We'd like you to understand the steps involved in the development of your project.

Project development proceeds in phases much like the construction of a new home. Some projects are simpler, and are like adding a new kitchen. Other projects are more complex and are comparable to building a new home from the ground up. All projects start with a request from the client called a request for bid (RFB). An RFB is often initiated using this online form.

The more accurately and completely you communicate your requirements, the better we can assess and bid your project. A Request for Bid (RFB) is used by clients to communicate their requirements to us. If you do not already have written document, we have an online form you can use to begin to create your RFB. Using this form you will need to include either this website information or this software information.

Once we have received your RFB, we will create a preliminary bid for you including a ballpark estimate of costs. We bill for all of our work at our hourly rate, so these cost will be estimates. When we e-mail the preliminary bid to you, please read the entire preliminary bid and ask questions about everything you do not understand or cannot find. For projects without an RDD, anything not listed in the preliminary bid will not be in the final product.

If you are unsure what is needed, CPrompt can help. We can provide full consulting and engineering services to develop a custom solution that perfectly fits your needs. This approach eliminates the need for an RFB. We move directly to creating a Requirements and Design Document (RDD). We will analyze your business and your competitors. We will use this information to make recommendations and fashion a perfect solution for you. This approach does cost more than providing an RFB, but the result are excellent; often far better than if an RFB was provided.

Not all projects include a Requirements and Design Document (RDD). An RDD is the detailed blueprints for a project. The RDD includes a complete description of what will be constructed, how it will work, descriptions of services to be provided, consulting advice, future recommendations, a final estimate of cost, and an estimate of the amount of calendar time for construction. The RDD supersedes any preliminary bids or other estimates of cost.

For projects requiring an RDD, CPrompt will develop the RDD as the first task. An RDD can be very detailed and contain engineering diagrams, screen layouts, mockups, data flow diagrams, flow charts, hardware requirements, deployment plans, marketing plans, business plans, and more. Architectural engineering design work including structural analysis is often performed as part of the development of the RDD. If an RDD will be developed as part of your project, the cost for developing the RDD will be included in the initial proposal.

For projects which do not require an RDD, the preliminary bid and a "Simplified Requirements Document" (if present) will serve in place of an RDD.

If your project includes the development of an RDD, we will ask questions and request business material. We may also need business plans and information about your competitors. We may ask for documents describing your flow of information through your business. We will analyze what we learn and use it to design a solution and automation that meets your needs. This process is called structural analysis – you can think of it as business automation therapy! Structural analysis gives us insight into your business needs, so we can provide you with the best possible system. Again, the more accurate and complete the information you provide us, the better we can serve you.

We develop all our systems to mission-critical standards. To accomplish this goal we implement a detailed mission-critical QA plan for testing and debugging.

The process of testing and debugging is a normal part of all software development projects. For complex projects, the testing and debug cycle often continues at some level after the deployment of a project and should be factored in as a maintenance cost during the first 6 to 12 months of any complex project.

During the construction phase of a project, other than interim deliverables specified in the RDD, we do not show work in progress to clients. All review of appearance and functionality is performed during the engineering phase of a project before construction begins. If an RDD was developed for the project, we build the system to the specifications within the RDD. When construction is complete, the system will look and work as defined in the RDD. For projects where we do not have an RDD, the proposal plus any supporting documents define what is to be built.