The Agile Methodology is a system for managing projects by breaking them up into smaller phases, or 'sprints'. It involves constant collaboration with stakeholders and continuous improvement at every stage. This is particularly effective when trying to save resources and allocate time efficiently, as specialists are only required for specific sprints, as opposed to paying for their time throughout an entire project when they are needed for one part.
Find out more about how the Agile Methodology works in a development context here.
Tailored software made specifically to address the needs of a particular user. Bespoke software is designed with the user's needs in mind, as opposed to off the shelf software, which is designed to fit a general set of needs. The benefit of bespoke software is that you can integrate solutions that your competitors may not have, and create workflows that are adapted for your precise needs.
Find out more about bespoke software here.
A point of access for customers which collects their data, such as login information, and gives them access to specific services. These electronic gateways are typically accessible through a website, but can also be part of a mobile application. A client portal functions as a secure area where a user can enter their details and gain access to unique features, such as appointment bookings, file sharing, collaboration, and more.
Find out more about client portals here.
CRM software, or Customer Relationship Management software, is an application in which a business can track all touchpoints with its customers using data analysis and provide insights into their behaviour. For example, they compile data from a range of sources such as telephone numbers, email addresses, social media, and marketing materials to allow businesses to understand how to cater for that customer's needs.
Find out more about CRM software here.
Data mining is the process of analysing huge quantities of user data in databases and websites to discover repeated behaviours, patterns and relationships that can be used to target audiences in online marketing. This turns data without any context into useful information that is actionable, such as customer behaviour and future trends.
Find out more about business intelligence here.
An organised collection of data which is stored and accessed digitally. A database allows users to import, export, create and modify large quantities of information. The difference between a database and a spreadsheet is the way in which data is stored - databases can draw on data from multiple sources to assist data retrieval, sorting and filtering depending on the required information. A spreadsheet is an electronic graph sheet that houses data in cells, and typically has more formatting features than a database.
To find out about bespoke databases, click here.
Commercial transactions conducted over the internet through an online payment portal. Ecommerce (or e-commerce) can include any transaction online, such as purchasing products or purchasing services. This could be a physical or digital item, such as music downloads or household items. Ecommerce transactions can be completed through online retail, i.e. an internet shop, a digital marketplace, or an auction. By allowing customers to make their purchases online, businesses can greatly improve their potential audience size and offer a convenient means of payment.
Find out more about ecommerce on our bespoke business software page.
ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. It is business management software that allows an organisation to use a system of integrated applications to manage and consolidate a company's financial, supply chain, operations, reporting, manufacturing, and human resource activities into one system. An ERP system integrates a range of business functions into one system - for example, you may have a piece of accounting software that does not connect to your HR system, which means that a manual import is required whenever you need to transfer the data between systems. With ERP software, you are able to consolidate both to ensure that you can create a unified system.
Find out more about ERP systems, and how Point100 create bespoke software that integrates seamlessly with your business, here.
HTML is the standard language used to create web pages. It's the most basic building block used in website development. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It creates structured data by denoting where elements such as paragraphs, headings, links and lists should appear. HTML is a specialist language that can take time to learn, which is why many website platforms use a graphical user interface that renders the document rather than showing the code, so that authors don't need an in-depth knowledge of HTML.
Find out more about how developers might use HTML here.
Software which is designed for the mass market with generic features and functionality. Off the shelf software lacks the tailored features of bespoke software, but has wide appeal due to its catch-all design. It is also typically cheaper than bespoke options.
Find out more about the difference between bespoke and off the shelf software here.
Source code which is made freely available, and is therefore able to be modified and redistributed. Open source software, or OSS, allows programmers access to the source code with a licence to modify it to suit their requirements best. This means that they can add other elements to it, change existing elements, or rectify issues where elements aren't working how they should.
Find out more about who owns software here.
Also known as SaaS, this is a software licence and delivery model on a subscription basis. SaaS is accessed through the web, with a single infrastructure that supports all users at the same time while retaining their privacy and security. There is no requirement for hardware to be downloaded.
Find out more about SaaS here.
Obtaining a service from an external provider. Software outsourcing can be more cost-effective than working on a solution in house, instead passing it to a third party team that is highly professional and specialist in that particular discipline.
Find out more about software outsourcing here.
Test driven development is where developers write all of their tests before they write a single line of code. For example, if their code needs to produce a specific message, then they can write a test that creates those conditions which then can be checked to see if it will run, and that the message they are expecting does appear. The advantage of this is that you can clearly see the tests that will be run on the code, it can be peer reviewed, and you can more easily see that no section of the code is being missed. That way you can be sure that the end result is of the highest quality.
Find out more about TDD here.
The Cloud refers to servers that can be accessed over the Internet, and the software and databases that run on those servers. Some examples of cloud services for consumers include Google Drive, Apple iCloud, Netflix, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. Using the Cloud, users can access information on any device with an Internet connection, and can save files in a remote location rather than their device, saving storage space. In addition, the computing and storage is handled by external servers, meaning that users don't necessarily need to spend large amounts of money on processing power.
Find out more about Cloud computing here.
