Besides desktop or terminal user interfaces, most software can also be used on tablets and smartphones. Smaller apps and programs are no longer developed by large software companies specialising in a single product. Service providers often take their ideas to a team of developers and commission them to design an app externally. Today’s software market offers a wide range of highly specialised programs – everything from museum audio guides to small shopping apps designed for a more enjoyable customer experience.
Is standard software an outdated concept?
By contrast, there are software companies who specialise in a handful of select products and work constantly towards optimising them. It’s quality over quantity for these companies and their consistent success speaks for itself. Whether their specialty is word processing or warehouse management software, the mainstay is the actual product. Unlike app developers who make their skills freely available, software manufacturers make their money based on the quality of the software. In other words, they have a vested interest in developing the best possible system. Customer satisfaction is the spill-over effect from a successful product, rather than tailoring the software to individual requirements.
So is this the difference between standard software and custom-built software? Are smartphone apps developed on-demand another form of individual software that may harbour hidden costs?
What is standard software?
Clearly the answer is no. In fact, the distinction between app developers and conventional software manufacturers cannot be seen in terms of standard versus individual software. The two different types of company are simply based on different business models. App developers who design programs tailored to specific customer needs may indeed produce individualised programs – that’s what they’re paid to do and they don’t earn any money from the sale of the product. But the core difference between standard software and individual software lies in how it’s used. And this is where modern app developers are virtually indistinguishable from conventional software companies. Both target a broad user base. Even a museum app that’s only used by visitors to a particular museum has multiple users with different end-device requirements. Consequently, all of the functions are prescribed by the software and not programmed separately for individual users. However, a personalised configuration is possible by making individual settings for predefined parameters. Depending on the complexity of the software, this is either done by the user or by a specialist. This is a core element of standard software.
App developers also make sure that their apps meet the same requirements as standard software solutions and can guarantee stability. Especially with a museum app, the idea of personalisation for the individual end-user device would be ridiculous. Museum visitors would be stunned if they were asked at the door for any individual wishes they wanted to be integrated into the app.
Standard software is modern software
The comparison between a warehouse management system and a simple museum app admittedly has its limitations. PROLAG®World is such a complex solution that it wouldn’t be feasible to buy it from the app store. Our software suite manages the critical warehouse logistics infrastructure – an application that requires an extremely high level of parameterisation. Investing in such a complex system is a carefully considered step for any customer, since issues with warehouse management can lead to incalculable costs and consequences. No company would be willing to place their trust in a no-name app developer with little or no proven experience in the sector.
What the comparison does show, however, is that standard software development is indispensable in a modern software landscape. Individualised software inevitably leads to high additional costs since updates must be specially adapted to the existing individualised system. Automated testing only works to a limited extent, compromising the stability of the software. The last few years have seen a rise in the trend towards standard software in the WMS market too, with the number of users continually growing. While 31% of the software sold in 2014 was partially individualised, this figure had decreased to 22% by 2018. Fully individualised programs disappeared from the market in 2020.
So whether it’s a smartphone app for the local museum or our warehouse management software PROLAG®World – standard software is a must when it comes to being equipped for current and future challenges. One thing’s certain: Modern software is standard software.
