What to Expect When Commissioning Custom B2B Software
Commissioning custom software for your business can feel like stepping into unknown territory. Unlike buying off-the-shelf products with clear specifications and instant delivery, custom development is a collaborative journey that unfolds over weeks or months. Understanding what this journey looks like will help you make better decisions, set realistic expectations, and ultimately get software that truly serves your business.
This guide walks you through the entire process, from your first conversation with a development partner to the day your software goes live and beyond. Whether you are considering your first custom build or want to improve on past experiences, knowing what to expect puts you in control.
Demystifying the Development Process
Custom software development is not magic, though it can sometimes feel that way. At its core, it is a structured process of translating business problems into technical solutions. The complexity comes from the fact that every business is unique, which means every solution requires careful thought and iteration.
The good news is that reputable development partners have refined processes that bring predictability to this inherently creative work. While no two projects are identical, the phases and milestones follow recognizable patterns. Understanding these patterns helps you participate effectively and recognize when things are on track.
Phase 1: Discovery and Requirements Gathering
Every successful project starts with deep understanding. During discovery, your development partner works to understand not just what you want built, but why you need it and how it fits into your broader business operations.
What Happens
Expect multiple conversations involving different stakeholders from your organization. A good development team will want to speak with the people who will actually use the software, not just the executives commissioning it. They will ask questions that might seem obvious, like how you currently handle certain processes or what happens when things go wrong.
You will likely produce or review documentation including workflow diagrams, user stories, and requirements specifications. Some teams use formal discovery workshops, while others prefer iterative interviews. Either approach works as long as the result is a shared understanding of the problem and proposed solution.
Timeline
Discovery typically takes two to four weeks for medium-complexity projects. Rushing this phase is one of the most common mistakes in software development. Problems identified during discovery cost a fraction of what they cost to fix during development.
Phase 2: Design and Architecture
With requirements understood, the team moves into designing the solution. This happens on two parallel tracks: user experience design and technical architecture.
User Experience Design
You will see wireframes and mockups showing how users will interact with the software. These might start as simple sketches and evolve into high-fidelity designs. Your feedback is crucial here because changes to design are much cheaper than changes to code.
Review these designs with your actual users in mind. Is the workflow intuitive? Does it match how your team actually works? Are there edge cases the design does not account for?
Technical Architecture
While you may not be deeply involved in technical decisions, a good partner will explain the major architectural choices and their implications. This includes technology stack selection, integration approaches with your existing systems, and decisions about hosting and infrastructure.
Ask questions about scalability, security, and vendor lock-in. You do not need to understand every technical detail, but you should understand the trade-offs being made.
Timeline
Design and architecture typically run two to six weeks, depending on complexity. Some overlap with discovery is normal, as designs often reveal new questions about requirements.
Phase 3: Development
This is where your software actually gets built. Modern development typically follows an agile approach with work organized into sprints, usually two-week cycles of focused development followed by review.
Sprint Rhythm
At the start of each sprint, the team commits to a set of features or improvements. At the end, they demonstrate what they have built. These demos are your opportunity to see progress, provide feedback, and course-correct if needed.
Expect the software to be rough in early demos. You might see features that work but look unfinished, or encounter placeholder content and simplified workflows. This is normal. Development is iterative, with each sprint building on the last.
Your Role During Development
Stay engaged. Attend demos, provide timely feedback, and be available to answer questions. Development teams frequently encounter situations where requirements are ambiguous or real-world complexity was not anticipated. Quick answers from you can prevent days of delay.
Also be prepared for requests to review work-in-progress. Many teams use staging environments where you can test features before they are considered complete. This hands-on testing catches issues that demos miss.
Timeline
Development duration varies enormously based on project scope. A focused minimum viable product might take two to three months. A comprehensive enterprise system might take six months to a year. Your partner should provide estimates based on the specific requirements, and those estimates should become more accurate as development progresses.
Phase 4: Testing and Quality Assurance
Testing happens throughout development, not just at the end. However, there is typically a dedicated testing phase before launch where the complete system undergoes thorough examination.
Types of Testing
Automated testing catches regressions and verifies that individual components work correctly. Manual testing explores user workflows and edge cases. Performance testing ensures the system handles expected load. Security testing identifies vulnerabilities before they become problems.
You will also participate in user acceptance testing, where your team verifies that the software meets your requirements and works for your actual use cases. Create realistic test scenarios based on your real data and real workflows. The goal is to find problems now, not after launch.
Timeline
Plan for two to four weeks of dedicated testing and bug fixing before launch. Complex systems or those with regulatory requirements may need more.
Phase 5: Deployment and Training
Launch day is exciting, but it requires careful preparation. Deployment involves moving the software from test environments to production, migrating data from old systems, and ensuring everything works correctly in its final home.
Deployment Approaches
Some teams prefer big-bang deployments where the new system replaces the old overnight. Others use gradual rollouts, starting with a small group of users and expanding over time. The right approach depends on your specific situation, including how critical the system is and how much disruption you can tolerate.
Training
Your team needs to know how to use the new software effectively. Good development partners include training as part of the project, whether through documentation, video tutorials, live training sessions, or some combination.
Consider who needs training and what level of depth they need. End users need to know their daily workflows. Administrators need to understand configuration and maintenance. Executives might just need an overview of capabilities and reporting.
Timeline
Deployment itself might take a day or a week depending on complexity. Training should start before go-live so users are prepared, and often continues afterward as people encounter real-world situations.
Phase 6: Maintenance and Iteration
Launch is a milestone, not an ending. Software requires ongoing maintenance and benefits from continuous improvement.
What Maintenance Includes
Security updates and patches keep your software protected. Bug fixes address issues that emerge with real-world use. Performance optimization ensures the system stays responsive as usage grows. Infrastructure maintenance keeps hosting environments healthy.
Iteration and Enhancement
Once your software is in use, you will discover opportunities for improvement. Features that seemed important might go unused. Workarounds might reveal missing functionality. New business needs will emerge.
Plan for ongoing development capacity, even if modest. The ability to iterate based on real usage is one of the greatest advantages of custom software over off-the-shelf alternatives.
Your Role as a Client
Successful software projects require active client participation. Here is what you need to provide:
Access to stakeholders. The development team needs to understand your business, which means talking to the people who live it every day.
Timely decisions. Development cannot pause while waiting for answers. Establish clear decision-making authority and response time expectations.
Honest feedback. If something does not look right, say so early. Polite silence helps no one.
Realistic test data. Sanitized versions of your real data help ensure the software works in real-world conditions.
Change management support. Your team may resist new software. Internal champions who understand and advocate for the new system are invaluable.
Timeline Expectations
Clients often underestimate how long good software takes to build. Here are realistic ranges for different project types:
- Simple internal tools: 2-4 months
- Customer-facing applications: 4-8 months
- Complex enterprise systems: 8-18 months
- Large-scale platforms: 12-24+ months
These timelines include all phases from discovery through deployment. Attempting to compress them significantly usually results in either cut corners or missed deadlines.
Red Flags in Development Partners
Watch for these warning signs when evaluating potential partners:
- Fixed bids without discovery. Anyone who quotes a firm price before understanding your requirements is either padding significantly or planning to cut corners.
- Promises of unrealistic timelines. If someone promises to build in half the time of other quotes, they are either misunderstanding the scope or planning to deliver half the quality.
- Reluctance to show previous work. Good developers are proud of their work and happy to share references.
- Poor communication during sales. If they are hard to reach when trying to win your business, imagine how they will be once they have it.
- No process explanation. Partners should be able to clearly explain how they work, not just what they build.
What Good Collaboration Looks Like
The best development relationships feel like partnerships, not vendor transactions. Signs you are working with the right team include:
- Proactive communication. They tell you about problems before you have to ask.
- Pushback when appropriate. They challenge requirements that seem misguided rather than blindly building whatever you ask for.
- Transparency about challenges. They explain difficulties honestly rather than hiding behind technical jargon.
- Flexibility with structure. They have processes but adapt them to your needs rather than forcing rigid adherence.
- Focus on outcomes. They care about whether the software solves your problem, not just whether it matches the specification.
Custom software development is a significant investment of time, money, and organizational attention. Understanding the process helps you maximize that investment. The right development partner will guide you through each phase, but your informed participation makes the difference between software that merely works and software that transforms your business.