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If an off the shelf product just doesn't suit your requirements then we can help.
Not only can we develop the perfect software solution for you but with our wealth of online experience we can add an immense amount of value along the way.
We design and develop web-based applications from basic database management systems to business-critical, end-to-end workflow systems. Our focus is on usability, ensuring all our solutions are intuitive, user-friendly and effective.
Clients are involved at every stage of the process, from requirements capture through to system testing, which ensures we get software 'right first time'.
We follow a number of different "Agile" methodologies in our approach to delivering systems. One of the key elements of this is to have short delivery cycles (phases), and to ensure the client is involved throughout the life of the project. This enables us to react quickly to any bug fixes or changes and deliver a workable system in the shortest time-scales possible.
Clients are involved at every stage of the process, from requirements capture through to system testing, which ensures we get software 'right first time'.
In general we develop using Open Source LAMP technology which, for online applications, proves to be faster, cheaper and more flexible. This enables us to continue to deliver software solutions on-time and within budget. However we can can develop in any technology you prefer.
Totally Communications works very differently to many other Software Development Companies. We use a Software Development Methodology called ‘Agile’. In summary, Agile avoids a 'big bang' approach.
Normally, when software is developed, the client has to supply ALL the requirements they can think of to a Software Developer at the start of a project; the developer then disappears for a number of months and produces a system that ‘ticks all the boxes’ against the supplied requirements. Invariably this results in software that ‘kind of’ works, but really can’t be introduced into the business as it hasn’t considered any ‘real world’ operability, workflows and processes.
Agile breaks complex projects down into small manageable phases where each phase is worked on in its entirety and delivered back to clients; endless sets of written documents are avoided, that then need to be couched under a legal contract, which are then never read until lawyers get involved! As an alternative to this there will be face to face workshops to define project phases and specific requirements for each phase, and then short follow-up documents that include any assumptions and decisions that were discussed or agreed upon.
The process means that clients can physically see and ‘play with’ each phase of the project as it is being developed. As a consequence of this, changes and adaptations can be introduced during the process of software development usually without affecting timescales and costs of the project. We have found this methodology is the most effective way to deliver complex software on specification, on time and on budget.
At each stage of the project we hold a series of Workshops, starting off with an initial Project Definition Workshop where the key stakeholders within the client project team are invited to our offices to spend time with our design team, technical team, project manager and account manager to discuss in detail and agree on all primary elements of the software project, including design framework, navigation requirements, content types, high-level functionality, user interactivity requirements and user administration requirements.
A series of subsequent workshops will then be held to cover the detailed requirements capture along with the definition of the Information Architecture for the new website. We have the experience to ‘hand-hold’ clients through all stages of the project, offering recommendations and advice, particularly in the early stages of pre-development.
By holding regular workshops, ambiguity tends to be avoided, ensuring all parties have a clear understanding of what is required within the project. During the workshops, there will be a regular review of all recent activities, ensuring any deviation or misunderstanding of requirements is caught early and easily rectified. This additionally applies to changes of requirements; the process offers maximum flexibility to clients who can see their new proposition coming to life as it is developed and can inject changes often without affecting timescales or costs.