Est. reading time: 3 mins
Bespoke applications for manufacturing companies are specifically large and complex. Solutions of this type are meant to streamline a lot of various processes taking place in the business. That's why it is essential to design them baring in mind all the requirements of a company to ensure you get an optimal solution as a final product. Before we get to prepare the mockup of the application, we make a detailed analysis of your business needs. How to carry out this process effectively in a manufacturing company?
Define your needs within 3 areas
When it comes to identifying your needs in terms of building a custom IT solution, it is worth to focus on three main areas:
-Gathered and viewed data,
-The visual design of the application,
-Functions of the system.
If you skip any of the above, your discussion with the software house will be less effective and more time-consuming. That's why it is important to gather relevant information regarding each of the above areas in order to speed up the process of preparing the clickable mockup of your application, which needs to reflect all your requirements. To get ready for the discussion with the software house, use the checklist below we have prepared for you
Gathered and viewed data
1. What modules and categories do you want your data to fall into (e.g. Contractors, Deliveries, Warehouse, Documents, etc.)?
2. Which data in the system is essential for you so that you require access to it most often (e.g. invoices, stock levels)?
3. What parameters do you want to filter data by (e.g. material, size, manufacturer, date of delivery)?
4. How complex do you want your data filtering and sorting to be (how many parameters)?
5. Which data do you want to view in tables and charts?
6. Which data do you want to download from the system and how far back do you want to be able to do this? Do you want to have this initially set to e.g. 5, 15, 30 days or do you prefer to have more flexibility in this regard?
Application appearance
1. What are the main views and what should they include (e.g. tables, charts, buttons, statistics)?
2. How much data should be shown in a table? Think about a default number of displayed columns and rows.
3. Do you need to drop-down lists in the tables? If so, where do you want to have them?
4. Do you want to have charts in the system? What should these show and where should these be found?
5. What medium will most clearly present your data (tables, charts, diagrams, lists, etc.)?
6. Do you want the users to have their profiles with photo identification?
Functions
1. How many users will use the software?
2. What roles within the software will they have? Will all of them be able to view all the data, edit and delete it?
3. How many interfaces do you need (e.g. two – administrative and general)?
4. In what way is the application supposed to reflect the processes in your company?
5. Do you need the software to be available on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.)?
6. Do you consider further development of the system? Which areas do you want to develop in the future?
As you answer the above questions, you will certainly get a lot of details that will help the software house better understand your needs and requirements. Obviously, it is not all that is needed to successfully design a bespoke application. As for the other areas, thise will be discussed between you and your personal Kamee advisor, who will suggest certain IT solutions. They will take into consideration all your suggestions and remarks so that together you can design a system that will be perfectly tailored to your business.
More articles:
Where to outsource web app development?
FAQ about software development
How to write a request for quote for bespoke application development?
See our work:
Web application for a trading company selling cosmetics - CRM/ERP/MES - Gdansk, Poland
Web application for course management - CRM/ERP/BI - Geneva, Switzerland