How to Recognize and Prevent A

Runaway Custom Software Project

Multiple meetings - If your developer is constantly calling for meetings to go over the same issue again and again, there is a good chance they have gotten stuck along the way and your development project is not progressing as scheduled.

Signs your Software Project has Gone Rogue

Late deliverables - If you’ve followed our guide "How to Ensure Your Custom Software Project Stays on Track", you are using a developer who has created a detailed project road map. If you’re developer is not meeting the waypoint goals highlighted in their project road map, you software project is beginning to get delayed.

Signs your Software Project has Gone Rogue

Lack of status updates - If your developer has stopped giving you status updates and constantly changing schedules or continually escalating costs.

Signs your Software Project has Gone Rogue

Misunderstanding of the requirements/features - If the developer has any misunderstandings of the features you require before starting the development process.

Common Reason Software Over Budget & Schedule

Frequent changes - Many business owners don’t have a clear understanding of the features they want in their custom software or how those features should handle their business processes.

Common Reason Software Over Budget & Schedule

Poor communication – Whether coming from the developer or the client, poor communication is detrimental to development projects.

Common Reason Software Over Budget & Schedule

Inadequate planning – Inadequate planning and poor communication are what lead to frequent changes during the development stage which is, as you have just learned, another common reason custom software development runs amok.

Common Reason Software Over Budget & Schedule

• Keeping in regular communication with your developer.

• Be available to answer their questions as needed and ask they do the same for you.

• Make sure your developer has created a detailed project road map which outlines every step of the development process.

Tips to Prevent a Runaway Software Project

• Work with a developer that uses the Agile Development Process

• Check if the deployments are timely and get back to your developer with any problems

• Make sure your developer runs automated tests to double check for bugs or errors in the code.

Tips to Prevent a Runaway Software Project

1. Managing one or more business processes using Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access and have outgrown this setup.

2. Using a variety of software tools that don’t “talk” to each other.3. Staff is unable to do higher level work because they’re stuck doing tasks

manually which could be automated, especially tasks that involve entering the same information in multiple places or using multiple software tools.

4. One or more of their current business processes take too long, are too tedious or are otherwise “painful” to deal with, yet have to be done frequently.

Our Best Custom Software Clients are Business Owners Experiencing at Least 3 of the Following Problems:

5. Unable to find off-the-shelf software that fits how they do business.6. Looking for ways to streamline their business to give them a

competitive advantage and/or to make their business more valuable for an eventual sale.

7. Frustrated with their current software because its too hard to use or lacks critical features.

8. Want to systemize and streamline how they do business, making delivering services to their customers more predictable and consistent.

9. Looking to launch a startup web application and need technical help to take their concept from idea to working code

Our Best Custom Software Clients are Business Owners Experiencing at Least 3 of the Following Problems:

✓ Sells complex products or services.✓ Has numerous or complex processes necessary for delivering

products or services to your customers.✓ Has at least $1M/year in revenue or the potential to reach this

level in the near-term.✓ Is looking for a way to differentiate themselves from

competitors.✓ Has a budget to invest in a custom software solution.✓ Believes a custom software solution could solve key problems in

their business...or at least wants to consider this as an option.

We Can Help If Your Company...