How Businesses Benefit From Software Prototyping

Businesses are always going to be anxious when integrating new software systems, and rightfully so. It’s exciting when organizations take on innovative projects aimed at improving workflows that contribute to the long-term success of the brand. On the IT side, developing custom software for businesses is just as exciting. Development teams share the enthusiasm with their clients as they’ve just contributed something that’s going to bring lots of value. 

But before anything can be celebrated, it’s customary in the IT service industry to provide clients with a glimpse of the final product using what’s known as a software prototype. This prototype is what gives businesses the first look at what they’ve invested in, but more than that, it is where they can offer any final feedback.

Nothing in the IT service industry is one-size-fits-all, and prototypes are no different. With that said, there are a few variations of software prototypes which include:

• Low-Fidelity (LoFi) Prototypes: This is as basic as it gets. A LoFi prototype sketches out (hard copies or digitally) an outline of what the final product will look like. Some examples of this include the outline of a website or a paper-made mobile app prototype.

• Feasibility Prototypes: This is where important questions can be asked about the project that any other form of research couldn’t fully give answers to. Note that this prototype is not a good indicator of what the final product will look like as it’s being used to fill in gaps of what is unknown about the product.

• High-Fidelity (HiFi) Prototypes: This is almost as close to the finished product as it gets since this prototype has active links, realistic graphics, and all pieces of content that will be seen when it’s done.

• Live-Data Prototypes: A prototype that uses live-data sources such as user inputs, databases, and APIs can generate both tailored and dynamic experiences that resemble the final product. For instance, it can gather a user's name from a sign-up form to produce a personalized greeting message.

3 Key Areas That Benefit From Software Prototyping:

The Overall Vision

Software prototypes show businesses how their original concept for an IT system was materialized by programmers. When they see how well their vision was understood by the development team, they will be able to highlight any discrepancies or misunderstandings that can be resolved while the process is still in its early stages.

Changes to Software Requirement Specifications (SRS)

Prototypes are great for ensuring that new systems integrate well with existing systems and workflows. By having this visual representation of the software, businesses can offer feedback and make changes to the SRS before the development process has progressed too far. 

The Stakeholders

Without alignment and enthusiasm from those who will be using the system, the product will be nowhere near as effective since the team will resort back to what they know. Prototypes are great for generating this interest from stakeholders and will allow the team to effectively plan how they will use the tool to improve processes.

Variations of Prototyping 

So we’ve covered the common prototypes and what sort of benefits they offer to the organization, but now what we need is to understand the execution aspect. There are a handful of prototyping models that can be used depending on the scenario the company is facing. 4 of which are as follows:

1) Rapid Prototyping

As the name suggests, this variation of a software prototype is used to quickly examine changes to the system. This is an agile method also referred to as “throwaway prototyping” since each version becomes less relevant as the project progresses. 

What’s it useful for?

• Saves Money: While making only small changes in the iterative models, rapid prototyping does not cost a lot in the broad scope of the development project’s budget while mistakes not caught early on can amount to much more. 

• For Every Project: Rapid prototyping can be used in projects of all sizes.

• Saves Time: Every time a prototype is built, the next one is built on top of it which eliminates the need to go back and start from scratch.

2) Incremental Prototyping

When it comes to enterprise software, this is the only viable option since enterprise applications typically require significant integration. In this variation, small prototypes are being developed but at a higher volume for each aspect of the software solution. All prototypes are then taken and used to construct a grand prototype that is the software itself. 

What’s it useful for?

• Best prototyping model for enterprise-level software

• Flexible and adaptable

• Smaller models allow for easy changes

• Proficient at finding defective code

3) Evolutionary Prototyping

This approach is typically used when the software requirements are unclear at the start of the project. It involves creating prototypes that only consist of features that are well-defined and understood. As development progresses, stakeholders can provide feedback, and new requirements can be added to refine the prototype. 

What’s it useful for?

• Enables the identification of new requirements and ensures compatibility with existing ones.

• It’s comparable to creating a minimum viable product, except that it starts with a set of well-understood features.

4) Extreme Prototyping

This variation of a prototype is exclusively used in web development and it follows a 3 stage process. What these stages are meant to do is create a prototype model with several layers. Using these several layers, the compatibility between the front and back-end functionality can be examined and made sure to be effective. 

The three stages include:

1. Preparing an HTML build to reflect what will be presented

2. To transform the prototype into a fully functional model, it is necessary to link it with the service layers (the most important step). 

3. Finish by successfully integrating the service layers. 

What’s it useful for?

• Saves time by avoiding anything unproductive to the development project.

• By having numerous stages, it is easier to reflect on and present the project at each level. 

The Takeaway

Having a clear vision is one thing, but seeing the execution of that vision turn into something that can be used to benefit a business is the most important part of software development. By focusing on implementing features that save your business time, the ability to scale that business opens up dramatically. 

Software prototyping is just one way that IT service providers help clients meet their goals and be able to scale their operations long-term. 

Written By Ben Brown

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ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.

How to Overcome The 5 Most Common Challenges During Software Development

Software development is one of the most complex and demanding processes that any business can undergo. It not only requires talent with programming languages, but it also requires the ability to navigate development environments, libraries, frameworks, and troubleshooting, all while working under time constraints. Nonetheless, the most crucial characteristic that sets the best programmers apart is their ability to solve problems effectively.

The Reality for Companies Starting a Software Project

In 2023, many companies either are currently or soon will be undergoing digital transformation using custom software development to keep up with the demands of the digital marketplace. This is exciting for businesses wanting to level up their development, but what’s important for every company to remember is that a software project can face plenty of obstacles which will require clear communication to overcome.

The riskiest part of a software development project is typically during the beginning and is commonly due to a lack of three things: 

1. Planning

2. Goals

3. Transparency between the client and the development team

A study from last year found that 75% of IT executives agree that projects are often in trouble from the “initial phase” due to a lack of clear expectations or proper planning. The three components listed above are the most crucial pitfalls to avoid during your project, but they are not the only ones.

In a perfect world, software developers would have all the necessary resources and information on a project with all possible changes from the client outlined as well as an ideal deadline for everyone. However, this is not always the case, which means that when obstacles do arise, teams need to be equipped to overcome them.

With that said, here are 5 common challenges when starting a project and how to overcome them:

1) Planning, Goals, and Communication:

At the base level of struggles during a software development project, a lack of clear vision is at the forefront. This is a relatively easy fix because it simply requires the organization looking to integrate custom software to review their needs and reach a consensus on how they want the system to benefit their stakeholders. 

Custom software systems are directly built to fit the needs of businesses which means that to justify building a system, businesses need to sit down and define their reasoning. 

2) Time Restrictions:

In some cases, when a new project is started, the deadline is agreed upon before the details of the project are outlined. This can be detrimental to the success of a project which means that when both parties consult, the scope of work must be laid out to determine an appropriate deadline.

It’s additionally important to consider that resources and budget play a significant role in determining the timeline as it gives developers a sense of how much time they can allocate and the resources they can dedicate to each stage of the project. 

3) No Testing = No Innovation:

When it comes to testing your IT systems, the importance of consistently ensuring quality performance and finding room for improvement is self-explanatory. The purpose of software testing is purely to mitigate the risk of error and ensure that systems can keep up with what is expected of them. 

The last step of a software development project is the testing and maintenance phase which allows companies to identify any faults in the system as well as areas that they may want to improve on in the future.

4) Technical Challenges:

Developing software often involves using new or complex technologies, which can lead to technical challenges as with any technology. In the case of custom software, these challenges can range from compatibility issues to something as difficult as debugging complex code.

To prevent this, it's critical to have a team with a diverse range of technical expertise and experience. This will not only ensure that experts are overseeing different areas who can then work together to solve any technical challenges that arise, but it will also help teams stay up to date with any outdated technology that needs to be updated.

5) Managing Changes and Expectations:

As the software development project progresses, there may be changes to the scope, requirements, or timeline. These changes can be difficult to manage and may lead to confusion or delays.

To overcome this, it's important to have a change management process in place. This process simply requires clear communication between the development team and the client and should include an outlined process for evaluating and approving any changes. Having a clear understanding of the project scope and goals can help manage expectations and reduce the likelihood of unexpected changes.

Final Thoughts

Challenges during software development are nothing new which means there’s no real reason to panic if you encounter them. As long as you’ve established clear expectations and communication standards with your software provider, risk can be mitigated.

Businesses that are firm on their standards and make sure that their software developers are aligned with said standards will have the greatest chance of success when it comes to digital transformation.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.

3 Capabilities of a High Quality LIMS

Laboratories serve a vast amount of essential processes in the world today. For instance, a chemical testing laboratory will identify what materials are made of and test their quality to find if there’s anything that shouldn’t be there. Another example is a testing center that can detect diseases and develop treatments based on that sample.

To carry out these processes efficiently, the industry has had to innovate using technology that automates workflows and manages data. This is done through a laboratory information management system (LIMS) which is essential for labs to have today to provide the highest quality results. 

LIMS are commonly used because they offer far more in terms of performance efficiency and consistency in comparison to traditional methods of data management. Here are some of the features that have earned LIMS this reputation:

1) Process Execution

Whatever typical operating procedures or methods are utilized in a lab, this software system gives the laboratory full control over all of these aspects. In effect, the processes can be organized in a step-by-step format by technicians that will help analysts through the process. 

When integration is consistent, data can be downloaded in real-time during this process.

2) Integrating Instruments

LIMS instrument integration is a great way to interact with specific lab instruments by inserting files and directing their functioning. When it comes to data integration, security and customization are focal points for the LIMS to deliver. Instrument integration customizes this workflow by tailoring it to the needs of the laboratory. The benefits of this step also include:

• Boosted productivity and efficiency 

• Consistent innovation

• Identifying which instruments need to be integrated (remember wants vs needs)

• Improved integrity and quality of data

Lastly for this section, the LIMS will be able to take instrument files and extract data to test it for quality (QC assessment). 

3) Managing Data

Laboratories are continuously seeing more and more in-house generated data which has triggered the requirement for LIMS to be implemented to ensure top-of-the-line data management. 

The specific reason LIMS can benefit these workflows is through strategic configuration and archiving. 

Data files are standardized in the format of Extensible Markup Language (XML) in addition to having archived the original data file. What this allows for is the data to be accessed via computer and/or browser. 

Files from the archive can be migrated across all mediums. For systems that have data dating back years and years, this is a pivotal feature. 

When it comes to documentation, the LIMS operates entirely paperless. This boosts approval time and allows data to circulate, and files to be viewed in line with the needs of the lab. You can also expect to see cost reductions from paperless operations in addition to data efficiency and consistency.

The Importance of LIMS

The most evident advantage that laboratories with a custom LIMS will notice is that it offers a central platform where all information and activities can be stored securely. We could outline all the specific benefits and we’d be here for ages. With that being said, let’s take a look at 5 of the most important benefits that stand out:

• Safety: The number one priority for labs that are managing sensitive workflows (such as chemical testing or sample management, for example) is safety. Keeping samples safe in addition to safekeeping data are two guarantees of a LIMS.

• Speed: Again, the paperless approach is a lifesaver for lab companies who want to cut down the time it takes to send and receive information. Labs will also be able to cooperate as access to data can be shared.

• Workflow Comfort: Ever expect to see those two words together? LIMS is a lab technician's best friend considering the level of their responsibilities. Technicians will take any and every opportunity to gain support for their day-to-day operations. LIMS are multifunctional, versatile, and scalable which is what makes this comfort possible. 

• Compliance: Laboratory regulations are incredibly important as failure to stay in line with these regulations will result in serious repercussions (losses and legal action are among the many). LIMS ensures these guidelines are followed using its built-in compliance software.

• Efficiency: LIMS are most admired for their efficiency in terms of facilitating and improving workflows. Again, lab technicians are the ones who benefit the greatest from the advanced functionalities. Labs can expect to see this apply to all performance facets with the right LIMS implemented.  

What’s Next? 

When a laboratory begins implementing its LIMS, there will be extensive evaluation and discussion regarding requirements, concerns, and engagement with lab technicians. This is important as some labs don’t take the necessary time to implement their systems and instead rush through the process with hopes it’ll revolutionize their operations. Don’t be in a rush, take your time, ask questions, and ensure that you’re building the best possible system for your laboratory.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.