Development Process

Building software is tricky.  When creating custom applications that are tailored to your business, the sky is really the limit.  It sounds great, but that phrase sometimes makes people feel like they are lost in the wilderness, with way too many choices and not enough time to make them. 

At Sidian Consulting, we walk you through the process in a way that removes the feeling people sometimes get of being overwhelmed with too much detail.  Our process is first and foremost focused on determining your needs, providing suggestions and advice where necessary, but without stepping on your toes and clouding your business goals.

Below are the phases of our development process.  Applications are hosted on our servers during all phases of the project until the implementation phase, which is when the project goes into production.

Planning

This stage is where we get to know you, your business, and the development needs of  your project.  

Prototyping & Specification

This is the most important part of every project, whether it's developing software or designing a house. After getting a rough idea of the project, a prototype and specification are started, paying close attention to the initial input from the client and ongoing feedback from the client.  The time of this stage varies depending on the scope of the application and the needs of the client. 

Development

This is where the rubber meets the road.  Programming is started, following the details in the prototype and specification, which has been approved and signed off on by the client.

Unfortunately, a lot of development in the industry is done with little or no prototyping or specification.  Projects that are started in this way usually take much longer and cost much more than initially quoted, and a lot of times end up being unmitigated disasters. 

Starting the development phase with a good foundation (a solid prototype and specification) is the ONLY way we work.

Quality Assurance Testing

This phase is where testing of the application takes place in house by Sidian Consulting.   Bug fixes are done as necessary to ensure a quality end-product.

Training

This part is important.  This separates the developers from the wannabes.  No one really likes training, so our goal is to make it informative, and hopefully fun.  We take the time to provide quality end-user training  and make sure your employees understand the application from top to bottom.  Training should not just be a "quick walkthrough" or a bunch of youtube videos thrust at the client; we teach our clients by having them perform all of the application actions so they can ask questions and understand all processes they'll be working with on a day-to-day basis.

Documentation

While training is important, very few people actually remember everything they've been trained on a week or two from when the training took place.  That's why we provide full documentation on the applications we build.

Acceptance Testing

Yes, more testing.  This is the last phase before implementation, or when the project is put into production.  After being trained, the client will perform their own testing of the application, making sure everything is working as specified.  Any last-minute bugs that are found in this stage are fixed and the application is then signed off on as complete.

Implementation

Whether we're implementing solutions on a client's own network and servers, our own servers, or a server in a shared environment, we helm the process from start to finish.  We provide ongoing maintenance contracts that allow our clients to have peace of mind, knowing that all updates and issues will be addressed in a timely manner.  A worry-free process from start to finish is our top priority.

Ongoing Maintenance Plans

Sidian Consulting offers monthly maintenance plans, including software updates, bug fixes, operating system updates (where applicable), additional training, and on-site or remote support.  The satisfaction of our clients is our number one priority.