Any business venture involves taking risks and developing custom software is no exception. Several things could get in the way of your project’s success but knowing what to expect can help to reduce the chances of a worst-case scenario.

So how do you ensure the quality of the custom software? There are six risks you must know.

• 1) Source code ownership

It seems logical that if you pay for custom software that you own every aspect of it, right? Well, it’s not that simple. Depending on the software development company and its policies, it may turn out that they are the rightful owner of your source code. In fact, some Custom Software Development Company may include the source code in the price but won’t provide you with everything that you might need if you eventually decide to hire another development company at a later time. How can you avoid this scenario? While reading the fine print of a service agreement is never any fun, you should always be aware of what you are getting for your money. If there is technical terminology that you don’t understand, seek clarification. Being prepared makes sure that you successfully negotiate the details of the agreement. You will be thanking yourself later when you are at the bargaining table.

• 2) Missed deadlines

So, the software developer tells you that they can finish your custom software solution in five months. This can mean one of four things:

• It will be ready for launch in five months;
• They say what you want to hear, but there is no guarantee that the deadline will be met;
• They will try to meet this deadline, even though prior experience says that it will take longer;
• They have never worked on a project like yours and have no idea whether the deadline can be met.

Certainly, the first option is the best one. To avoid the other three, we suggest you ask for a timeline for your project that includes things like milestones & tasks, as well as a timeline for completion. You’ll also want to make sure that the developers prove that they know what they are talking about when it comes to your industry.

• 3) Budget exceeded

As with timelines, the amount that you were quoted for the project is not always the amount of money you might wind up dishing out. Frustrating? For sure. Uncommon? Not really. In fact, it’s pretty likely that a software project to run over budget.

That’s because it is almost impossible to accurately estimate the cost down to the last cent due to a variety of potential factors.  So you’ll want to make sure that your budget has a buffer for these types of unforeseen expenses.

If you are working with a tight budget, may sure that you prioritize those features that you can’t do without. This way you give yourself the flexibility to remove items that might cut too much into your budget.

• 4) Failed expectations

At last, your solution is delivered! One problem though – it isn’t anything close to what you had in mind – UGH!

To make sure to avoid this scenario, you need to do make sure that you do four things from the jump:

1. Make your expectations known: Clearly identify your expectations and present them as the objectives and results you are looking for. If that proposal is missing a key requirement, send that bad boy right back. You’ll also want to make sure to clarify that your project manager has a clear understanding of these expectations before starting development;
2. Be Present and Available: Many a project has died a horrible death due to a lack of communication. Make it easy for your project manager to reach you. If you can’t always be present during these all-important project meetings, make sure that you have someone as a backup who can work with the project manager in your place. Better yet…
3. Assign a Project Leader: assigning the right person to serve as the internal project leader is a great idea if you have long-term employees who know your processes or subject-matter experts on staff that you feel comfortable with assigning this task. It’s the project leader’s job to keep you in the know. You’ll want to make sure that they understand the direction of the project and that they are able to communicate the company’s needs effectively.

• 5) Poor communication

Avoiding the common communication pitfalls will help to ensure that the proper impact and intent are transmitted between all parties.

1. Avoid complacency: Remember that this is your project. We all have a common tendency to assume that the people that we hire will do things the way we prefer to do. This is a big no-no! Make sure that your team is consistently in the know regarding project progress and developments.
2. Express your expectations: You have made a considerable investment in your future. This is not the time to be coy.  State needs precisely. You should spell out all the details of your vision and expectations beforehand. This ensures that your intention is clear and that your words have the desired impact. Finally, make sure that your comments on the project results are clear and concise to avoid miscommunication.
3. Put it on paper. Email gets no love these days. It’s just faster to text or pick up the phone and call someone to get what we want. We get that. When working on custom software development, we want to make sure that we have communication that we can reference back to, and looking up old texts or trying to remember what someone said is just plain difficult. Our point is that every communication should be in writing. The recommendation is to take great notes during project meetings or even informal conversations pertaining to the project.  Make sure to follow up on each important discussion with a summary email to ensure understanding. If you cannot do this yourself, bring in a notetaker. The small details usually tend to have the biggest impact.

• 6) Feature overload

Have you ever had buyer’s remorse? Yeah – it sucks.

Developing your own custom solution is a lot like shopping online. You want to have everything in the cart until after you checkout. Sometimes you fall in love with an idea or a feature, but it turns out your staff doesn’t find it useful or your customers don’t see its value. It’s not as easy to return a software feature as that impulse purchase at Amazon.  So here’s what to do:

1. Reach out to your employees: What are the challenges that they face every day? Do you know what are the solutions that they need to add value within their processes?
2. Chat with your customers: A lot of people tend to shy away from asking their customers where they can improve. The fact of the matter is that as scary as some of that feedback may be, it provides you with an indisputable account of where your business is and where it needs to be – if you are willing to listen. Our advice is to speak to all of your customers – especially the difficult ones. They may just have the most insight to offer you.
3. Assign Priorities: Once you have ironed out all of your requirements, it is usually a good idea to prioritize them and communicate that to your software development team. Communicate the core issues that you want to be resolved and the features that you believe will resolve this. We have found that this usually stimulates creativity and idea generation.

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Hire a team of experts today!

Implementing a customized software solution is a challenge that most companies simply can’t handle by themselves. Make sure you partner with companies that are experienced in developing software for your industry. A good software developer should review your processes, asks insightful questions, and provide you with insights that help to move your company forward.