Template vs. Custom Web Development (for Business)

We will keep this post short and to the point.

I have read many articles on both sides of the argument-(which ones better) Custom Web design vs. Template designs.

How custom design is much more expensive and takes longer to GO LIVE.

How Template designs run the risk of that design being out on the web on several different sites.

YES ALREADY- I agree there are advantages to both, cost wise, effectiveness, usability, managing the content!

BUT..

The real question remains.. What is right for Your Business!

We have made a strategic business decision that Custom design is the way to go!

You just have to position your "Global Web Development team" strategically -so as to leverage the power of Custom design, with the economics of the template.


How do we erase the time factor to going live?? PROCESS! SOLID PROCESS!

Summary of findings...

The real question with template design is that- there is no process by which to intelligently extract the information from the consumers head and apply code to it.

The #1 challenge in Web Development has always been - is the client clear on what he/she wants their global message to be?

THE OTHER FACTORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT DON'T MATTER!

The real differential is look at the process by which you will achieve a strong consumer message..

It's about the process by which the information is organically grown in the business owners mind- not the web format used!

John Plante
Kol-Web Development for Business

Off the shelf ERP for SME no longer the only option

In the age of Low cost - high quality development tools, ranging from open source to .Net and volume of Affordable offshore development talent- having to make a choice to purchase restrictive- high license and support fee ERP's is no longer a must!
These global resources now make it very affordable to develop your own WERP application (Web Enterprise Resource planning)

Most organizations don't realize the true toll - a full blown ERP application installation has on an organization and the true cost of integration when is all said and done.

This approach can be very dangerous to an organization in several ways;

1. The organization is now forced to change solid proven process to fit a canned application
2. Financial indigestion with upfront costs in company focus, application costs, integration costs and lost productivity to name a few.
3. The most dangerous and stealth ill affect is- focus change from a Business Development mind set -to one of internal application indigestion.
4. Huge learning curve for staff.

The real advantage to an organically grown Web-ERP is its implementation is built to fit not only the companies budget, but its ability to digest change into the organization at a rate that allows the organization to continue to Develop New Business and not disrupt its mind set- WHICH HAS TO REMAIN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTRIC!

The WERP approach as well really fine tunes existing processes to a fine point by removing subjectivity -so the organization actually gains in productivity while defining solid process into code.

John Plante

Business Development Manager

Kol-Web Incorporated.