Custom software development is pretty much in vogue, no two ways about it! We are living in an era where the verge of new-edge specialization technologies and services has been deeply rooted. Now I am pretty sure you must be well-acquainted with recent technical progressions happening around the corner, and enterprise software development is one of them.
Now many of you often come to me with this misconception that standard software development and enterprise software development are the same. Well, they are entirely different. Of course, both of them are of a kind and have been proven to be a great success but you see understanding their difference is extremely important. The following post focuses on how different is enterprise software development from standard software development. Let’s get started!
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Everything to Know About Standard Software Development
Let’s begin with the basics- A software development project is a set of series that are supposed to be executed by the experts to develop robust and scalable software or computing programs. The entire time where software is being developed is known as the software development lifecycle and within this cycle, small phases are taken into consideration such as planning, designing, developing, testing, deploying, maintenance and support.
An SDLC is an international standard that is quite followed and praised by development companies all across the globe. After all, here you get a defined structure where all the teams are supposed to execute precisely. On and all, the main objective behind conducting a software development project is to come up with an intimidating product within a limited time and budget.
As mentioned earlier there are 7 stages of a software development lifecycle.
Stage 1 – Planning and analyzing
Stage 2 – Requirements
Stage 3 – Design and Prototyping
Stage 4 – Software Development
Stage 5 – Testing
Stage 6 – Deployment
Stage 7 – Maintenance and updates
Some of the common examples of standard software include – media and games, planning tools, infection scanners, reporting and analysis tools, tax software, data tools, language learning apps, and so on.
Why Software Development is Important?
If you are willing to run a successful business, then conducting a software development project has become important. Not to mention the advantage of doing so are many. For example, your business irrespective of its size and industry vertical could surpass its competitors easily.
Some of the standard software development services include- web development, software application development, mobile app development, eCommerce solutions, financial apps, healthcare apps, Telecommunication, website designing and maintenance, CRM solutions and the list goes on!
Apart from setting above competitors and receiving a plethora of services, software development can increase your business productivity and compel you to deliver feature-rich solutions in the market. This surely enhances your customer’s experience. Not to mention having scalable, robust software can guarantee a huge increase in revenue. Other benefits of investing in a software development project are:
- Quick Promotion – One of the obvious benefits of conducting a software development project is that your project speaks for your business. It’s like you are promoting your business to a great extent. Also, this makes your brand extremely visible. More and more people can reach you through computing systems or smartphones.
- Improves sales – With more visibility and promotion, sales are definitely going to increase. Also, not to mention having a platform where your customers can directly get in touch with you is a good sign.
- Compels the Customers to engage – As mentioned earlier, today everyone knows how to get things done virtually whether its ordering food or booking tickets, or buying any apparel and accessories, people are trending toward digital transformation, and software development is the only way through which your valued customers can get in touch with you in no time. Again results in increased brand awareness and sales.
Moving on, now let’s talk about enterprise software development and see how the concept seems to be different from standard software development.
Everything to Know About Enterprise Software Development
First and foremost, what is enterprise software? Well, enterprise software is developed to take care of all the current and potential issues of an organization. Yes, unlike standard software development procedures, this software aren’t created for an individual, they ensure to serve the entire organization.
Some of the popular examples of enterprise software include – client relationship management, enterprise asset management, business intelligence, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, and treasury software. Much like standard software, even enterprise software development comprises different stages such as:
- Creating a blueprint
- Assessing Project Requirements
- Designing and Development
- Software Testing
- Deployment
- Maintenance and updates
Overall, Enterprise software or enterprise applications are developed to integrate with the existing computing systems so well that ensure a smoother workflow. Instead of considering it a major threat, employees have started viewing it as a helpful tool that assists in enhancing their productivity and overall work efficiency. Further, I would like to mention some of the core benefits of enterprise software.
Benefits of using an Enterprise Software
One of the major benefits of using enterprise software is that it makes your business thoroughly digitalized. Having the best software by your side can assist you in storing and managing large amounts of data, streamlining management, and minimizing bureaucracy.
#1 Centralized Location
One of the obvious benefits of conducting an enterprise software development project is that here you get a centralized location. You know the main objective of enterprise software is to store all information in a centralized manner. Each member can access whatever file they want without creating hurdles for others and without wasting much time in looking through unnecessary files.
Also, here data can be reviewed in real-time.
#2 Saves Money
Another crucial advantage of having enterprise software is that here you get to save a significant amount of time as well as money. You see today lots and lots of organizations are found restraining themselves considering the high cost of installing enterprise software. Well, for starters it is inevitable for you not to think about the money but if you see it in the long-term then this can turn out to be quite a cost-effective solution. As this one software can replace all the other software in regards to accounting, human resources management, online payment processing, customer management software, etc.
#3 Enhanced Security
In today’s times where data breaches is at their peak, considering a system or solution that offers the best security is a must. Today any hacker can introduce malware by infiltrating your system and all your data and crucial information could be at risk. So having an enterprise system featuring robust security can be quite beneficial. Also, you can consider incorporating password protection, and two-factor authentication systems within your enterprise system.
Now it’s time to spot the difference between a standard software development project and an enterprise development project
How is Enterprise Software Different from a Standard Software?
With the increasing tools and technologies, the gap between a standard and an enterprise solution seems to be narrowing down. However, there are certain notable key differentiators that can change the game.
#1 Scalability
One of the obvious factors is scalability. Now every business wants to grow to the next level in the least amount of time and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s just to exceed its true potential it needs to excel at its offerings, services, and customer experience. Here enterprise apps or enterprise software seem to have an upper hand over the standard ones. You see these are particularly designed keeping the distant future in mind.
Also not to mention that not all companies are the same. So your software must comprise customized features. Again enterprise software can deliver the most robust personalization options than regular software. In addition, enterprise software tends to quickly adapt to the ever-growing needs and market conditions.
#2 Return on Investment
Another differentiating factor between standard software and enterprise software is its return on investment. Of course, there is no denying the fact that the target audiences of these two apps or softwares are different, the process of work is supposed to be too. However, when it comes to the return on investment, again enterprise software seems to have an upper hand. Unlike a standard one, here you have to identify the objectives, choose KPIs and then calculate precise returns.
#3 Development Cost
Another differentiating factor is the development cost. Many of you have this misconception that an enterprise app development project might cost way higher than a standard one. Initially, this can be true but if you look at the big picture, it’s quite a vice versa case.
Of course, an enterprise app requires more planning and more brainstorming than any other standard application. After all, here millions of dollars are at stake but if you see in the long run, enterprise apps ensure long-term benefits than any other kind of app.
Overall when you are seeking the right type of development project, just make sure you choose keeping goals and objectives in mind. For example, if you are willing to develop software that assists in facilitating all the orders, ensures high customer engagement, and takes care of all the accounting, and database management, then look no further than enterprise software.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a highly engaging app, hands down, standard software development has to be your ultimate choice.
Conclusion
You see both standard software development and enterprise software development are best in their own ways, basically, both are never-ending iterative procedures. Just make sure to access your business requirements and then make a choice. Good luck with your first app development project.