Contents

Task 1- Application Software and Business Processes.........................................................2

Task 2- End-user Development.................................................................................................5

Page 1 of 7
Task 1- Application Software and Business Processes
a. The Marketing Manager of City Sounds needs information on updating the company’s
website. Identify eight business functions that need to work efficiently on the website.
 Customer order
 Payment process
 Delivery confirmation
 Cancellation of order
 Database management
 View catalogue
 Marketing
 Technical support
b. Discuss the differences between commercial/ off-the-shelf and bespoke software
 Cost
Commercial software is fairly cheaper as costs are spread across a wide array of
users whilst bespoke software is more expensive to develop, which needs solid
business for using it (Southward, 2015).

 Time
For commercial software, you start using right away whereas bespoke takes few
months to design, develop and test solution due to size and complexity of your
order (Piskorz, 2018).
 Compromise
Commercial software carters for a variety of users which ends up having many
functions that will never be used (Southward, 2015). Whilst bespoke software is
tailored precisely to meet the needs of the organization and fit with your way of
working.
 Updates/ Maintenance
For commercial software, you will need to pay for updates after an introductory
period as compared to bespoke as you get updates based on the budget and
requirements of the company (Southward, 2015).
 Level of complexity
Commercial software takes long time to learn and use it efficiently. There’s need
to alter the way you work to fit with the requirements of the software. As for
bespoke software, you perform more efficiently and users find it easy to learn
and use (Piskorz, 2018).
Page 2 of 7
  Size
Commercial software comes with too many features that slows down and
complicate the usage of the product. Bespoke software is light as they contain
features that simply your work (Southward, 2015).
 Flexibility
Due to agile approach of bespoke, product gains flexibility as there’s possibility to
change specifications over time whilst for commercial software if the solution no
longer supports your needs, there’s no way to adjust your requirements (Piskorz,
2018).
 Support
For commercial software, if some requirements are not met by the software, you
find yourself at the mercy of a large and unresponsive vendor. For bespoke
software it is easy to obtain support since you have direct contact with the
developer.
 Training costs
Commercial software has less training costs as it comes with training material
which every team member can get familiar with at their own time. For bespoke,
all employees must be trained by the company that has developed the software
(Piskorz, 2018).
c. Explain why it would be of advantageous for City Sounds to use project management
software to help them incorporate their proposed changes
 Collaborate on projects
Project management software offers communication tool that assist teams in
discussing issues in real time. Each member can keep up to date, dealing with
issues as they arise (Hooks, 2013).
 Internal and external communication
Project management software develops a funnel for communication concerning
tasks and projects both internally but also externally with clients and other
stakeholders (Kayser, 2018).
 Budget management
It enables project managers to determine the work budget so that work can be
aligned accordingly (Hooks, 2013).
 Monitoring
Dedicated project management software plays an important role in monitoring
the stages of the project and can provide insight into whether things will complete
on time or not (Brookins, 2018).

Page 3 of 7
 Documenting sharing
For projects that require use of documentation, a document sharing tool allows
individuals to edit, update the status of the reports and create systems that allow
for transparency and communication (Hooks, 2013).
 Optimized decision making
Project management software system assist in making the right decisions since
you have all the details in one designated place. Therefore, decision making is
enhanced and much more accurate (Kayser, 2018).
 Communicate with clients and suppliers
Companies using project management software offer their clients the ability to
log and view relevant project data, allowing clients to provide direct feedback,
make edits and review progress in the same place (Brookins, 2018).

Page 4 of 7
Task 2- End-user Development
a. Why might it be worth the cost to the company for the Marketing Manager to invest in
training in application software development for some staff in the marketing department?
 Training helps one’s business to run better (go2hr, 2017). This allows trained
employees to be better equipped so as to make better use of the application
software and proper troubleshooting.
 Training is a recruiting tool. Workers are geared towards seeking employment
that allows them to learn new skills which will attract and keep good employees if
you offer development opportunities
 Training promotes job satisfaction. The more engaged and involved they are
working for your success, the better your rewards.
 Training adds flexibility and efficiency. Cross-training employees to be capable in
more than one aspect of the business. This will foster team spirit, as employees
appreciate the challenges faced by co-workers (Hetsevich, 2017).
 Furthermore, training is also essential for knowledge transfer. It is very important
to share knowledge among the staff members. If only one person has special
skills, it becomes tough to recoup their knowledge if they suddenly leave the
company.
 Decreased turnover. By training employees and investing in their career
development, you make them feel valued by your organization. This leads to
longer employee tenures and less turnover since employee replacement is costly
(Hetsevich, 2017).
 Competitive advantage over other companies. Offering employee development
program as part of your perks and benefits is a good way to attract candidates to
your organization rather than your competitors
 Consistency. A structured training program ensures that employees have a
consistent experience and background knowledge. Employees are aware of the
expectations and procedures within the company (Frost, 2018).
b. What criteria would the Marketing Manager need to ensure that the staff in the marketing
department adhere to when developing features and functions of the application
software?
 Clear definition of purpose
 Simplicity of use
 Ruggedness (Difficult to misuse, kind of errors encountered)
 Delivered on time and when needed

Page 5 of 7
 Reliability
 Efficiency (fast enough for the purpose it was created)
 Minimum development cost
 Clear, accurate and precise user documentation
 Clear, accurate and precise technical documentation

Page 6 of 7
REFERENCES
Southward, I. (2015).Bespoke or Off the Shelf Software: A Comparison [Online]
https://www.arrkgroup.com/thought-leadership/bespoke-or-off-the-shelf-software-a-comparison/
[Accessed 26 January, 2018]
Piskorz, K (2018).Bespoke software vs. off-the-shelf software [Online]
https://www.headchannel.co.uk/blog/bespoke-software-vs-off-the-shelf-software/ [Accessed 26
January, 2018]
Kayser, D (2018).Benefits of using project management software [Online]
https://blog.forecast.it/blog/benefits-of-using-project-management-software/ [Accessed 27
January, 2018]
Hooks, J (2013).Project Management Software Advantages and Disadvantages [Online]
https://www.business2community.com/strategy/project-management-software-advantages-and-
disadvantages-0412921/ [Accessed, 27 January, 2018]
Brookins, M (2018).Benefits of Using Project Management Software [Online]
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-using-project-management-software-2196.html
[Accessed 26 January, 2018]
Frost, S (2018).The Importance of Training & Development in the Workplace [Online]
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-training-development-workplace-10321.html
[Accessed 27 January, 2018]
Hetsevich, I. (2017). Why It Is Critical to Invest in Employee Training and Development [Online]
https://www.recruiter.com/i/why-its-critical-to-invest-in-employee-training-and-development/
[Accessed 27 January, 2018]

Page 7 of 7