Requests for improvement

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Clients can make requests for new functionality. Genkgo can realize these requests in different ways. This document discusses how new functionality is added.

Expanding standard software

Standard software is software that is being used by multiple clients. When developing new functionality for standard software, it is important to bare in mind that the costs are likely to be high. Adjustments in applications must be tested extensively for the influence of new software on existing software. Additionally, not only the expansion of functionality, but things such as privacy, security, user-friendliness and documentation must also be taken into account. As a consequence, expansions take a lot of time, regardless of the complexity.

Genkgo also has to take other clients into account, who will possibly use the new functionality too. This means that a client requesting an expansion of standard software has limited feedback options. The client who made the request is not the only interested party. Genkgo reserves all rights to reject or develop the requested functionality at our own discretion. However, this also means that the fees are lower than those of expansion of custom software.

Expanding custom software

Custom software is software that was developed for and used by one specific client. Expanding custom software differs from expanding standard sofware in a number of ways.

The first difference is the maintainance. Clients want their custom software to grow with the rest of the sofware. This means that, when Genkgo updates the software, this always includes checking whether the custom software still works next to the new software. Genkgo will charge a periodical fee to pay for this maintainance. Usually, we choose to periodically charge a percentage of the investment costs.

Second, a client with custom software has more feedback options. As opposed to standard software, custom software has only one interested party, namely the client who requested it. Genkgo will charge the costs for the feedback possibility and the ours to discuss and implement the feedback.

Complexity

When expanding functionality, Genkgo must take the rest of the existing software into account. Functionality must work within and together with the complete ecosystem of the Genkgo system. If the expansion applies to multiple applications, the complexity will be much higher. Because the Genkgo system is already complex, the complexity increases with each extra option. The client must take into account that a seemingly small adjustment may have great consequences for the larger whole.

This is also the case if expansions have an effect on multiple environments, for example the administration and the website and/or app. When one or multiple external parties are involved in the expansion process, extra hours for meetings and communication must be taken into account. The price will be higher as the complexity increases.

Custom website design

The fact that Genkgo produces a website, with or without feedback options, doesn’t mean that the client can give feedback on the administrative software. The software is provided the way it is.

Delivery specifications

When expanding the software, it is important that the request is clear. Genkgo prefers to receive a document with the following specification for each expansion request:

  1. To which application does the expansion apply?
  2. To which environments does the expansion apply? Only the administrative environment, or the website and/or app as well?
  3. Specify the information you wish to be able to enter. Does it involve sensitive information?
  4. Specify the way in which the information should be displayed in the different environments.
  5. Specify the actions that must be taken by the system upon entering the information.
  6. Specify to what extent you wish to be able to take the information out of the system.
  7. How can we make sure that the functionality will be user-friendly?

Price

Prices for expanding the software are per 4-hour session. Genkgo calculates how many sessions will be needed beforehand. If it is unclear how many hours of work the expansion is going to take, for example if there is a dependency on a third party, working with a spectrum of hours might be a better option. Depending on the kind of custom software, a periodical fee for maintenance may be charged.

Hours that are spent on determining the price will be charged as well. If the client agrees to the price, these hours will be settled with the agreed on hours for the software.