Methods

Communication

Custom software development is a complex process that goes beyond the ability to understand a programming language. Succeeding with any project requires active listening skills and clear written communications on our part. Managing this dialogue is part of our responsibility. We know your ultimate satisfaction is directly tied to our ability to listen, understand and restate your expectations.

We work hard at identifying all stakeholders in the project and that there are clear lines of communication going throughout the project.

Clearly Stated Deliverables

It is often said that : Given an unlimited budget, time and size of the development team, a software product can offer limitless features. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a customer in a position to bankroll this!

The reality of any product development process is that needs must be balanced against the development costs of time and money. As part of written proposals outlining capabilities, you will also get an "out-of-scope" list of known limitations in the product being proposed. By being clear up front, we avoid unpleasant surprises after our work is through.

Project Management

Being effective and responsive in today’s software environment requires deliberate thought about processes and project management practices. We develop a Project Management Plan that serves as a baseline for the entire project. Every stage of the project has its own activities, deliverables, deadlines and quality evaluation methods. Our project managers keep a close eye on project activities, and we develop and deliver your software in a methodical and phased manner. 

Internal Tools Supporting Accountability

Over the past 8 years, we have developed our own task and requirements management software called Reqman. This SQL Server based tool serves as the repository for all information on every project. It is the central location where all customer communications and design decisions are recorded. Reqman encompasses time tracking, task status, task assignment to staff, customer invoicing and dozens of reports on these topics. Reqman is an invaluable internal management tool whose reported content gives you visibility of the development process, and allows you to watch progress being made. Complementing Reqman is a small utility resembling a punch clock that all our staff use throughout the day to record progress on tasks. We meticulously record all-billable time and make this available via status reports and/or invoices. Together, they allow us to be thoroughly accountable to our customers.