As a creative and born marketeer, I could never have predicted I would become involved in software development.
I stumbled into it through a chance meeting with a Romanian called Dragos in 2004 while in Cheltenham, attending an EU-funded language school. It was a time when I had a tiny marketing team and the internet was just beginning to take off as a more mainstream medium.
To cut a long story short, I commissioned him to build some online sites and mechanisms for client campaigns on his return to Romania. I remember our first key project (and the first of its kind back then): a national community awards scheme promoted on-pack for Kerrygold butter.
The rest is history. The cherry-picked software team grew, as did the size and scope of the software projects, developing industry-challenging software from seed to market and business-critical big data systems to solve issues and create opportunities for existing sector leads.
The magic of successful software lies in the fusion of creativity and logic. It’s not just about technology, but about having a vision and the craftsmanship to bring it to life.
Bespoke software isn’t just about writing code — it’s about building solutions that drive real business value.
Based on my experience, I share my secrets for turning high-risk software projects into game-changing successes.
Be holistic
Involve as many stakeholders as possible from the outset. Stamp out as much vagueness as possible.
Blueprint clarity
Draw up a detailed blueprint with well-defined features and success metrics before coding starts.
Start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Avoid building everything at once. As with a house, strong, future-proofed foundations are critical. Features and extensions are easy to add later, provided the big picture is decided from the outset.
Avoid mission creep
Identify and prioritise the critical objectives of the development to avoid over-engineering that can overshadow the necessary business needs. Involve stakeholders at every stage and align progress with business KPIs.
Think future future future…
Scalability is a paramount consideration from the outset. No one builds a dream home with insufficient bedrooms, a kitchen that is too small, or one that fails to account for future insulation legislation. The architecture must be cloud-ready and security fenced for all possible add-ons and ongoing data streams.
Test functionality and UX
Bugs and poor user experience can sink software before it even floats. Every sprint should include automated testing and real-user feedback in
Collaboration
Collaboration is key in software development. It’s not just about individual skills, but about how we work together as a team. We use agile processes, hold regular stand-ups, and maintain detailed documentation to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Relationship clarity
Software isn’t “done” on launch day. It’s an ongoing process that requires planning and agreement on the parameters of maintenance, updates, and user feedback loops from the outset. It’s about a plan for continuing evolution, not just delivery.
Of course, successful software requires proper planning, agile execution and strong collaboration. However, in an age of automation, artistry matters even more. Custom software development without a Picasso is at best expensive functionality and lost opportunity, and at worst doomed to failure.
©˙Matthew Rymer
All writing and ideas are my own.
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