Bespoke Software
View Bespoke Software examples.
Handmade business software
We make life easier for you and your customers by designing and building online software that is incredibly easy to use and saves time and money. We've worked with clients like ADC Krone, Nelson Thornes, Omega Resource Group and Vision Underwriting (part of Liberty Mutual).
We've developed bespoke project management software, customer and order management systems and insurance quote engines. Services include:
- consultancy
- user interface design
- prototypes
- tailored development
We're happy to provide free advice on whether or not software could help you (even if our services are not the most appropriate option).
Prototype and interface design
Probably the most important stage of your project, the prototype lets us design the system before full development. We also offer our interface design and prototype development services separately.
Before we get anywhere near development, we'll look at your project from the user's point of view and create an information hierarchy that works. Our design approach puts functionality and usability first, with graphic design adding polish and context with visual cues that let users make decisions more quickly. Our prototype is effectively a website, an online system that you can browse and view just like the real thing. We find this much more effective than simply providing a set of screenshots, because it really gives you and us a sense of how the user will see the system.
The prototype is great for testing new concepts and getting other people involved in your project without losing the focus on the user. Instead of getting lots of people involved in development, the prototype lets you see your idea through to conclusion and present a finished system that will not be undermined by 'design by committee'. At the same time, a prototype means that it's very easy to incorporate feedback and change direction without the costs of full development. And it's perfect for new products because you can measure response and sell the concept with minimal risk.
Your fully designed and finished prototype will also provide a usable front end for your system, so that if you use in-house developers they can simply programme around it.
Bespoke development
We produce web-based systems using PHP and MySQL, a dynamic approach that lets us make the most of your information, and means that your system can be accessed from any internet-enabled computer. We are a specialist web development company and only use our own in-house developers. Your development is about more than just working through a list of requirements, so we continue to question and challenge the project at every stage, and always focus on what works best for the users.
The other side of our success comes from keeping you involved in the project, and we provide an online project management tool so you can always see progress, project milestones, and all the written conversations we've had with you. We also put your system online from early in the project, so your colleagues and users can try the system, see progress and make sure we're still going in the right direction. All this is no substitute for our close personal service, our passion for highly usable systems, and our personal pride in the work we produce. We set our own very high standards and test at every stage, and we also ensure that your system is future-proof and easy to develop in the future.
Training and support
Training is included in your project, although it's rarely needed because most people find our systems so easy to use that they simply get started. We're happy to say that much of our work is repeat business from clients who want to keep growing their system. Our project approach and high standards mean our clients typically need only 3 or 4 support hours a year.
Importantly, we make it really easy for you to move to different providers in future. We can build in export options that let you keep your data for backup or to transfer to alternative software, and we give you full control over your system in case you ever want someone else to provide maintenance and development. We want you to stay with us because you want to and not because you have to - and we're happy to say that no client has ever left us.
