users, and software developers must be striving towards the same goal if the project is to remain within its budget. It is of utmost importance that project managers maintain discipline and stick to prioritizing the major requirements instead of raising costs through ancillary requests. The decision makers, end users, and developers should commit to delivering the major goals of the project. In many cases, it is helpful to set aside a portion of the budget for special requests that will come throughout the project, mitigating some risk of going over budget. By thinking ahead and maintaining discipline, project managers can keep a project eager to grow within its budget.

Building custom workflow software is a big investment and cannot be taken lightly. While there are many challenges offered by taking on a large project, the benefits outweigh the risks. By using some of the tips in this article, your project will most likely be cheaper, developed faster, and have a higher return on investment.

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