The development of a new software program that is customized specifically for your business can be highly beneficial. You may have great plans for this program to improve productivity, facilitate customer service, decrease the number of man hours worked and more. If you are like most who have outsourced the development of a software program to a developer, you may have spent many long days or even weeks reviewing and finalizing the software requirements before finalizing a contract with a developer.
However, there are many instances over the course of a program’s development phase when the initial software requirements provided to the developer need to be revised, and you may wonder how to go about changing these requirements officially.
Halt Effort on the Program’s Development
Your developer may be actively working on the development of your software program. The farther he or she gets into coding your program, the greater the time and expense may be to revise the code that has already been written. Because of this, it is best to notify your developer of your intentions to change the software requirements as soon as possible. The details of the changes can be determined at a later date. Keep in mind that any changes made after work has started may result in additional cost and a time delay.
Refer to the Terms in Your Contract
Most software programs are developed based on a fairly detailed contract that outlines the terms of the work agreement as well as the specific software requirements in place. Many also specifically outline the formal process for changing software requirements and any additional cost that may be incurred as a result. This contract should serve as a guide for both you and the developer as you work through these changes.
Formalize Revisions to the Scope of Work
According to the terms in your work agreement or contract, you can formally make revisions to the scope of the project. Just as you created a detailed plan or outline for your developer to work off of initially, you may also need to draft a written or visual plan for the new scope of the requirements. You want to ensure that the developer fully understands what you are trying to achieve through your changes before he or she begins working on the code again.
Developing a new software program that is customized specifically for your company may be a great move to make in the long run, but it can take considerable time to create the program. Over the course of time, your needs for the program can change. By following these steps, you can more easily navigate through the revision process to get the program you need. Visit Blueprint Software Systems for additional information, or watch their below video to learn more about managing software requirements.