Imagine you have something in your business that relies on outdated software or even manual processes to do repetitive tasks or other day-to-day operations.
A popular approach in IT says: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” or better don’t “make a revolution” with new custom software, as it carries a risk of wasting precious time and effort with unclear results.
New software sometimes causes more problems than it solves; there are compatibility issues, the general chaos of rolling it out, and making sure everything works.
There are tons of other myths about custom software development. The truth is that, if developed and implemented smartly with your goals in mind, it can be a powerful way to automate processes, reduce costs, and generate more revenue.
Discover the eight biggest fears around custom development and what measures & methodologies smash them up.
- Myth 1: Custom Software Requires Heavy Initial Investment & Lengthy Talent Searches
- Myth 2: The Project Predictability Problem
- Myth 3: Ready-Made Products Are Always Easier and Cheaper
- Myth 4: It’s Impossible to Create a Good Product with Incomplete Specifications
- Myth 5: Outstaffing Team Can Take Over In-House Developers Jobs and Gain Project Ownership
- Myth 6: Lack of Control over Remote Development Teams
- Myth 7: It’s Enough to Hire a Freelance Developer for the IT Project’s Success
- Myth 8: Maintenance Is Overwhelming
Myth 1: Custom Software Requires Heavy Initial Investment & Lengthy Talent Searches
Myth: Creating tailor-made software products is too expensive and time-consuming. Investing in custom software raises fears of budget overruns. Additionally, businesses need considerable time to search for skilled experts and overall project development.
Reality
Reputable technology partners prioritize turning the process into an advantageous investment that addresses a business’s needs.
Intetics’ No Risk Start methodology requires a low initial investment for software development team creation.
From day one and without heavy initial investment or lengthy talent searches, your dedicated engineers work on the project, bringing expertise under transparent processes and realistic timelines.
Myth 2: The Project Predictability Problem
Myth: The complexity of each project, coupled with ever-evolving technologies, makes it challenging to measure software development efficiency accurately. Project outcomes often dance to the tune of discovery, iteration, and adaptation, defying precise predictions.
Reality
You don’t want to pay for that intricate process—you want to pay for a guaranteed result.
This clear desire of any business is solved with Predictive Software Engineering—a framework addressing bottlenecks of custom software product development. It reconstructs a reliable approach to delivering software development services.
Your project predictability is reached with an efficient distributed team, extended with additional engineers as project stages evolve, and helping you with flexible project management and disciplined Agile delivery.
More factors ensuring precise results are outlined in seven PSE principles: Meaningful Customer Care, Transparent End-to-End Control, Proven Productivity, Efficient Distributed Teams, Disciplined Agile Delivery Process, Measurable Quality Management and Technical Debt Reduction, and Sound Human Development.
Software development aligned with those principles affects the “art” programming component, so you know what to expect.
Myth 3: Ready-Made Products Are Always Easier and Cheaper
Myth: Ready-made software is always a more cost-effective and efficient way to meet the needs of most businesses. Subscribing to pre-built software solutions is a preferable choice than going custom.
Reality
The myth overlooks the unique needs of businesses and can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and long-term costs. Custom software might initially involve higher costs but often leads to greater efficiency, competitive advantage, and long-term savings.
Discover a challenge our client faced licensing a third-party ERP, and how they solved it with custom software: How the Leading Tutoring Company Developed ERP System to Help Thousands of American Students Prepare for the Bright Future
There are good things about both custom software and adapting existing market products to making your business more tech friendly. We think of the custom vs off-the-shelf debate as a continuum, and with the myriad of products and services out there, we can help you assess what is the best fit for your journey. Explore the brief comparative analysis of two approaches.
Myth 4: It’s Impossible to Create a Good Product with Incomplete Specifications
Myth: Incomplete specifications make developing a good software product nearly impossible because they leave room for misunderstanding, leading to misaligned expectations and errors during development.
Reality
Most businesses focus on their core expertise and might have no engineering experience. And that is completely fine.
You don’t necessarily require an internal R&D department to create detailed specifications and outline all features for your future product.
All you may possess is your concept and vision, drawn simply on a napkin. With an experienced technology vendor, you can receive a first working prototype in a single week.
Intetics’s core strength lies in the design of software products in conditions of incomplete specifications. You can build your solution from the ground up by entrusting software engineering to our team with minimal input from you. Hiring and team formation, software development processes establishment, configuration management, and delivery—leave it for professionals while focusing on your strategic operations.
Myth 5: Outstaffing Team Can Take Over In-House Developers Jobs and Gain Project Ownership
Myth: Outstaffed teams have the potential to take on a significant role in software development projects by taking over in-house developers’ jobs and even taking ownership of the project. Hiring external development resources negatively impacts the productivity and motivation of in-house developers and project security.
Reality
This misconception overlooks the benefits of extending the in-house team with external resources.
Extending the in-house team can be a strategic move to address a lack of specialized skills.
The use of models like Remote In-Sourcing® allows companies to augment their teams with external talent.
In most cases, outstaffed teams are your development centers working under SLA. All intellectual property (IP) and project ownership remain on the Client’s side, which is legally protected.
Extending the in-house team can bring in missing expertise, enhancing the overall project’s quality and speeding up development.
Read more: 5 Rules for Building High-Performance IT Teams for Your Project
Myth 6: Lack of Control over Remote Development Teams
Myth: Having remote teams working on custom software development projects leads to challenges in maintaining alignment and control due to lack of face-to-face communication, time and cultural differences, etc.
Reality
Effective project management mitigates geographical and logistics concerns, ensuring that development remains on track and aligned with the project’s goals.
Distributed development allows companies to employ a diverse, highly skilled workforce without geographical limitations.
It is also possible to spin the difference in time zones to benefit the shared goal.
Lastly, it provides enough structure for a well-organized project and flexibility to increase productivity and trust. You get your remote team trained based on your company standards.
Myth 7: It’s Enough to Hire a Freelance Developer for the IT Project’s Success
Myth: Hiring a freelance developer with a proven track record is enough for the success of a project, as the business has well-defined objectives and requirements. Collaborating with a corporate vendor can indeed be more complex and demanding. Managing software vendor performance, ensuring agreement compliance, and handling potential conflicts require ongoing attention.
Reality
Successful IT projects typically require a multidisciplinary team with various skills, tech stacks, and industry knowledge. The team should be scalable in structure and expertise to upgrade and transform a product according to the evolving business requirements.
Moreover, certain tasks cannot be fully delegated to a freelancer due to security and vulnerability risks.
Working with a reliable technology partner, you receive the industry’s best infrastructure and configuration management, technical and management supervision, and proper governance, regardless of business location.
Myth 8: Maintenance Is Overwhelming
Myth: After the product launch, a maintenance phase raises concerns about the resources required, causing downtime and failing business operations.
Reality
While certain maintenance aspects may be intricate, the support of knowledgeable professionals can simplify the process and ensure the software’s ongoing reliability.
A well-managed maintenance plan, coupled with dedicated experts, minimizes unexpected disruptions down to zero.
On top of that, proper maintenance isn’t just about fixing issues; it can also involve enhancing and adapting the software to meet changing business needs, making it a valuable investment for long-term success.
Recognized Your Fears? Don’t Let Them Stop You
Stop your fears pushing back your software concepts to come alive. We’re here to help!
