Understand the technology to be used when making a proposal

I will repeat this many times, the most important rule in developing custom software solutions is:

Deliver the least expensive solution that does the job.

If you provide more technology than the customer needs, the customer will end up paying for more than they need. One of the primary ways of reducing cost when developing software solutions is by reusing previously developed code. But that, by definition, means using technologies that have been used before.

But that rule is a little overly simplistic. Technology changes over time. Computer software technologies change much faster than others. Moreover, the customer has reason to expect that what you deliver will not include Windows 3.11 as the operating system when that OS hasn’t been supported by Microsoft for more than a couple of decades.

Another factor can be found within your technical staff. Software developers like change. They would be very unhappy if they couldn’t learn new technologies as they work.

So how do you tell when to switch technologies?

The most important factor is the customer. Most customers are sophisticated enough to understand the advantages of new computer technologies as they become available. Especially if you are responding to an RFP, the customer may very well specify the technology that should be used.

For less sophisticated customers, the software vendor may have to explain the advantages of new technologies. All new technologies have built-in advantages; though developing something new in those technologies will often cost more than developing the solution in an older technology – particularly if a similar solution has already been developed in that older technology. The software vendor (i.e. the project manager) needs to be aware of the trade-offs and be able to explain them to the customer, if the customer does not already know what they are.