Software comes in a variety of guises – application software, firmware, middleware, system software. Increasingly, however, it doesn’t necessarily present that way, especially as the boundaries between software, data and source code are becoming more and more blurred. And as software becomes more complex and more difficult to disentangle, so it becomes harder to manage and to value. But as it becomes more integral to every aspect of a business, so it is ever more important to keep on top of the technical, legal and commercial issues that arise, issues such as:
Lack of understanding of the software business case or its viability
Not realising the total cost of ownership
Not having the ability to measure the quality level of the software
Poor understanding the legal or compliance issues
Selection of the right technology to ensure future enhancements
Not knowing what are the intellectual property assets that should be protected and what are the associated risks
Ensuring that the user experience is competitive
Poor software security
To address these issues, organisations need a process for evaluating their current situation from all perspectives and for identifying the key actions they need to take to ensure holistic management of their software. This very practical programme will help set your organisation on the right path.
- The technical, legal and commercial risks associated with software development, procurement, use and commercial exploitation
- The most appropriate processes and responsibilities for managing those risks
Expert trainer
Donal is a software engineer by background and a specialist in the areas of innovation and intellectual property management. As a consultant, he helps organisations to recognise and appreciate the value of their intellectual capital, assets and property, and to ensure that they then manage these intangibles in an efficient and effective manner.
Session outline
Note: this is an indicative agenda, to be used as a starting point for a conversation between client and consultant, depending on the organisation’s specific situation and requirements.
1. Software business model
- What is the software business model?
- What options exist?
- Has the software business model been thoroughly reviewed to ensure its viability? This means fully understanding the market opportunity, the business environment and customer and end-user expectations.
2. Technology
- What are the technologies?
- How has the technology selection been validated considering the competitiveness, structure, and potential for future innovation?
3. UI and UX
- What is the UI and UX? How to best articulate this?
- Has the user interface and user experience been studied from both a subjective and objective view to give insight into customer behaviour?
4. Legal framework / commercial aspects
- Has the necessary legal framework or commercial aspects that may impact upon use or operation of the software been understood and risks identified and mitigated?
5. Software development
- What is the software development process?
- Are both the business management and development team’s processes resilient in order to improve the company's capability and the maturity of the software?
6. Software quality
- What is quality?
- What are the metrics around software quality? What is the maturity level, based around a qualitative and quantitative assessment?
7. Intellectual property associated
- What IP should be considered when it comes to software?
- Does the company understand both the intellectual property risks and potential opportunities associated with this software?
8. Security
- What does software security mean in this context?
- How is it being addressed?
9. A holistic approach
- Review of roles and responsibilities to ensure appropriate management and protection
