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If you’re going to pay for custom software development, it only makes sense that you’ll want to hire the best programmer around. That way, you won’t just get a tool that helps you manage important business tasks, but also a platform that’s stable and easy to use.

Because most business owners and executives don’t understand a lot about the art and craft of programming new apps, they fall for marketing hype and half-truths – or worse, simply hire the lowest-cost software developer they can find. Then, when they are underwhelmed by the results they are forced to abandon the project, live with something that isn’t quite what they wanted, or start their search over again from scratch.

We don’t want you to have to do any of those things. So today, we are going to give you some top tips you can use to find a mind-blowing software developer for your project. Here are some things you’ll want to do as you meet with different candidates…

Pay Attention to the Questions They Ask

A great software developer knows that the client is the centerpiece of any project. They will ask a lot of open-ended questions because they will want to understand the challenges you’re facing and the outcomes you want to achieve. They will know from experience that almost anything can be created with the right understanding, but that a project is only successful when you receive the perfect solution.

Look for Passion

While it isn’t something that business people necessarily understand or expect, programming software is as much a creative art as it is a science. It’s something akin to writing a play where all the pieces and parts need to mesh together. That’s why the very best in our field are passionate about finding simple, creative, and elegant coding solutions wherever possible.

Try Some of Their Work

You wouldn’t hire a caterer without trying their food, would you? Apply the same kind of thinking to custom software development. If you need a person or team to create an application for you, test drive their work by using another app they have already created. Does it seem fast, easy to use, and full of features? If so, that’s a good sign they’ll deliver something you’re going to like as well.

Talk to Former Clients

It’s unfortunate, but some software developers are perfectly happy to tell you one thing and then do another. That’s why you should always speak to former clients to see what their impressions were like. They can tell you not only about the quality of the software that was delivered, but also whether the vendor was clear with their pricing and able to hit important deadlines.

Get It All in Writing

A reliable software developer is going to be happy to put their promises and assurances in writing because they don’t have anything to hide. So, look over the proposals received very carefully. If what you see is clear and straightforward than you’re probably working with a reputable company.

Need New Software for Your Business?

If you need a custom application or plug-in to make your business run more smoothly, now is the perfect time to talk to the software development experts at Kinetik IT in Phoenix. Let us show you how we can put our skills and experience to work for you!

Developing custom software can be a peculiar business. That’s because most of our clients know what they want, but don’t have the technical skills needed to evaluate the process that will create it. As a result, they can sometimes find themselves taken in by firms that don’t do quality work. The result is an application that doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to.

The signs of poorly written and design software can show up immediately or after a period of use. There might be crashes, error screens, slowed system performance, or even corrupted data. Once these symptoms appear, a business owner or executive can find themselves scrambling around looking for someone who can repair the problem. That often leads them to ask: can a great programming team fix bad code?

The short answer is “yes,” but there are a few things you should keep in mind…

Fixing Bad Code is a Tedious (but Necessary) Process

Repairing broken pieces of software isn’t always easy. More often than not we have to use specialized software (and good old-fashioned eyeball tests) to dig through millions of lines of coding to get to the heart of the issue. In some cases, it might not be that one section is “wrong,” but that there are inconsistencies, small mistakes, or functions that have been copied from one file or application to another.

Regardless of what some vendors might tell you, this isn’t work that can be finished overnight or completely automated. However, it’s a necessary process to go through if you’re going to end up with a piece of software that works exactly as advertised.

It’s Well Worth the Effort

Because of the time and effort involved, we understand that some business owners or executives would rather forgo this process altogether. They may be tempted to just live with the bad coding they have. However, getting a team of experts to repair software and apps that aren’t working is a good decision and the right investment to make.

When your software isn’t functioning properly it affects productivity throughout your business. It might also impact your ability to effectively measure things like revenue and inventory. Worst of all, an issue with one piece of software could spread to other applications or devices. So, don’t put off the programming work needed to fix the problem any longer than you have to.

It’s Better to Start with Quality Work

It goes without saying that it’s much better to hire a reputable development team from the start than it is to have them audit, analyze, and then repair broken coding. Not only will you save time and money, but clean code is much easier to expand and update than messy pieces of software programming.

It’s always better to be healthy than it is to know a good surgeon, and the same kind of analogy applies to the software you need to run your business. When in doubt, spend a little extra time and money finding a developer you can trust, so you won’t have to deal with bad code later.

Looking for a Software Development Partner You Can Trust?

Whether you need custom software written for your company, unique programming of a website, or just a new mobile app for your customers or employees, the Kinetik IT team in Phoenix can help. Contact us today so we can get started on your development project!

Quality assurance testing (or QA for short) is a crucial part of the process when developing a website, app, or custom piece of software. Unfortunately, this is also a step many clients don’t particularly understand or appreciate. Many are so eager to see their new project put to work that they want to rush through this step.

If anything, we have learned over the years that creative teams and their clients could use more QA, not less. So today we want to give you five easy ways you can take to help your vendor deliver error-free programming that works exactly the way you expect it to.

#1 Leave Plenty of Time for QA Reviews

The most important thing you can do, as a business owner or executive, is to stress the importance of QA testing to your development team and leave them enough time to do their work. In other words, make sure you don’t hire a vendor who would agree to rush the process even if you wanted them to, and then be patient as they perform detailed checks and stress tests.

#2 Expand Your QA Testing Team

Often, a programming team will do their first round of QA testing in-house in a controlled environment. However, it’s never a bad idea to get some of the people who will actually be using the resulting app or website in on the act. Let them test it just as they would in a real-world setting and you might find needs or repairs that weren’t immediately apparent.

#3 Log Every Error or Instance

Whether it’s during the testing phase or in a real-world application, you should document any errors you come across when using your new piece of programming. Pay attention to what occurs, when the problem creeps up, any error message that's displayed, and any other details that you can recall. The more information your programming team has to work with, the easier will be for them to find the problematic bits of code that need to be removed or rewritten.

#4 Double Check on Different Devices

One challenge for programmers is that a given app can work perfectly in one environment – say a certain device or browser – but not function on another. The best way to discover issues of compatibility is to simply try your software out within a number of different platforms. The more narrow your QA testing profile, the greater your odds of coming across hidden issues later.

#5 Revisit QA After Changes or Updates

Naturally, the most comprehensive QA testing is going to be undertaken prior to launching your application or website. However, that doesn’t mean you should forget about it after you go live. It’s a good idea to continue QA testing at regular intervals, and particularly after major changes, upgrades, or updates to your custom programming project.

Thinking About Web Programming or Software Development?

It’s entirely possible that the tool you need to take your business to the next level would be easy and inexpensive to create. But, you’ll never find out if you aren’t willing to meet with an expert programming team. Why not contact Kinetik IT in Phoenix today to learn a little bit more about the ways we can help save your company time and money with custom development?

We get the chance to meet with new business owners and executives every week. Often, they have been referred by their friends and colleagues. That gives us a big edge over the competition, of course, but many still ask the question that’s really on their minds: why should they work with Kinetik IT instead of another Arizona technology service provider?

There are a lot of answers we can give based on a client’s needs and situation. However, the most compelling answers can be summed up into four major benefits we bring to the table. Today, we are going to tell you why we think you should choose us for your outsourced IT needs.

We Keep Your Business Running Smoothly

The biggest reason clients go looking for outsourced IT provider is that they are tired of dealing with hardware and software problems, along with unplanned service outages. In other words, they just want their technology to work the way it’s supposed to.

Our team of specialists knows how important it is for you to be able to concentrate on your company, not the latest software update or cybersecurity threat. So, everything we do is designed to make your life easier and stress-free.

We Do More Than Fix Hardware and Software

While there are other IT companies and in and around Phoenix with similar technical skills and qualifications, few can match the consulting services we provide. That’s because they are used to fixing IT problems rather than seeing the big picture in a client’s business or organization.

You want an IT firm that can understand your goals, help you plan for the future, and even establish accurate technology budgets. With that kind of help you can turn IT from an expense to an opportunity and not only get exactly what you need to move your business plans forward, but do it while saving money.

We Offer Plans For Every Group or Need

Some IT companies will try to lock you into a much bigger monthly contract or agreement then you need. Or, they’ll charge big fees if you find your company is growing or shrinking and your technology needs change.

Our business has been around for decades, meaning we’ve gone through those same changes ourselves. Along the way, we’ve learned that everyone is happier when our clients have the flexibility to add or scale back services as needed. And, we make a point of customizing plans and billing options for every situation. That’s the way we would want to be treated, so it’s what we give our clients.

Kinetik IT Has an Unmatched Reputation in Arizona

One of the big challenges business owners have in choosing an outsourced IT company is that so many pack up and go every year. That’s unfortunate, because there is nothing enjoyable about having to bring in a new team of technicians, get them familiar with your hardware and software, and explain the ins and outs of your business or industry.

The Kinetik IT team has been serving clients around Arizona for a long time, and we don’t plan on going anywhere. That stability, along with an unmatched reputation for service has made us the choice for business owners who want real value in a tech support vendor.

Ready to Work With the Best?

If you’re tired of working with technology support companies that charge too much, play games with their pricing, or don’t deliver on their promises then we would love to hear from you. Contact Kinetik IT in Phoenix today to learn more about our work and get a free estimate for the maintenance, advice, and security services you need.

We have learned over the years that business owners and executives generally don't think about their networks, or networking equipment, until it becomes a problem. New servers or data packages aren’t items anyone is eager to add to a yearly budget, and few business-minded people want to dig into the technical details of their hardware and software all that often.

Put these factors together and it’s no wonder we often find ourselves dealing with outdated networks that cause big problems behind the scenes.

If you have an older network it could be slowing your company or organization down – both literally and figuratively. To help you understand why, let’s look at a few issues that tend to creep up when you haven’t updated your technology for a while…

Poor Connection Speeds

If you routinely find you get faster connection speeds through your phone or tablet then you do the actual computers in your office, that could be a sign your network is outdated or severely overtaxed. Slow connection speeds aren’t just annoying; they can lead to timeouts, unsubmitted forms, missing emails, and a host of other issues that cost you money.

Insufficient Bandwidth for All Devices

Some older networks have equipment that can only handle so many devices comfortably at once. That can be a big problem, even in a small office. Once you start adding workstations and laptops to phones, printers, and even web-connected smart devices onto an aging router (for example), some employees or tasks are going to suffer. This might even lead to random dropped connections, or just slow connectivity throughout your business.

A Lack of Proper Online Security

Emails that won’t send and printers that go offline are annoying but survivable. Behind-the-scenes, though, a slow and aging network might not be properly configured to help you fight off criminals who want to steal your data or hack your website. That’s partly because they might not have the right encryption or firmware, and partly because they may not be compatible with newer cloud platforms or virus protection systems. Either way, your business and bottom line are at risk.

Incompatibility with Newer Hardware and Software

We all know that the world of technology moves quickly. If you’re still using equipment or operating systems from years gone by, then it will inevitably cause conflicts with newer hardware and software. In other words, if you don’t keep up with the times then the devices and apps you spend money on won’t work the way they are supposed to (and might not work at all). To keep your business lean, efficient, and competitive you can’t afford to waste money on new tech and not get the benefits of upgrading.

Small Aggravations and Productivity Problems

While we have largely focused on the large issues that come up with an outdated network, the reality is that living with old servers and service plans is like dying by a thousand cuts. They’re just so many ways your business is affected, from online research that takes longer than it should to VOIP calls that never come through clearly. The end result is a business that’s slower than it should be, and customers who wonder why you don’t seem to be as sharp as your competitors. That’s a big price to pay for holding onto an outdated network.

Need Someone to Review Your Network Setup?

Want to know if your network is causing you problems, or if there are cost-effective ways to use technology to solve your biggest business challenges? Contact the experts at Kinetik IT in Phoenix today. We can schedule a consultation and show you exactly what is and isn’t working with your current IT plan.

How much do you know about custom software development? Or a better question might be: how much do you care about custom software development?

In truth, most business owners and executives don’t give it a lot of thought… until they learn that specialized programming can help them to automate data entry, streamline order processing and fulfillment, customize marketing, assist with scheduling, and help with dozens of other tasks that are critical to any company. In other words, having someone program an app specifically for your company can make or save you huge amounts of money.

Of course, that’s the one thing you really need to know about custom software development. Once you get past the basic reason why businesses invest in programming, though, there are a lot of other little things to consider. That’s because they can help you focus your thinking and get your project off the ground.

Today, we want to share with you nine things you might not have known about custom software development but probably should…

#1 Custom Programming is More Common Than You Think

Custom programming isn’t just for huge companies, or firms with big technical resources. In fact, we have worked on software builds and tweaks for very small enterprises and brand-new upstarts.

You don’t have to have huge budgets to benefit from software development. In fact, the smaller and more specific your company is, the easier it is to separate yourself from the competition with the right app or resource. So, if you haven’t thought about custom programming in the past because you imagined it was too complex or intensive for your operations, think again. No matter where you look, businesses like yours are using apps to accomplish more and spend less.

#2 It Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

Not only can custom software development save you tons of time and money every week by making it easier for you to run your company, but it probably costs a lot less than you might imagine.

New clients are routinely surprised at how affordable it is to work with a team of experienced programmers. Unless your vision is extraordinarily complex, there isn’t any reason you have to break the bank to bring it to life. The same goes for scheduling. You probably won’t be waiting nearly as long as you would imagine to get finished software you can use.

#3 You Don’t Have to Start an App or Program from Scratch

In some cases, it makes sense to start from scratch when building a new piece of software. Very often, though, we can tweak an existing application, create a plug-in that piggybacks off another piece of software, or work from a template that’s already been created.

The benefits of working from existing software are that it speeds the process up, costs less money, and gives you a conceptual head start. It also restricts your imagination a little bit, but if you aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel – and just want to make it turn a little bit faster – know that your goal is probably well within reach.

#4 Software Development Can be a Productivity Booster

As we’ve already mentioned, there are dozens or hundreds of potential uses for custom software development. However, automating repetitive work tends to be one of the most impactful ways to use a new app or program.

If you have a part of your business that currently takes more hours than it should, or regularly produces costly and time-consuming errors, then a new custom app might be just what you need. The more time you can spend actually running your company (and having your employees handle the most important aspects of their jobs), the higher your productivity is going to go.

#5 There are Three Important Parts to Software Development

When business people think of “custom software development,” they usually imagine coders knocking out line after line until a piece of software is finished. In reality, there are really three important steps that have to be followed.

First, you and your creative team get together to discuss the concept. Then, they’ll create flowcharts and mockups of the interface so you can get a visual sense of the way your program will look and feel. And then finally, after that wireframe or static has been approved, they’ll start actually putting the pieces of code together.

Beware any programming team that only emphasizes aesthetics, for example, or functionality. Each of these steps is critically important, and you can’t afford to rush through any of them.

#6 It’s Important for Your Software to be Tested

Even the smallest pieces of custom software need to be tested extensively. This doesn’t take a lot of time, but it’s something you want to be sure is being handled.

There are couple of reasons for this. Naturally, you’ll want to ensure your app or program works the way it’s supposed to. At the same time, custom software should work well across any platform (for instance, desktop computers versus smartphones) it’s made to function on. And finally, you have to be sure your software doesn’t contain any security flaws that could leave it vulnerable to hackers.

This is an area where a lot of newer and inexpensive firms will cut corners. However, your business and credibility are on the line, so make sure testing is a priority.

#7 Your App or Program Might Change During Development

No matter how crystal-clear your vision of your finished program is, there is a chance that your idea might need to be changed or tweaked along the way.

When this happens, it’s usually because the client realizes a key feature is missing, or they discover users might like some functionality during beta testing. However, it’s also possible that your ideas will be amended because your original concept isn’t quite feasible, or could work more cleanly with a twist.

The more flexible you are during the software development process, the more likely you are to end up with something you and your customers or employees can actually use.

#8 Most Custom Software Needs Updates

Even the best pieces of custom software are never really “finished,” they just have to be released eventually. You should approach the launch of your app with the idea that it may need to be upgraded or revised later.

One reason for an upgrade or improvement traces back to the notion that you might decide to add new features. And, it’s possible your customers or users will ask for something more than what you give them initially. Even if those things don’t happen, though, you might need to eventually update your software to match changes to the operating systems it runs on.

A good custom software development team is going to prepare you for this eventuality early in the process and factor it into their quote. Once again, you should take it as a red flag if your programmer doesn’t bring up future updates and revisions with you.

#9 The Right Programming Team Can Make or Break Your Project

As you might imagine, choosing the right vendor is critically important to the success of your software development project.

An experienced team can guide you through each step and decision that comes up along the way; a bargain-basement vendor might simply take a feature list from you and then deliver work that meets the specs but doesn’t really fit the vision you had in mind. Then, you might be left with the dilemma of spending more time and money to get it right or using software that doesn’t really do the job you intended.

Experience, technical expertise, and reputation should be important guiding principles as you develop your app, so don’t sacrifice them to save a few dollars in your IT development budget.

Want to Learn More about Custom Software Development?

Do you have an idea for an app or program that could help your company grow? Or, do you simply want to learn a little bit more and figure out whether it’s something your business could profit from?

In either case, your next step is clear. Talk to the custom software development experts at Kinetik IT today. We have served businesses, nonprofits, and institutions across Arizona for years, helping them to find, imagine, and build the resources they need.

In one brief consultation, we can help you to think about software programming in a new way. Better yet, we'll give you the answers you need to tweak your idea or move it forward. Contact us now to get started!

Do you know what to look for when you’re looking for a programmer to help with custom software creation? Most businesspeople don’t.

That’s only natural. Business owners and executives have no reason to be familiar with programming languages and design processes. They have to be focused on the bigger picture, which largely involves what they want from the finished product in terms of appearance and functionality. They can’t get those outcomes, though, until they have the right team in place.

The need to hire a programming team without having programming knowledge can lead to a bit of difficulty. How do you hire a team when it’s difficult to properly assess their qualifications? How can you be sure about who you’re going to if you aren’t entirely sure what separates one from another?

The first thing to know is that you absolutely can find the right software programming partner even if you've never written or seen a line of code in your life. All you need are the proper set of criteria to examine. Just like non-engineers can pick out great cars, our job is to look for the obvious signs of quality.

As veteran developers ourselves, today we are going to give you a quick peek behind the curtain. We are going to show you, in non-technical terms, exactly what to look for in a custom software programming vendor. It all starts with the one quality you would probably look for in any specialty…

Your Software Programming Partner Should Have Experience

The more you do anything, the better you get. With experience, it’s easier to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, and to streamline your working process to come out with the right result.

Software programming is no exception to that rule, although a lot of startup firms and independent programmers would like you to ignore that fact. That’s because the least expensive and least experienced programmers want you to think that it’s all a matter of putting a few simple lines of code together. However, things are more complicated. Believe it or not, programming software takes vision and creativity along with a base of technical knowledge.

If you’re serious about creating a tool that helps you to market, automate, or better process information, then work with someone who understands the way a piece of software comes together. The experience level of your team matters, particularly if you have a complex project.

You Want a Programming Team with a Willingness to Listen

Although programming software isn’t as simple or straightforward as people tend to believe, in some ways it is the easier part of the job. That’s because the most valuable work happens when your vendor asks you what kind of program you want to create, and why certain features or ideas are important.

If your programmer isn’t listening carefully, they might miss the important details or jump to conclusions. That’s not a good idea, since programmers never know a client’s industry as well as the client does. The finer points of functionality, appearance, and usability all come into focus through a gradual question-and-answer period. That can sometimes take an hour, but it can last longer, too.

This is something a lot of business people wouldn’t necessarily consider to be important, but you don’t want a programmer who doesn’t take the time to figure out what you’re hoping to get from their work.

Choose a Software Programmer with Lots of Patience

In a lot of ways, designing and programming a custom software package is a lot like writing a book. You can begin from an outline, but they’re going to be revisions, additions, and even major plot changes along the way. You’ll find pieces of code are missing, need to be amended, or aren’t compatible with one another.

This is to say that good software programming takes a bit of patience. You have to be able to be calm and work through the little issues that are going to come up as you write line after line and then test your work. You also have to be able to step back and assess things when clients realize that what they asked for isn't exactly the same as what they wanted.

If you choose a software programming team that isn’t patient, you are going to end up with an app that feels rushed. That might get you to a finished program quicker, but over time you’ll have to deal with more errors and patches that hurt your profitability.

Your Software Development Partner Should Emphasize Reliability

There are software programming firms out there that specialize in giving clients more glitz than substance. That is, they build programs that look great, with interesting design features and animations, but don’t necessarily work as well as they should once they’re put to use.

In some cases, that can mean a lack of functionality. The resulting software just doesn’t have as many tools or features as the client originally intended, or those features aren’t as deep (in terms of reporting, etc.). In other cases, speed and reliability can be compromised. The app might run perfectly in a test setting, but crash repeatedly when it’s used on a different workstation or website.

When it comes to creating software, reliability is the name of the game. Refuse to work with any programming team that prioritizes speed or budget above long-term value.

Examine a Software Programmer’s Portfolio and Case Studies

Even if you know what you’re looking for in a software programmer, it’s not necessarily easy to find it. That’s because some people will tell you virtually anything in order to close the sale. You might have to do a little bit of research to get to the truth, or to verify that what you’re hearing is accurate.

This is where a custom software development company’s portfolio and case study examples come into play. You want to have the chance to take a good long look at their previous work, and to evaluate the statements past clients have made. What you’re looking for isn’t just positive feedback, but a sense that business owners and executives who have hired them the past are emphasizing experience, patience, etc., in their praise.

No one knows your software programmer like the people who have already hired them the past. Take the time to read what they have to say before making your decision.

Pay Attention to Your Developer’s Budget and Scheduling Terms

Before you sign the bottom line, it’s worth looking through the budget and terms proposed by your creative partner. What are they promising you in terms of delivery? What about additional costs for edits or revisions? How do the cancellation terms look?

Pay attention to each line item and don’t assume that the price you're quoted will always be the final cost. Some software companies make their money off of add-on fees, or aren’t great about meeting deadlines. You don’t want to get caught in a situation where you’re tied to a company that won’t deliver and you can’t get away.

A reputable programming partner is going to be confident enough in their work to offer you terms that are fair but friendly. If you get the sense that you’re being locked into something you might regret later, ask a few questions before finalizing the deal.

You Can Hire the Best Without Breaking the Bank

All things considered, it probably won’t come as a major surprise that the best software programmers aren’t usually the cheapest. Experience, technical skill, and business know-how tend to come with a cost.

With that being said, however, you can definitely work with the best in the business without breaking your IT budget. In fact, many of our clients actually save money on custom software programming because they don’t have to pay for delays, deal with unexpected errors, or suffer losses from apps that don’t do with they are supposed to. Quality always wins out in the end, especially in our industry.

So, if you want to work with the most trusted software programming team in Arizona, contact the experts at Kinetik IT. We’ll be happy to give you a free, no-obligation consultation to hear about your project. Then, we’ll show you just how easy it is to turn your idea into a finished product your clients, customers, or employees can use.

Custom software development can be the key to boosting revenue and productivity with the perfect app. Or, it can be expensive, time-consuming, and pointless if the process drags on or the buyer gets a piece of software that doesn’t meet their business needs.

Having worked within the software development industry for so long, we know that the biggest issues that affect developers and their clients don’t appear out of thin air. Instead, they stem from things like poor planning and a rush to get a finished product out the door quickly.

That’s because a good piece of custom software is sort of like a cake that has to be baked. If you have a solid recipe, the right ingredients, and a diligent baker, you’re going to end up with something that looks and tastes great. On the other hand, if you wing it every step of the process, substitute salt for sugar, and give yourself an unrealistic deadline, the final result will be unappetizing to eyes and stomachs.

Because this is so important to understand – and because custom software development can be so profitable for businesses that use it correctly – we want to help you avoid making the common big mistakes. Here are nine ways you can prevent or solve the kinds of software development issues your colleagues and customers are struggling with…

#1 Ask Customers or Users What Features They Want

One of the classic mistakes you see in custom software development occurs before a single line of code has been written: moving forward with the wrong idea. If you aren’t creating something your customers, employees, or users want, then it doesn’t matter how great your software looks or what the performance is like.

You might use polls, questionnaires, or interviews. No matter what you prefer, though, it’s important that you get a sense of what features and functions matter most to the people who will actually use your software. Otherwise, you could end up with something they aren’t going to adopt in the first place.

#2 Plan Extensively, Even if You Think Your Project is Simple

Ideally, you’ll want every phase of your custom software development project planned out in advance. You’ll want to know exactly what your app will do, what it will look like, and which tools will be integrated before your programming team starts putting it together.

You might even anticipate stumbling blocks, programming challenges, and future releases. That information isn’t crucial at the outset (and in fact can be difficult to predict), but having more information and insights is better than less.

#3 Get a Written Agreement with Milestones Spelled Out

Naturally, your software development team is going to want you to sign a written agreement or proposal before any work begins. When you do, be sure that the deadlines and expectations for major milestones are spelled out thoroughly.

From a client’s perspective, this can add a little bit of peace of mind. You want to know when you’ll start seeing early versions of your software, at what date you can expect it to launch, and so on. For developers, these sorts of milestones also prepare the client so they can be ready to make important decisions in a timely way. That helps everyone to keep the process moving along.

#4 Decide on a Look for Your Software Interface

What do you want the various screens or pages within your software package to look like? At some point, early in the process, it’s good if you can decide on a certain aesthetic that will carry from one interaction to the next. That’s because you don’t want your programming team making a lot of last-minute changes to the visuals if it’s not necessary. That can lead to crashes and inconsistencies.

If you have a sense of how you want your interface to be presented, bring that up early on. The design element of your app isn’t necessarily as important as the concept itself, but it does add to the overall feel and usability of the finished product.

#5 Create Flowcharts for User Flow and Interface Design

In some ways, custom software projects are similar to web designs. That’s not only because many new apps end up on the internet; it’s also because you want to manage things so it’s as easy as possible for users to get from one screen, prompt, or feature to the next.

To maximize usability, work with your development team to come up with flowcharts and menus that guides users through the various steps needed to complete common tasks. You’ll double check this work in the testing phase later, but it’s easier if your software is set up in a coherent way from the beginning.

#6 Give Prompt Feedback to Your Development Team

As they move through the design and programming phase of your software development project, your creative team is going to present you with various models and mockups. These might be screenshots, artistic designs, or versions of your app with limited functionality.

When you receive them, take care to respond with any feedback in a timely way if possible. That will stop the development project from stalling, of course, but will also make it easier to facilitate a back-and-forth discussion that influences future work. To put it another way, it’s easier to prevent the same mistakes from being repeated again and again when your programming team is getting solid and immediate responses.

#7 Leave Time for Beta Testing and Security Evaluations

Sometimes, business owners, nonprofit directors, and executives get so excited about a software development idea that they want to rush the product to market, or get their team using it as quickly as possible. That enthusiasm is wonderful, but you should always leave a little bit of time on the calendar for beta testing and intensive review from your creative team.

No matter how well-planned or envisioned an app is, there are often small corrections that need to be made once real humans start interacting with the product. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure your software is as stable as it can be, and that it isn’t leaving you open to any kind of security concerns. It can be hard to wait while testing goes on, but it’s an important step that shouldn’t be skipped.

#8 Plan for Future Updates

Once your app is ready to launch, schedule some time with your development team to review your progress and talk about version updates later. You might not have any idea what those updates will be like, but you are very likely to need something once your software is in use.

Little patches, revisions to text, and feature growth are all common requests that come into play after an app or software package has been delivered. By planning to review for these changes ahead of time, you can make it easier for you and your team to keep track of what you might like to see done.

#9 Choose a Software Development Company You Can Trust

It’s worth pointing out, of course, that everything we’ve suggested on this list is easier to accomplish and manage when you have a team of experienced and professional software developers on your side. That expertise is going to come with a cost, but you’re also going to get what you need and expect in the end.

There is a common misconception that programming is all the same and it doesn’t matter who you work with for custom software development. However, the lowest bidders and newest providers start out on the bottom wrong for a reason. If you want software that helps your business to grow, and wish to avoid the kinds of headaches and issues that can cause you to give up on the project before it’s finished, then do yourself a favor and work with professionals you can trust.

Turn to Us for Custom Software Development

An experienced Arizona software development team won’t just give you a completed application you need – they’ll also have plenty of questions and guide you step-by-step through the programming process.

That’s how we’ve been so successful at Kinetik IT. With more experience than virtually any other team the Phoenix area, we have helped our clients to develop usable software that works in a variety of situations, and on just about any kind of platform or operating system you can imagine.

Whether you have a perfect idea of what you want your custom software package to do, or need to talk about the possibilities with a team of experts, we’re here to help. Contact our development team today and will be happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation for you. In just one short conversation you could get all the information you need to grow your company, automate repetitive tasks, and improve your bottom line.

Why not reach out now and get the answers you need?

If you spend any time online, or on social media sites, you’ve become accustomed to seeing much of the same material—cat videos, news stories, buzzfeed quizzes—time and again. Whether it’s friends and family posting the most recent video to go viral, or magazine/news pages weighing in on the latest pro sports scandal, we often see the content repeated via multiple channels. In fact, according to Matt Cutts, Google’s head of search spam, as much as 30 percent of online content is duplicate. But duplicative content is not the same as copyright infringement, which has taken on a life of its own. 

Some common types of infringement concern include images, music, and videos (think illegally copied pictures in blog posts, unauthorized YouTube videos of AT40 hits, or pirated downloads of summer blockbusters); however, a fair amount of intellectual property is also copied. 

Intellectual property is defined as something unique that you physically create. While an idea alone is not intellectual property, if it’s developed into a product (a book, or a brand), those creations are considered intellectual property. And copyright, patents, designs and trademarks are all constitute a means of protection.

Infringement has become a big problem. Last month alone, according to the Google Transparency Report, more than 4,500 copyright owners claimed their brand had been infringed upon. But simply having your property copied doesn't mean anything in the courts unless it's registered. You’re unable to take legal action against a party unless, for example, your logo has been copyrighted with the government, and—best case scenario—trademarked on a national level with the federal government.

To learn how to register various types of materials and property, visit the U.S. Copyright Office at copyright.gov or find a similar government portal in another country to learn about the process. 

If you run a business, having your content or brand copied may seem like a good thing—free publicity, right? Not at all. Copyright infringement can serve disreputable purposes, even diverting web traffic from your site. 

Finding out if your content or brand is being infringed upon can be difficult. The first thing is to copyright and trademark the logo, then it’s imperative to institute a monitoring system. An easy way to find out when your business info is posted on the web is by using Google Alerts. By creating an alert, the service will send a notification when related information is posted online. Google Webmaster Tools can also be an invaluable resource, allowing you to view your site rankings, as well as links to your site, and where they're coming from.

If unauthorized material is found, the process to have it removed in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is simple, yet detailed—and not always a guarantee that the information will be removed:

• Find out details about the person or business infringing your copyrights, Hosting Company, Payment Processors etc.
• Report copyright infringement to Authorities like Search engines, Hosting companies, Payment Processors, ISP and other internet crime reporting organizations 

Marketing Dock offers a step-by-step tutorial to walk you through this (somewhat confusing) process. 

Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to protect your business from being a target for copyright infringement. But by registering your brand and content, as well as monitoring online activity, you will have a means of reacting should you become a victim of intellectual property theft. 

Many companies now look to custom software development as the ideal solution for organization and management. Some, however, avoid it completely, favoring off-the-shelf solutions instead. While the reality is that any company can utilize custom software development, Phoenix is full of industries that should ALWAYS consider it over any other solution for a variety of reasons. Here are the top three:

Financial Services

The world of finance is very different from any other industry today. Not only is understanding the data and math behind complex processes like securities valuations, risk and trading a must, there are also myriad compliance issues to consider. From portfolio managers to the traders themselves, those in the industry know that sacrifices in functionality can mean lost profits, and that’s not a choice you want to be up against. Custom software development here is a must. Because financial services companies are all different and they have a niche environment in which they must work, challenges abound, and only the right program can meet those. 

Healthcare

Patient care, insurance, HIPAA security, regulation, certification, billing and coding – the list of concerns when you’re dealing with any healthcare organizations is vast. While the list of vendors selling one-size-fits-all software programs is lengthy, for most healthcare entities, cookie-cutter software simply won’t make the grade. Each healthcare organization has its own angle, its own concerns, its own budgets, and choosing a software project that means meeting every aspect of an organizations needs is a necessity. You need a team that has expertise with medical software projects and knows enough about health interoperability standards to create the right solution to meet your needs.

Logistics

Business is about being at the right place at the right time, and in the logistics business, you understand that you need a software solution that will allow you to process and move as quickly as possible. In an industry where the margins are slim, a half-second delay caused by software not specifically designed to suit your needs is either going to cost you time, money, or a customer. The only way is to go with something that has been specifically optimized to meet your exact needs. 

Even if your industry is not listed here, there’s a strong possibility that off-the-shelf software won’t address all your company’s needs. In the long run, customized software development is always going to be the only way to move forward for your company. Off-the-shelf software is developed to appeal to the mass markets of your specific industry. By using off-the-shelf software you disregard the fact that the needs and potential of your business are as unique as the business itself and locks you into using the same technology as your competitors.

Kinetik I.T. has vast experience in developing unique custom software applications for all types of industries. Whether your business simply needs a current application enhanced or you need us to develop a complete solution from the ground up to fit your business, contact us and we will show you how we can make a difference in your organization.