Problems of acquiring software without knowing it in detail

Many times in the impulse to digitize processes due to the strong rise of new technologies in business environments, we can come across serious problems in acquiring software just because we have not explored in depth the different market alternatives that perhaps were most suitable for the type of company we manage.

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Then, the chosen software may not meet our expectations and the implementation is more difficult and expensive than the previous processes. To avoid these incidents, it is necessary to anticipate by starting a conscious search knowing perfectly what type of technological solution we need to optimize processes.

But before going on a desperate search for the best software on the market, make sure that it is the best choice for your company since the best on the market is not always what you need. In this case, that statement does nothing but sell smoke and is not a true solution for you.

A good start to knowing which technological solution is right for you is to have formalized processes, because only then will you understand which part of your processes deserves digitization. In this article, we intend to identify the main problems of acquiring software, without knowing if it is the right solution or not to improve your processes.

1. Improper coding/implementation of business rules.

This is one of the most common sources of software problems: errors that occur between what is intended to be developed or implemented and what is delivered. These defects can be attributed to incorrect, missing, or vague system requirement specifications or misinterpretation of the requirements specifications.

If you're wondering "Which specifications? Which requirements?", incorrect coding or implementation of business rules is probably a common problem for your company.

2. Inadequate software performance.

Poor performance refers to slow system response times and transaction throughput rates. It is assumed that when a company hires software it is to improve processes through automation or digitization of them.

But if the efficiency of software in the tasks that are intended to be optimized is not previously evaluated, it will be more prudent not to contract it when in doubt, since later the results will be too inefficient to justify the costly investment.

3. Confusing or misleading data.

This means that the data displayed to users may be correct, but users may not fully understand how to interpret the data. This is not a problem that we should underestimate. Lives have been lost because someone did not take the correct action based on the data given to them by a computer system.

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4. Software difficult to use.

Many people have experienced firsthand the frustration of using software that is complicated, difficult to navigate, and requires multiple steps to perform simple tasks. This problem is related to a lack of understanding of how humans interact with computers and is also the result of a history of modifications that are not planned or coordinated to account for ease of use.

For example, adding numerous workarounds over a period on legacy systems can have the overall effect of complicating the original system design.

5. Outdated software.

Another of the most common problems of acquiring software that you can face is that software has stopped working due to changes in the hardware or the supporting software. In this case, the outdated software relies on features found in earlier versions of databases and operating systems.

Many vendors try to make new versions of supporting software backward compatible, but there are usually cases where a minor area of lack of base system support can cause a major system overhaul. The only other option is not to update the supporting software. This decision may be justified in the short term, but there is usually a point where the software must be replaced or modified.

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6. Difficult to maintain and understand.

When software is difficult to implement, the ability of programmers or developers to maintain the software is compromised. To this end, the maintainer must first analyze and understand the software and its most important requirements. Much of the tools used today were originally written in an unstructured way and then patched as needed over a long period.

This type of software structure results in what is known as "spaghetti code" because it is complex and unstructured. To add to the problem, when changes are made to this type of software, there is a higher risk of inadvertently creating new defects.

7. Inadequate support of business needs or objectives.

Refers to software that is inflexible in meeting business needs. For example, a system may be difficult to modify to meet an organization's needs, or it may lack features that allow users to customize business rules.

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In short, if the different alternatives that exist in the market are not known, the problems of acquiring software can multiply and further delay the tasks that were trying to be streamlined. For this reason, when choosing software, you must first have the processes formalized and know in advance what you need to digitize. Having that clear, it will be easier to find the right one so that its implementation can add value.