Have you ever heard of a software factory?
Let’s imagine that your company has a very specific internal demand and that off-the-shelf solutions do not meet 100% of your requirements.
In a situation like this, a software factory becomes your partner for developing the ideal solution for your business!
If you believe that software is only developed for large companies and only by international suppliers, you are mistaken!
Small and medium-sized businesses can bring their software ideas to life.
Normally, it is very difficult to assemble an internal team to develop a solution, so software factories are the most requested in this case.
Therefore, in today’s content, we bring you everything you need to know about this type of partner!
Follow along with the reading.
What is custom software?
As the name suggests, custom software for a company is made to measure for the business.
Each enterprise has a need based on its field of activity and characteristics.
In this sense, the ideal solution for the business’s reality is to have perfectly suitable tools.
Custom software has the ability to enhance operational and administrative activities in an even more particular way than generic software.
When we talk about technology and software, most entrepreneurs can certainly raise their hands and say that they use some type of resource.
The problem is that having the right software, tailored to the activities, is not everyone’s reality.
However, by opting for a customization service, it is possible to maximize productivity, reduce costs, structure and automate processes of a company.
It is extremely important that, before adopting any type of technology, your company is able to identify what the demands are in order to know the solutions capable of meeting them.
In the market, you will hardly find a tool that meets all the required features.
Therefore, it is very common for some organizations to invest in software suppliers who shape tools based on mapping the peculiarities of the business.
What is a software factory?
Now that you have a good understanding of what a customized solution entails, let’s take a closer look at what a software factory actually is.
After all, this business model is becoming increasingly prevalent in technology environments and companies, thanks to the specificity of the products that are developed.
The term “factory” is used to make an analogy to speed, large-scale production, and a focus on high productivity, with a methodology that is quite similar to industrial rhythm.
Therefore, we can define a “software factory” as a company that builds and maintains web and mobile systems and applications.
As such, software factories aim to optimize your company’s processes through specific technologies tailored to your needs.
What are the advantages of having customized software?
Customized software has several advantages for your company, let’s take a look at some of them:
- Centralization of operations
It is very common for customized solutions to centralize all processes into a single one in order to facilitate the administration of information.
This characteristic enhances activities, reducing the incidence of errors and information noise.
With all operational modules working on a single platform, managers have an easier time controlling workflow and meeting pre-defined schedules.
- Inclusion of only what is necessary
Generic products are standardized, therefore they may have a large package of functions that are not useful for your business.
Due to the non-use of these modules, your company may be paying a very expensive license without benefiting, only taking up space in your computer’s memory.
However, a customized application offers a totally opposite reality, after all, only the necessary functionalities will be developed.
In case of the need to expand modules, the software factory can perform this activity smoothly.
- Information security
Customized solutions are a priority for many companies due to the security they offer for organizational data.
Unlike printed files and conventional spreadsheets, customized software can be an additional security measure to enhance data privacy.
- Possibility of saving money
There is a myth that customized software is more expensive, but in the long run, you can see that there is greater savings for your company.
This is because, through a customized application for your business needs, you do not need to acquire other apps to execute operational processes.
In addition, customized software increases operational efficiency, streamlining obligations to eliminate extra expenses with employees.
How does the process of developing customized solutions occur?
The development of customized solutions goes through several stages until the software is functioning perfectly for your business.
Let’s see what they are:
Mapping customer needs
Firstly, before executing any activity, it is necessary to survey the customer’s requirements.
At this point, the customer’s needs and the objective of developing specific software are analyzed.
It is crucial to pay close attention to ensure that the expected results are achieved.
Therefore, meetings between the customer and the developer must be held to understand all demands and possibilities for the software.
Technical specifications
After having a complete briefing with the requirements, it is time to create user stories.
In this documental phase, the company’s demands are listed, and it should be sent to the factory.
Thus, the software development can only begin after the entire team understands what should be delivered.
Development
This is when the team starts working on their tasks and activities assigned to each professional.
Therefore, the coding process should be done when the software documentation is refined, and it is at this moment that the developer begins to create the entire logical structure within the software.
Today, there is a division into two parts of development: front-end and back-end.
In the front-end, professionals designated for this part will develop what the user will see, while in the back-end, the entire business rule structure is built.
Testing phase
After the first version of the software is developed, it is time to test to see if it met the selected requirements.
Firstly, the test is performed by simulating various scenarios to see how and where it works.
In case of gaps and problems, developers must readjust until it reaches a satisfactory point.
Review
Finally, after approval in functionality tests, a review is made, which is a presentation that Q.A (Quality Assurance) performs.
This review aims to ensure the quality of the product developed and analyze if it delivered what the customer wanted.
Implementation
With all necessary corrections made, it is time to implement the software into the customer’s business.
Finally, in this stage, it is essential that the customer is integrated and adapted to the software to have the best possible product experience.
Even speaking of a customized solution for the company’s needs, it is still necessary to provide training or even tutorials for the software itself.
How to choose a good software factory?
As you have seen so far, manufacturing software requires several stages to be carried out.
Each one must be executed as efficiently as possible to avoid failures at the time of delivery.
Some people wish to form their own design and development team, and although it is not an impossible mission, this option can be very costly.
Therefore, before moving on to this stage, consider hiring a technology provider.
In this scenario, it is necessary to ask yourself some questions when choosing a software factory.
What is my company’s goal with the software? What is my demand? Within what timeframe can the company deliver? How much can I invest?
Knowing the answers to these questions will already give you a direction on the best software factory option for you.
In short, your best provider will be the one that meets all the development requirements of your digital product.
The tip here for you to be sure is to seek technology consultancy to validate your idea and investment.
Count on Monitora for the development of the perfect software for your company
Do you need a specific and more complex IT solution for your business?
To help you with this mission, you can trust Monitora!
We are a software company specialized in helping businesses become digital through methodology, processes, and software.
Contact us and see more about how we can leverage your business. Trust in a software factory to stand out in the market!
Check out more on our agile squads in software factories page.
Text automatically translated from Portuguese to English.
