Prototyping & Specification Writing

Many software development projects fail because of inadequate planning. Without proper planning, there is a risk of encountering delays, errors, and increased costs.

Developers often find excitement in diving into code and witnessing a project come to life. Consequently, meticulous planning is occasionally neglected, with developers taking shortcuts and making assumptions.

Understandably, customers prioritize having their software operational as quickly as possible, often emphasizing core functions over rare scenarios. It's only when the software is in use that these scenarios become apparent, revealing gaps. Retroactively addressing these gaps can incur significant costs in terms of system stability, expenses, and time.

To address these issues and prevent functionality gaps, added costs, and disappointment, we implement the following for each development project we undertake:

• A functioning model – prototype – When envisioning a new application, even the most creative individuals may find it challenging to visualize its appearance and functionality from a piece of paper. The prototype eliminates this struggle, providing a comprehensive representation that leaves nothing to assumption, ensuring every aspect is covered.
• Optionally, and contingent upon whether we engage under the Agile or Fixed Price model, a clear and concise functional specification. This serves as a blueprint for your application, documenting precisely what you will receive upon the completion of the development process.

The initial step involves prototyping your new software, commencing with a visit from our Technical Architects to meticulously delve into the requirements. Throughout this process, we make it our responsibility to:

• gather all the essential information required from you to prevent any gaps in functionality.
• provide our own insights and concepts based on experience to optimize your return on investment.

Subsequently, employing cutting-edge visual tools, we will develop a functional model (prototype) of your new system for you to witness in action. This encompasses workflow diagrams that precisely outline the user journey, background processes, and interactive user interfaces that showcase the appearance and functionality of each screen.

Due to its visual nature, the prototype aids in avoiding assumptions and ensures consensus among all parties regarding the development specifics.

After finishing this phase, we can optionally create your functional specification. This document can serve as the foundation for a user guide, complementing the understanding of stakeholders involved in the project. For Fixed Price commercial engagements, this step is essential, while under the Agile model, it is optional.

Just as you wouldn't anticipate the construction of a building without precise plans outlining every material, measurement, and position, the same principle applies to the software we develop.

The functional specification serves as the blueprint for your application, delineating each area and detailing what it will encompass and how each aspect will operate. It incorporates diagrams to provide clearer explanations of functions, processes, and workflows, along with graphical designs illustrating the user interface.

We understand that our customers may not always be technically inclined, so we draft our specifications using plain language instead of technical jargon. This ensures that our customers can easily relate to and understand our plans.

After being written, it is crucial that you comprehend the functional specification. Your agreement with the plan is essential, as the construction of your software is founded on it.

The prototype and functional specification document collaborate to provide a detailed description of the end product. This detailed information enhances our Quality Assurance process, allowing us to utilize it to ensure that every aspect functions as intended.

Refer to our "Working With Us" page for a more detailed overview of how your project will progress from initiation to completion.