How Your Project Will Progress

Once you've given us the go-ahead to start on your project, we'll get down to the hands-on stuff. The duration of the project depends on its complexity, but generally they all follow a pattern such as this.

• First we build upon the draft design that we worked up during the proposal phase.
• Then we start programming the software. We lay out the main program screens and make a start on the features that we expect to be the most difficult.
• Shortly afterwards we'll visit you to demonstrate a very early version of your system. This version won't be functional but it will illustrate the general form of the system, giving you a feel for how the software will work once it's finished. We'll take this opportunity to get your feedback and to adjust the direction of our development to make sure that the software will do what you need.
• Now we enter the busiest part of the project. Here we complete the programming and conduct our internal testing. We'll probably need to chat with you from time to time, to clarify details of your business processes and so on.
• When the system is nearing completion we'll start preparing for your testing. We'll work with your (and your IT department if you have one) to prepare a testing environment and a schedule.
• You should then conduct your own testing. Generally we find that our programmers and your business people have different ways of looking at the system, and so it pays for each side to do its own independent testing. Of course we're always here to help, and we're very keen to hear of any problems so that we can fix them for you.
• Once you've completed your testing the system is ready to start its working life in your business. At this stage we'll submit our invoice to you, but it's not quite over just yet.
• As the system beds down into your day-to-day business it might need some tweaking. Usage patterns in real life can sometimes be different to what anyone anticipated during design, development and testing. We'll keep an eye on your system for a while to make sure that it's working correctly.