Tailor-made software is successful because it solves a problem or serves a market. Tailor-made software is successful when you can measure an inefficiency in your business that software can make efficient.
In other words, it is the value created by tailor-made software that makes it successful.
Let’s imagine an example.
You’ve identified that your employees are spending too much time on paperwork. You want them to finish that paperwork in a shorter amount of time so that they can spend their time on activities that are more valuable to your organization.
So, you decide you want a mobile app with a single button that when tapped does all of an employee’s paperwork automatically. It doesn’t matter the exact details of the paperwork in this example. What matters is that the app did all of it and the employees were freed to do other work that is more valuable to your organization.
If the price to create that app is less than the value the app is creating, your decision is easy: get that app made! In this example, the app is successful because it created value for your organization.
Now, let’s make a slight change to this example.
The same scenario exists but as you are digging into the paperwork your employees do, you realize that none of it is necessary anymore. Doing the paperwork isn’t valuable to your organization. What do you do in that case? Just have the employees stop doing the paperwork! You don’t need an app to do the paperwork faster. You don’t need an app at all.
Congratulations! You’ve created value for your organization without an app.
Only by understanding the value you want to create, can you make a tailor-made software project successful. Don’t spend money on software unless it creates value.
We provided an extreme example above that made it easy to make a decision. Most situations aren’t so clearcut. With our experience creating value with software, we can help you analyze your specific situation and determine if a software solution is right for you. Reach out to us for a free analysis session today!
