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New software and technology can advance business in dynamic ways. Of course, if you have been involved in new technology adoption at one type of business or another, you may also have witnessed how new software and technology solutions can be colossal failures–expensive failures. Often, the problem with failed software isn’t that it doesn’t work; it’s that it doesn’t work for the people who are charged with using it. When consulting with a software development firm, it’s important to ensure that they have a human touch when creating new technology solutions for your organization.
Software developers are invariably “techie” people. Sometimes their preoccupation with creating an innovative piece of technology may leave out a compelling piece of the equation: the end user of that technology. It’s vital, therefore, to work with an IT firm that understands the importance of people-friendly software. If the technology solution fails on this human front, it’s likely to fail altogether. A firm that believes strongly in collaboration like Liemur with their clients is better poised to create software that not only addresses the needed process, but also includes consideration for the people who will use this software, their skill sets, and the type of training they might require.
Many businesses begin a software development project in an office. Someone might decide it’s time to upgrade to something new, to secure more innovative solutions that can improve efficiency and complement some aspect of the organization. It’s important, however, to define the need that the new software will address. It takes a software firm that is willing to integrate with your business to help you address this need with solutions that are an ideal fit for the task at hand and for the people involved in the business. Not only must your new software be people-friendly, your development firm must be a people-friendly organization that values the collaborative process.
When you collaborate with a development firm like Liemur, you will want to include some key staff in the development process. These employees can provide valuable input that you developer needs to design a product that will complement their work. Not including the end users is a red flag. When these people don’t have input, they are apt to develop a fear of the new system or software and may ultimately impede its successful adoption. To create a people-friendly piece of software, you need to include the people who have to work with it. As Tech Republic suggests, it’s important to define what “user-friendly” means to your staff. Your software development firm can learn a lot about your business needs by talking to the staff members they are designing for.
Technology is a remarkable tool, but it can be an expensive failure if it is not well designed for the people who must use it. Software that is difficult to navigate and extremely complex may ultimately not play well for many types of businesses. Talk to your design firm about their ability to design cutting-edge technology that is people friendly and ideally suited to your organization’s needs.