Systems Architecture
When building anything its best to take a look and think through what you're going to make, how it will all join together, the best way to go about making it and choose the right tools for the job. When building a database of any kind this is known as “Systems Architecture”. Doing this allows us to get a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved and the best way to go about doing it, as well as the time and cost for the project so that there are no nasty surprises.
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' " Luke 14:28-30
The best it can be
"What is the full potential of this system?" A question which seems slightly odd at first but think about it. When you decided you wanted to start “top secret project thunder-slam” you had an idea of what you wanted it to achieve, a need that needed to be met and that's great. If we rushed straight into looking at how we can meet your need the potential could easily be overlooked.
This example might help. An agency approached us with the brief that they had a large volume of electronic documents which needed to be accessible, over the internet, but only to their members. Going straight it we could have met this need without issue, secure login and access restrictions galore! ...we didn't. In five minutes we'd established that the agency sold membership subscriptions to anyone who was interested. New plan: give the world a hint of the documents within the members' area so that Google and the world can find them. Anyone wanting full access to a document could subscribe and pay online to get instant access.
Result: new, international, 24/7 revenue stream.
We're not just code monkeys single-mindedly focussed on development, we're also commercially aware. When planning a system, we look at the advantages of a function and weigh it against the cost. If a system could save five minutes a week and had a large cost, then the Return on Investment would be negligible and so although we may mention it as an option, we're not going to recommend it unless there are other factors. Whereas when we have previously been able to develop systems which saved users 1-2 hours a Day x 12 users x working days a year, clients have not only seen a return on their investment within the 1st year and a saving in subsequent years. Furthermore the benefit of their staff being released for this extra time allows for more sales, better account handling and management with clearer information.
Call us now on 01904 430 909 to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs.
Forward thinking
Just as we look at the full potential of a system at the time it is being designed, we also try to look forward and imagine everything it could become. If a report may be needed in the future it can affect the way data is collected now. Some functionality which way be needed later needs a connecting point ready for it. At isotope if we know something may be needed later on we plan ahead so that things are available later on.
Things made clear
To most people databases aren't exciting, they're a trial to get through to realise a result. We understand that's how most people feel even though they excite us, so we try to make everything as uncomplicated as possible. Taking you through each step of the process and talking English not Geek. Our scoping process includes diagrams to show you the way and advanced request broken down into simple statements.