Bespoke software development done right

Like everything in life, there are ways to do it right and ways to do it wrong.  We’re not talking here about the many and varied choices of technology or product.  There are just some basics that need to be covered.  It’s surpising how often they are not.  Bespoke software development needs to be done right.

Opinions and ideas matter – but only skilled development makes things happen 

There are literally millions of software solutions in the world today, performing tasks as simple as timing your toothbrushing to the complexities of launching a satellite into space. Software is everywhere and involved in pretty much everything. Each solution or app has been developed to solve a specific problem or requirement. Even the standard off-the-shelf products were once a bespoke project that, in someone’s opinion, would serve a purpose.

So, opinions and bespoke requirements drive software in theory – but it is facts, figures and correct development that turn those ideas into real products – which work.

And where development doesn’t follow the rules – failure follows those developments.

Safety and security come first in bespoke software development

It is the infrastructure, build quality and stability of the product in a live environment that makes the real difference between good software and poor software – in effect, wrong or right. That is where things simply have to be done the right way. There are no two ways about it: software that is built the wrong way is not a solution at all – it is a liability.  Here are some of the key things not to miss:

• All communication encrypted: using a secure (HTTPS) is a must, there’s no excuse for systems without it
• Infrastructure considered: it’s all well and good developing something but if everything from the DNS setup to the server load is inappropriate, the work will be in vain
• Decentralised: whether it’s accessible to all or in a ‘private cloud’, technology nowadays needs to be decentralised infrastructure to be of future-proof
• Mobile-first: it is no longer enough to simply make software that can be adapted for mobile devices – it needs to be built as one truly responsive solution that works on any device from the start
• Touchscreen ready: as with the point above, touch screens are now standard, and all software must be designed to work with and without a mouse
• Engineered for SEO: trying to fudge poorly written software into Google’s consciousness does not work – web apps must be engineered for SEO for maximum impact
• Tested to be safe and secure: poorly written software is highly vulnerable to attacks from a wide variety of online threats – it must be built robustly bult and then rigourously tested

If you would like to know more about building bespoke software developments the right way – get in touch.