I have been in the computer software industry for almost 20 years and I have seen a lot of bad software. When I say bad software, I mean real bad! There have been many times when I would meet with a client ask them to show me the software they are currently using. Then after a few minutes into the demo, my jaw has dropped at my disbelief as I witness what the client has been dealing with.
For more info click here:
http://nikosce.com/the-fallout-from-bad-software/
This bad software can be categorized into two groups:
- Good software, but the wrong software to meet the business needs – Suppose a customer has a need for a specific type of software, so they shop around. They find a great software product: the user interface is beautiful, the screens are quick and responsive, and the list of features spans several pages. The customer buys the software, pays to have it deployed, and begins to use it. The only problem is, this software doesn’t fit what the business actually needs! Now the customer is forced to use workarounds and manual steps in order to utilize the software, which defeats the point of having the software in the first place.
- The right software to meet the business needs, but poor quality – Another scenario is when the customer has purchased or built the right software: it meets every use case and functional requirement demanded from it. However, the software itself (or its implementation) is terrible. It runs slow, crashes, doesn’t save changes. Users avoid using it at great lengths.
The fallout from bad software
I have listed some of the problems, headaches and pains that end users experience as a result of these well-meaning, but misguided software implementations.
- Lost Revenue
- Missed Opportunity
- Frustrated Users
- Vendor Lock-In
- Corrupted Data
- System Downtime
- Wasted Time
- High Overhead Costs
If you have ever dealt with either of the two scenarios described above, I am sure you could add to this list. In fact, send me your list and I will add it here.
tim@nikosce.com
What to do?
You and your business deserve high quality software, either off-the-shelf or customer-built, that is appropriate for your business needs. I would love to talk with you to determine the best option to meet your needs and to protect you and your business from the fallout from bad software. You can reach me at
tim@nikosce.com or by completing the form below to get started.