Custom Software Examples
In this article, we’ll look at some well-known examples of custom software and explain when it should be used for maximum performance.
In today’s digitalized world, the use of software has become indispensable to making our daily operations more efficient and effective. Many organizations turn to standard software for this purpose. However, there are situations where standard software is not sufficient to meet the specific needs and requirements of an organization. In such cases, custom software is the solution. In this article, we will examine some well-known examples of custom software.
What is custom software?
Custom software is a type of software that is specifically developed for a particular organization and its needs. Unlike standard software, which is designed for a variety of applications and industries, custom software is tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the organization. The custom software can be developed by an internal IT team or can be implemented by an external service provider.
To reduce the risks during development, this can be done using agile methods such as Scrum. These methods allow stakeholders to be involved early and continuously in the development process. Through stakeholder feedback, adjustments can be made to avoid unwanted surprises at the end of the project.
What benefits can good custom software bring to your organization?
Well-developed custom software can bring many benefits to your organization. Here are some of the most important ones:
Better adaptability: Custom software can be tailored specifically to the requirements and needs of your organization. This makes it more flexible and able to quickly adapt to changes in your operational environment.
Increased efficiency: Custom software can automate and streamline the workflows and processes in your organization. This can lead them to become faster and more efficient.
Cost reduction: Well-designed custom software can help reduce the of using multiple applications and systems. It can also help reduce the need for manual interventions and labor.
Competitive advantage: Custom software tailored specifically to your needs can differentiate your business from others, giving you a competitive advantage.
Improved data security: Custom software can be developed with the specific security requirements of your organization in mind, making it more effective at protecting against cyber attacks and data theft.
Examples of standard software
We’ve all used Microsoft Office. This is typical off-the-shelf software developed by Microsoft and distributed to millions of customers. Not much customizing is possible here; IT implements a few guidelines and the user activates the icons in the UI whose functions they need most often. I bet my Microsoft Word doesn’t look much different than yours!
At the other end of the spectrum, we have a Waldorf product from SAP as another example. If you want to introduce an SAP ERP system, the effort required for customizing and configuration is so immense that you can plan a project lasting several months, even years, and with several consultants. Nevertheless, SAP is standard software and not an individual development, since nothing is changed in the program code itself.
Examples of individual software
One of our customer projects for Berner Transgourmet Holding AG is a very good example of individual software. A new checkout application was developed here to reduce the customer’s maintenance costs and increase their business agility. The old system was still based on COBOL and Unix and should be replaced by a modern application.
In this project we were responsible for the project analysis, the design of the software, including the definition of the architecture and the selection of the frameworks to be used, as well as the implementation itself. The choice fell on an application based on Eclipse RCP and Java EE, which on a JBoss application server is running.
The mobile applications of the Windows Mobile devices, which are used in warehouse management and in the stores, among other things, have been expanded and modernized. The project was realized and completed in a period of 19 months.
Another project for the same customer also offers a good look at the topic of individual development. Here it was our task to consolidate the ERP systems of two merged departments.
In the end, the existing Java EE ERP system, which was based on Eclipse RCP and ran on a JBoss application server, was expanded to include an integration platform using Wildfly AS, Apache Camel and Smooks. In this way, the interfaces between the company, its customers and its suppliers can be easily implemented and maintained.
The project, which was carried out completely agile according to Scrum, was successfully completed after 2 years. Two of his highlights were the fully integrated order entry and the online shop based on React and REST. Mobile applications for customers and drivers in logistics were also considered. These apps were implemented in Java for Android.
From these two projects you can see that individual developments include many factors that often cannot all be taken into account by standard software.
Some well-known examples of custom software
There are several examples of successful custom software applications that are used in different industries and companies. Here are some well-known examples:
Amazon: Amazon uses a variety of custom software applications to support its e-commerce operations. For example, Amazon has developed its own warehouse management software to efficiently manage its entire inventory.
BMW: BMW has developed its own custom software to optimize its production processes. The software allows for a more efficient design of production lines and better monitoring of material supply requirements.
Lufthansa: Lufthansa has developed custom software to optimize flight crew management and personnel planning. The software supports efficient planning and management of aircraft crews.
DHL: DHL has developed custom software to optimize its logistics processes. It helps the company and its customers efficiently track shipments and reduce delivery times.
Deutsche Bank: Deutsche Bank has developed its own custom software to manage its financial transactions. This software enables real-time processing of transactions and improves IT risk management.
These examples demonstrate how custom software can be successfully leveraged to optimize business processes and increase efficiency.
An Outlook on the Future of Custom Software in Switzerland
Switzerland has a flourishing IT industry, and custom software plays an important role in the country’s economy. The demand for customized software solutions is likely to continue to grow in the future, as organizations and companies look for increasingly specific solutions to further optimize their processes and differentiate themselves from the competition.
An important development in custom software in Switzerland is the increasing use of cloud computing technologies. Cloud computing allows organizations to access powerful software solutions without the high costs and effort associated with developing and maintaining individual software and hardware solutions. Organizations can also respond more quickly to new requirements, as cloud software solutions are flexible and can be quickly adapted to the changing needs of organizations.
Conclusion
In our constantly changing world, it is important for organizations to remain flexible and adaptable, in other words, agile. Well-developed custom software can help increase efficiency, reduce costs, and make your organization more competitive overall. It is therefore worth exploring whether custom software can benefit your organization.
As the custom software examples show, custom software can be very diverse, and above all, it can also be very scalable. This is not always the case with standard software.
The future of custom software in Switzerland generally looks very promising. The use of cloud computing technologies will further facilitate the development of custom software solutions and help organizations and businesses optimize their processes and remain competitive.
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