www.npgroup.net

Solving Business Challenges with Custom Web DevelopmentPete Czech, CEO & Kris LaGreca, VP of Accounts: New Possibilities Group, LLC

Welcome!

Today’s Agenda:

• Introductions• What is Custom Web

Development?• Benefits• Custom Development Process

• Planning a Project• Building a Specification• Choosing a Technology• Budget & Timelines• Development• Testing• Deployment

• Case Studies• Conclusion

Introductions

Your Host: Pete Czech

CEO, New Possibilities Group

Co-founder of NPG in 2001

NPG specializes in highly customized design & development of web applications and content management systems.

Contact: czech@npgroup.net

Introductions

Your Co-Host: Kris LaGreca

VP of Accounts, New Possibilities Group

Co-founder of NPG in 2001

Contact: kris@npgroup.net

Our Experience

What is Custom Web Development?

In a nutshell...

It is the use of technologies to build customized software for solving problems, in this scenario on the web.

What Isn’t Custom Web Development?

Hacking of off-the-shelf software to get “Close” to your goals.

It isn’t elegant.

Let us explain…

The internet is inundated with off-the-shelf platforms.

CMS: WordPress, Drupal, Joomla

E-Commerce: Magento, OSCommerce, Prestashop

And tons more for niched scenarios:ForumsNews / MagazineCommunitySpecialized E-CommerceSAAS

As an example: The CMS Landscape

The Reality

Off-the-shelf solutions are not made for your particular purposes!

These are generalized tools meant to apply to many different scenarios.

Your Impact Zone

With appropriate hacking, you can get maybe 90% of the way

The last 10% represents the value and individuality of your business

The Better Alternative

Building on top of a coding framework – not a platform.

Integrating your complex business requirements with day to day management tools.

Determining your final system layout with a thorough discovery process conducted specifically for your needs.

An Analogy

Modular vs Custom Homes

Overall Benefits of Custom Web Solutions

Bespoke: This is made for you specifically – few to zero sacrifices.

Longevity: Custom solutions can weather the storm of updates and upgrades.

Scalability: The system, when built properly, can scale with your business.

Value: The system becomes a valuable corporate asset.

Security: Your application can be secured above and beyond industry standard.

Real World Examples

A long term car rental company seeking an e-commerce site and reservation management system.

A worldwide Yoga training company seeking to integrate class management and e-commerce.

A furniture company seeking complex integration to an old inventory management system.

A private college system looking for a CMS that can be used by personnel across 15 different physical locations, securely.

A healthcare provider looking to manage many domains with one singular CMS installation.

NEVER, EVER, EVER…

Develop these types of projects with off-the-shelf software:

• Highly secure CMS platforms.• SAAS software.• Complex, custom e-commerce.

The Custom Process

Planning

Specification

Technology

Budget & Timelines

Development

Testing

Deployment

Planning & Strategizing

This step you can do yourself!

Analyze: What are your current limitations?

What 3 things could you do to save you time and effort?

What are some lost opportunities?

If time and money was no object, what initiatives would you pursue?

Building a Specification

Discovery: THE MOST important part of your project!

Don’t go it alone.

Plan for:System ActorsUse CasesRisks & OpportunitiesFuture Considerations

Your spec should allow for apples to apples comparisons of budget & timelines.

PAY FOR IT FIRST.

Technology

Overall, most important factor to consider.

Don’t always trust the “pure tech guy”.

Open vs Closed Source.

New vs Tested Platforms.

Plan with future in mind.

Budget & Timelines

Proper discovery process mitigates budget risk.

Plan for overrides just in case.

Popular terms for payment & milestones.

Consider ownership scenarios.

Plan for deployment & hosting in advance.

Development

Discovery is your blueprint.

Be careful not to pivot unless necessary.

Avoid technical debt.

Always be testin’.

Pay attention!

Testing & QA

Again rely on discovery blueprint.

Test early and often.

Have multiple sets of eyes.

You own it. You’ll have to live with it.

Deployment

Aim for 100% seamless transitions.

If transitioning, test with a duplicate environment for a specified period of time.

Develop a deployment script.

Schedule carefully around company initiatives.

Case Studies

Each example:

* relies on their website to bridge the gap between the internet and their business.

* utilizes the internet for the majority of their sales.

* had previously been on off-the-shelf software.

Interested in a LIVE Demo?

Call me!

Q & A

Our Next Webcast

Planning for 2017: Website Redesign Tips & Tricks

December 21, 20162PM EST

Additional Resources

Our blog – www.npgroup.net/blog

Videos - www.npgroup.net/videos

E-Books – www.npgroup.net/resources

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