What to Expect When Commissioning Bespoke Software

For many business owners, commissioning custom software feels like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Unlike purchasing off-the-shelf tools where you can see exactly what you’re getting before you buy, bespoke software development involves building something that doesn’t exist yet. That uncertainty can make the process feel daunting.

Understanding what to expect at each stage removes much of that anxiety. While every project is different, the general shape of the journey remains consistent. Here’s what business owners should know before starting.

The Discovery Phase

Every reputable software development project begins with discovery. This is where the development team works to understand your business, your problems, and what you actually need the software to do.

Expect questions. Lots of them. A good development partner will want to know how your current processes work, where the friction points are, who will use the system, and what success looks like. They may ask to speak with staff who will interact with the software daily, not just decision-makers.

This phase sometimes feels slow, particularly if you arrived with a clear picture of what you wanted built. But rushing through discovery is one of the most common causes of project failure. Requirements that seem obvious often contain hidden complexity. Assumptions that go unchallenged early create expensive problems later.

The output from discovery is typically a specification document or proposal outlining what will be built, how long it will take, and what it will cost. Review this carefully. Ask questions about anything unclear. This document forms the foundation for everything that follows.

Pricing And Contracts

Bespoke software can be priced in several ways. Fixed-price contracts give you certainty about costs but require detailed specifications upfront. Time-and-materials arrangements offer more flexibility but less predictability. Some developers offer hybrid approaches.

Each model has trade-offs. Fixed pricing works well when requirements are clearly defined and unlikely to change. Time-and-materials suits projects where you want to adapt as you learn. Neither is inherently better; the right choice depends on your circumstances.

Expect to discuss payment schedules. Most developers will not ask for full payment upfront, but they will want staged payments tied to milestones. This protects both parties and keeps the project moving.

Read contracts thoroughly. Pay attention to who owns the intellectual property, what happens if either party wants to exit the agreement, and what ongoing support arrangements look like after delivery.

The Development Process

Modern software development rarely follows a straight line from start to finish. Most teams work in iterations, building functionality in chunks and demonstrating progress regularly.

You should expect to see working software relatively early, even if it only covers a small part of the final scope. These early builds let you provide feedback while changes are still easy to make. A feature that looked sensible on paper might feel wrong once you actually use it. Catching that early saves time and money.

Your involvement matters during this phase. Developers will have questions. They’ll need clarifications and decisions. Projects where the client disappears for weeks tend to drift off course. You don’t need to be available constantly, but you should be responsive.

Testing And Quality Assurance

Before software reaches you, the development team will test it. But their testing has limits. They can verify that the software works as specified, but they cannot fully replicate how your team will use it in practice.

Expect to participate in user acceptance testing. This means having your people actually use the software and report anything that doesn’t work as expected. Build time into your schedule for this. Rushing through testing to hit a deadline often means launching with problems that could have been caught.

Be specific when reporting issues. “It doesn’t work” gives developers little to act on. “When I click submit on the order form with a quantity over 100, the page freezes” tells them exactly where to look.

Launch And Handover

Deploying new software into a live business environment requires planning. Consider how you will migrate data from existing systems, how you will train staff, and whether you want to run old and new systems in parallel during a transition period.

Good development partners will support you through this phase, not simply hand over the code and walk away. Discuss what launch support looks like. Will developers be available to fix urgent issues in the first few days? Is there a warranty period covering defects?

Documentation matters too. You should receive materials explaining how the software works, how to perform common administrative tasks, and who to contact if problems arise.

Ongoing Maintenance

Software is never truly finished. Business needs evolve. Bugs occasionally surface. Security updates need applying. Third-party services that your software connects to will change their interfaces.

Discuss ongoing support arrangements before the project begins. Some businesses bring maintenance in-house once the initial build is complete. Others retain their development partner on a support contract. Either approach can work, but you need a plan.

Expect to budget for ongoing costs. A common guideline suggests around 15-20% of the initial development cost annually for maintenance and minor enhancements, though this varies widely depending on complexity.

The Relationship Matters

Commissioning bespoke software is not a simple transaction. It’s a collaboration that may span months and continue for years afterward. The working relationship with your development partner matters as much as their technical capabilities.

Look for clear communication, responsiveness, and a genuine interest in solving your problems rather than just building what you ask for. The best partners will push back when they think you’re heading in the wrong direction. That’s a feature, not a flaw.

Understanding what lies ahead makes the whole process more manageable. Custom software represents a significant investment, but for the right problems, it delivers value that off-the-shelf tools simply cannot match.