Questions & Answers

Home

Our process of assessing, analyzing, designing, developing and supporting solutions ensures that you obtain the results you have come to us for. 

Assessment

The first step when you approach us, is to determine if you really need a software solution for your particular business problem or challenge.    Many businesses have been unscrupulously told that computers can fix every problem.  This is certainly not the case, and in keeping with our philosophy of integrity first, we will not build a solution which does not directly address your challenges.   In the past, we have encountered problems where a paper solution actually made more sense than a computer solution, and recommended that the client save himself the cost of a consultant.

Analysis

The second step in our process is the study of your business problem or challenge.   Because YOU are the expert in your business, we value and require your expertise in helping us understand your requirements.  We do not assume things about your business, but instead ask questions that are relevant to making the solution fit as well as possible into your business.  After all, every business, even in the same industry has it's differences.

Once we are agreed that the problem or challenge is sufficiently defined, and all areas of the business affected by it are taken into account, we can then move onto design.

Design

This third step is where the actual solution is designed, from the analysis we performed earlier.  Because solutions take many forms, including databases, web sites, etc., we will not go into detail here regarding the phases of design.

However, we methodically translate the requirements you give us into appropriate data structures, processes and data flows (from one person or system to another)

Development

This fourth step translates the design into computer software and related non-computer processes.  We will develop a prototype solution and test it along side your current business processes, to ensure no interruption to your business takes place.  This is critical, as in the past we have seen examples of "Going Cold" (Stopping the regular business process, and immediately starting the use of the solution) which usually leads to confusion, panic and a great deal of stress.   The prototyping of a system allows the users of it to test and "Fit" the final system into their business with a much smoother transition.

Support

After all development is completed, there is always the need for support.  In addition to developing user guides, online help, and other support tools for your solution, we will provide a support strategy which gives you the assistance required.

Call Us!

If you have questions regarding our solutions development or what we can do for you, contact us at (403) 274-2066 or e-mail us at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com

A further note about computer professionals worth understanding, is that unlike most every other profession, the computer industry is constantly in a state of change.  To offer the most efficient and valuable service, computer professionals must continuously upgrade their skills and knowledge, and this usually comes at a fairly high cost in time and money.

To understand the positive features of databases or data management systems, we've compiled a list:

• Data is stored in a consistent, efficient manner - Databases can enforce the way data is entered, so missing data or invalid entry of data is prohibited.   This is a critical feature for ensuring that  information obtained from the database is reliable.
• Data is structured - Unlike word processors or spreadsheets, databases permit us to organize data in a manner which is not only flexible, but independant of how that data is presented, meaning the input and reporting can be arranged and manipulated in a variety of ways, well into the future.
• Data is centralized - Unlike numerous documents or spreadsheets, a database offers a central repository for all aspects of data in a company.  A single database can contain sales, marketing, accounting, administrative and other data, all nicely linked together.  So in the future, when an executive wants to compare sales before and after a marketing campaign, they can view a report that is easily generated from within this single database. 
• Data is shareable - Numerous departments or individuals can use the database simultaneously.  While a person is inputing new inventory items, a sales clerk can be invoicing customers.
• Future expansion is easier - The problem many companies run into with non-data management tools is that the spreadsheet or documents which worked while they were a small company don't easily allow the employees to add new features.   Databases are designed to discretely separate the different entities in a business (ie. Invoices, Customers, Products) from each other, so that when a change to the data stored about customers is required, only the customer portion is affected.

There are many more positive benefits to using a database or data management system, and although we might seem to be dumping on word processors and spreadsheets, we only want to point out that they were intended for specific jobs.   Databases are not good word processors, and do not allow massively complex equations without more involved work.   Our point is that businesses rely heavily on data, and the most appropriate computer solution to managing that data is the database.

To discuss how we might be able to assist you in managing your particular data, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com 

Just like hiring the right person for the job, we generally buy the ideal computer solution for the task at hand, and most companies find that the new solutions they purchase don't communicate very well with the established ones.  An example of such a situation might be a company which has used an accounting software package for some time, and decides to purchase a property management software package.   An interface might be used in this case to post transactions to the accounting software when bills payments are entered into the property management software.  This type of interface saves re-keying information.

Other types of interfaces are possible, and they can:

• Synchronize two systems - by adjusting data in one system when it is changed in another.
• Produce Combined Results - such as retrieving accounting data and property data, and producing combined results.
• - Translation of data - such as converting one data format to another

To discuss how we might be able to assist you in interfacing your systems, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com 

• Do you want to sell directly over the internet, or simply advertise there?
• Does your company sell product(s) which are likely to be purchased over the internet?
• Do you have the resources to manage additional sales or queries generated from your internet presence?
• Do you wish to sell products or services on a local, national or international level?

Depending on the answers to these questions, and many more which must be asked, a business can define "How Much" internet presence is required.   The goal here, like all other services we offer, is to either save you money or make you money.   If a web presence can do either, their is very good reason to investigate this opportunity. 

If it is established that your business can benefit from a presence on the internet, then the next step is to analyze, design and implement the presence you want.  We provide:

• Page layout - design of web pages that are the content of your presence
• Database Design - Creation and management of databases which house the content in your web site.  Such designs permit you, the web site owner to manage your site's content through a web browser instead of re-creating standard HTML pages over and over again to update the site.  Databases can be used to store product inventories, technical documentation on your products, news, visitor feedback and any number of pieces of data--ALL are updateable and available instantly online.
• Graphic design - custom images to promote your business, and to give your presence a uniqueness
• E-commerce setup - ability to make credit card sales over the internet
• Promotion - making sure your business is found by potential customers via search engines and indexes

These capabilities mean that you get the maximum impact and value from the sales and marketing opportunities the internet provides.

To discuss how we might be able to assist you in assessing your business' internet opportunities, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com 

In making decisions of this nature, there are three possible solutions to every computing challenge:

• Off-the-shelf - the software is used in a diverse, generic sort of way, usually by all departments of a company.  Often requires the business to change to adapt to the software.
• Customized Off-the-shelf - the software is diverse and generic, but molded via programming or macros to perform custom tasks.   This is usually meant for areas where the business-specific situation isn't that different from the general task performed in all companies (ie. Accounting).  Usually only requires a small change in the business to adapt to the software.
• Custom Developed - the software is specific, being completely or mostly designed via programming to perform exactly as the situation requires.  This solution means that the software changes to adapt to the business.  Examples of this include rental management, and land management.

To discuss how we might be able to assess your business challenges and to pick the right solution, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com 

• Knowledge & Experience - Trained professionals understand the cycle of developing systems, including assessment, analysis, design, and development phases.  Non-trained persons understand the business they work in, and will almost always start by programming instead of assessing.  Knowledge and experience combined with a proper assessment will yield good results.
• Amateur Development Costs - A person who is well versed in the business, but not programming will consume weeks more time to develop a solution than would a trained computer professional.

Hard earned experience has taught us that going with a trained professional will ultimately save money, and result in future cost containment.

To discuss how we might be able to assess your business challenges, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com 

For example, we sat down with a client who suggested his group's workload was well beyond their capacity.  After looking into the work his group performed, we found a huge inefficiency.  Each person in his group would manually generate legal documents from information they had obtained.  Further, they quite often shared files, and many were missing on a regular basis, or illegible.   We assessed the needs of the group as a whole, analyzed these requirements, designed a model system, and finally completed a prototype. 

The solution we came up with permitted the client to store the file data in a common, shared database, and to automatically generate legal documents.  It required approximately $35,000 to develop, but the client saved $250,000 per year in additional salaries and time required to do it the manual way.  He later mentioned that their workload doubled a month after the solution's completion, without the need for hiring more staff.  These are the kind of results we LOVE to produce!!...  

To discuss how we can save or make you money by improving your business operations, please contact us at (403) 274-2066 or via e-mail at PrairieSummit@Gmecca.com