Last updated January 1, 2023
Solution Process & Policy
Information systems, whether web or mobile-based applications, are crucial for every organization. Even if you’re not planning to sell online, a well-crafted site is essential for drawing traffic and delivering your message. At Prospus we have proven expertise in building every type of cloud and mobile application, from ecommerce platforms, marketplace exchanges, e-learning solutions and internal productivity applications to complex financial calculators, bespoke social networks and more. We can provide hourly, task-based, or full end-to-end solutions with technical and business collaboration. In addition, we offer a range of technology and payment options to accommodate every type of budgetary and application preference.
But how do our clients know that Prospus can handle their requirements? After all, software engineering is one of the most complicated skills, with even the smallest application involving the coordinated labor of ten or more specialists and even more technologies. This complexity is one of the primary reasons why over 50% of all software projects fail. Without a solid process in place for handling the immense amounts of administrative, design, development and testing work, and then effective infrastructure in place for estimating, tracking and billing for that work, not to mention supporting it once it’s delivered, a software project faces a much higher risk of failing. That is why at Prospus we follow a well-formed, yet flexible set of processes designed to ensure that our projects are organized for success from the outset, minimizing the risk for all parties.
Our project management style and system development processes help our clients feel safe and secure in knowing that they are dealing with a company with proven expertise in delivering projects of every size and variety, on time and within budget. In considering Prospus refer to this publication for a comprehensive overview of how we work and what you can expect from a Prospus solution.
Choosing The Right Solution
Building, redesigning or enhancing an existing web or mobile application is time-consuming and sometimes frustrating for clients. At Prospus we assume that most of our clients have more important things to do than fret about the work they have hired us to do. That is why we strive to make the process as simple as possible, offering direct, hassle-free guidance every step of the way.
In this publication we aim to provide a broad overview of the process of initiating and executing your project with Prospus. By following our simple procedure below, we guarantee that you will not only find the right solution for your project, but understand and appreciate our method for classifying, estimating, pricing, executing and delivering your solution.
- Choose a Billing Preference. We offer a variety of options for paying for the development of your solution. Learn how our hourly rates, estimates and quotations work and decide which is best for your needs. Read Choose a Billing Preference.
- Choose a Solution Class. Knowing your priorities at the highest level is critical to balancing performance and pricing. In this section we explain the various service and production levels we offer and how they affect results. Read Choose a Solution Class.
- Understand Project Pricing. Once you have selected your billing preference and solution class it is important to understand how we will arrive at our final pricing. In this section we describe how we arrive at project pricing as well as how we estimate production costs. Read Understand Project Pricing.
- Choose a Solution Build. When starting out we need to know whether we are building a desktop, web, or mobile-based solution. Further, we need to know specifically which framework we will be using to create the solution. Read Choose a Solution Build.
- Understand Development Methodology. We follow a methodology for discovering, producing and supporting our solutions. In this section we explain everything you need to know to understand our process and maximize collaboration. Read Understand Development Methodology.
- Choose an SEO Plan. With a solid website or app in place, it is vital to have an effective plan in place for attracting, retaining and converting traffic. While search engine optimization (SEO) is still the fastest and most effective method for bringing traffic to a site, there are many other forms that play an important role in the ongoing optimization of a web or mobile-based application, including social media and performance optimization. With one of our paid SEO plans in place, clients can expect results. Read Choose an SEO Plan.
- Choose a Support Plan. Building an application is just the beginning. Over the lifetime there will be additional hosting, support, maintenance and even functional enhancements to consider. Prospus offers a wide variety of support plans to fit every budget and need. In this section we define what our clients can expect from our support plans. Read Choose a Support Plan.
- Understand Our Policies. In this section we define the various policies that govern our software development, billing, SEO, and support processes. We encourage our clients to familiarize themselves with our policies to better understand how decisions are made and avoid surprises. Read Understand Our Policies.
A Few Tips Before You Start Your Project…
We encourage our clients to read the enclosed materials in this publication to understand how we initiate, execute, optimize and support our solutions. However, if your time is limited, we still encourage clients to be aware of a few general concepts that will improve the software development experience with Prospus.
Make Time for Your Project
It has been proven repeatedly that client involvement in the development process increases the chance of building and delivering a solution on time, within budget and with satisfying results. After all, only our clients – the project owners – know what they want. As solutions increase in size, the time commitment from the client increases exponentially. Therefore, we cannot stress enough how important it is to make time for the project and stay in constant communication with your Prospus team.
Be Clear in Your Requirements
Requirements – what, how, and when you want your system to do something – are the heart of software, and your contract with Prospus. Every requirement becomes a line item in our task list, not to mention a contractual obligation. If something you want in your project is not in the requirements list we draw up and attach to our contract, then we will not consider it our responsibility. Every single function you want your system to perform, and even how fast you want it to perform it, are requirements that we need to know before we start building. Remember: new requirements received after our agreement will be considered change orders and billed separately! Avoid costly surprises by staying involved and knowing what you want.
Avoid Delays
Software development projects are carefully-orchestrated performances, and missteps or delays can and do create difficulties and additional costs. When a project delay occurs, we must update our schedules and timelines, and reallocate staff and resources internally to ensure our employees remain productively-engaged. Staff working on projects delayed beyond a certain number of days will be reassigned to different projects altogether. Upon resuming delayed projects, the original staff may not be able to rejoin the project they started, forcing our managers to invest additional time and labor training new staff to resume the project. These are all additional billable costs which can quickly become costly, so we always encourage our clients to intimate us about delays to limit unplanned expenses.
Understand Your Billing Options
Software development is complex and providing quotes for bespoke, non-traditional solutions can bring heavy risks. That is why we offer three methods of billing: hourly, estimate, and quotation. Clients who don’t fully understand the policies involved in each of the billing methods may find themselves with unanticipated bills and liabilities. That is why it is vital to understand the difference between these billing methods and how they will impact the way we charge for your project.
Understand Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes all the expenses of maintaining, supporting, enhancing and training for use of the solution beyond the initial development costs. On top of the internal management cost associated with the project (tendering, specification, legal, etc.) and costs for our project development services, clients should expect to incur one or more of the following costs: specifications, tendering, legal (for contracts with providers), copywriting, graphic acquisition, internal testing and acceptance, search engine optimization, training, hosting, technical support and maintenance, security, content maintenance, and periodic updates. Clients should understand that development is only part of the expense involved in effectively launching and supporting a new web or mobile application.
Ask Questions
Perhaps most importantly, if you have any questions please ask us. Software development is a large and complicated process full of surprises and pitfalls, so we always strive to transparently disclose our methods, assumptions and policies. We are always open to improvements so if you have any suggestions or comments on how we could improve any of our publications or processes please send an email to solutions@prospus.com.
