Personal contact management software for Construction Industry

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Hey there! Are you interested in developing your own construction management software? Or maybe you have a unique idea to create a software for commercial construction services, solar energy installations, oil and gas infrastructure, telecommunication industry or even a property development. Well, stay with me because I'll share a step-by-step guide on how to do that in no time and save your money! My name is Dennis Babych, and I'm the director of a software development company. In this video, I'll share with you how to test your idea, outplay your competitors, hire the best team, and save your money during the process. All this knowledge comes from the expertise of my agency, successful startups, and top-world practices combined into one ultimate system. Let's dive in! Ok, creating a construction management software is an absolutely vital idea, and here's why. In any market there is a huge room for improvements and innovations. Of course, you have to know all the ins and outs of the specific market and then you can easily start this journey. But right now you have two ways of developing your construction platform. First, is do develop an app that will fully suits your business needs, so it would be fully tailored solution. Or another option, you can create a SaaS software solution that will not only serve you and your business, but also cater to another construction companies in the market who may wish to use your system and pay you the subscription fee. Alright, let's start by identifying the core components of your construction management software. Let’s say you want to build a software for a real estate development industry. Depending on your business goals it might include web or mobile apps for engineers, the web or mobile apps for clients, web portal for project management and super admin zone. Okay, when we are talking about mobile or web apps for engineers, it will include features such as user authentication, project dashboard, task management, chat, calendar, reports, payments and so on. The web or mobile app for clients will have features such as: user login, project dashboard, status, calendar, updates, notifications, chat, payments and so on. The web-based portal for managers will provide functionality such as project dashboard, project and resource management, document management, financial planning, report and analytics, chat, inventory management and so on. The web-based super admin zone will provide functionality such as user management, system settings and customization, projects oversight, data management, logs, security, financial management and more. Alright, when it comes to developing your software product, one of the most crucial aspects is your focus on creating a rock solid MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Look, we're talking about your startup here, and the best approach for you, in the early stages, is to create an MVP. It will help you build your software really quickly with implementation of basic functions and your killer feature. That's pretty much all you need at this point. This approach will allow you to move swiftly, save a significant amount of time and resources, and also, start testing your market effectively. Remember, a basic MVP that's developed quickly and already has users can easily attract funding from angel investors especially in the construction market. Your startup valuation cost can easily start from $5,000,000. That's why creating an MVP is so important. Now, let's talk about pricing! When it comes to identifying the price for your software, there are several things you have to keep in mind such as: quality assurance, bug fixing, project management, maintenance, and risks. Estimating the cost of developing unique features at this stage, can be quite challenging. But don't worry, I'm here to provide you with pricing for the basic MVP functionality. Here's a pro tip for you: if an investor contract requires an in-house development team, you'll need to allocate a budget based on US or EU rates. However, you always have the option to outsource your software development expenditures to Ukraine, which can be a significant game-changer when you are seeking value for money. Ukraine is an absolute hidden gem in the software development world. Many successful startups such as GitLab, Grammarly, and Jooble have already recognized a huge value of hiring Ukrainian developers to build a top-notch software. Ukrainian developers have excellent English skills, extensive experience in outsourcing development, strong math background, they have innovative thinking which help them always think outside of the box, on top of that they are hard workers. Ok, so, the most pressing question you might have right now is probably about which features to include in your MVP and how to prioritize them properly. And the answer is super simple. Follow the methodology that I'm about to share with you. This comprehensive methodology that I've developed after 10 years of experience will assist you in identifying essential features, make the pricing accurately, finding the best execution team, outplaying competitors, achieving product-market fit, and saving a significant amount of resources. Moreover, it will shed light on why the app price can range from $50,000 to $100,000. Buckle up! Let’s dive in! So, the first step is the business plan. And this is where the modified Lean Canvas comes into play. It's like a business plan on a napkin that uncovers all hidden aspects that you need to focus on. This business plan will take something about an hour to prepare. Next, the order of these boxes that you see on the screen and the process flow is crucial. It’s been created after experiencing with 1000+ Lean Canvas workshops with my clients. So, it starts with understanding your user groups and their main pain points. What are their struggles? What issues can your service address and make their lives easier? Next, explore your competitors and the solutions they offer. Identify their advantages, disadvantages, and their strategies that you can adapt. Your goal is to find the space where you can outshine your competitors by creating a unique solution for your specific niche without reinventing the wheel. Now, let's talk about your unique unfair advantage. This is the powerful factor that sets you apart from your rivals. It could be your strategic partnership, first mover advantage, personal brand advantage, AI utilisation and so on. Ok, once you've identified your unique edge, it's time to target your early adopters. These individuals will be the pioneers who will test your service and give you the most valuable feedback at the early stage. Discover where they spend their time online and create a cool marketing hook to engage them. Give them something truly unique and powerful. Broadcast your unique offer via social media, influencers, or the timeless power of word-of-mouth or even networking. Also, if you are interested in learning more about Lean Canvas and get insight from 1000+ workshops, I’ve created the full video about that. Link in the video description. Remember, don't just think about the present. Plan for the future and envision global growth and international expansion of your platform. Having a clear vision for your app's future in 5 or 10 years is crucial for attracting investors and achieving unicorn status. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section below. I'm always excited to help you out, and I'll personally review each comment. Also, don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe to stay updated and gain more business insights. Thanks! One of the most crucial steps in creating your startup is achieving a product-market fit. Believe me, it's a game-changer. So, how can you offer innovative and disruptive solutions that address the pains and gains of your target audience? Well, completing your Value Proposition table is the key to achieving that. Picture this you have an exciting idea for your own construction management software. Before starting the software development phase, it's important to identify pains and gains of your users. It could be something like: new system complexity, high level entry barrier, lack of integration with 3rd party services and dependence of data providers. Once you have identified all these issues, it's the perfect time to leverage your platform to tackle them. You can provide solutions such as: personal assistance support, modern UI design practices that will help users achieve their main goals faster, integration with popular services, database and variety of data providers. Look, when you prioritize the platform value for your audience on front and keep that at the core of everything you do, you're setting up your business for success. Remember, small companies and startups can easily outperform industry leaders by being agile, flexible, and focusing on unique problems and local niches. You don't have to compete with everyone in the market. Instead, concentrate on a specific audience and provide them with the best possible value. And always keep in mind that it's crucial to fall in love with your customers' problems and not just your solutions. Alright, if your goal is to create an app that can outperform your competitors and satisfy your clients, then it's crucial to do your homework and conduct proper competitor research. Look at the industry giants for inspiration. They've mastered the game, and you can learn from them by studying their user flows and proven methodologies. Remember, there's no need to reinvent the wheel completely. However, don't limit your research only to the big players! Expand your scope and explore startups in smaller niches and different countries. You never know what you might discover - there could be a hidden gem that gives you a competitive edge in the market. Trust me, this exploration could be the most beneficial factor in your startup's success. On top of that, you can learn which startup ideas was successful and which one fails. If you need assistance or support, feel free to reach out to me through any of the contact details listed in the description below. I'm here to help you, and I'd be delighted to share my niche knowledge that could significantly impact your startup's success. Let's outperform competitors together! Okay, once you've thoroughly researched your competitors, identified all your customers' problems, and generated a range of solutions, it's time to properly prioritize your software features. You'll need to decide what features you must, should, could, and won't develop. This methodology effectively creates a framework of key features requiring for swift development and proper prioritization, on top of that it helps you to pivot if needed with limited resources, also it helps you to identify your prime path and crystallize your project's fundamental goals. When it comes to creating an MVP for your app, it's important to keep your focus on what matters most to your users. And that's where a story map comes into play. With a well-crafted story map, you can break down the user requirements and map out the essential features that need to be developed and launched quickly. But hold on, there's more! To ensure maximum user engagement and satisfaction, it's important to develop separate story maps for each user type. Think of it as providing each user group with their own treasure map, guiding them directly to the features that are most important to them. By doing this, you can identify the specific needs of each group and prioritize the features ingly. This way, your MVP will meet their crucial needs and provide the best possible value at this stage. Thus, the real strength of a story map lies in its capacity to help you save funds on one side, while simultaneously enabling you to concentrate on providing the most value to your audience at the right stage on the other side. Marketing may sounds like a challenge, but in reality, when you understand your customers' problems and can create a powerful answer then it becomes a much simpler task. So, the first step is to create unique and compelling offers that motivate your users to try your platform at least once. Once your killer offers are ready, it's time to broadcast them. Use tools like SEO, Facebook ads, Google ads, YouTube, and review and rating platforms. You goal is to be presented everywhere and provide useful value for your audience through articles, video as much as possible with maximum attention to your unique offer. It might take some time to do the strategy and prepare all this things but hey, look, at the end of the day you will have a truly powerful foundation that you would be able to use and get more and more new clients leaving your rivals behind. Are you interested in delving deeper into the world of startups and businesses? Do you want to connect with business-minded founders and entrepreneurs where I share tons of insights and host live chats? If so, click the link in the video description and join me on my Telegram channel right now. Alright, let's talk about wireframing. Wireframes are the blueprint of your app business logic, where you create every possible user cases and scenarios. It helps you uncover all the hidden or unexpected user flows. For example, let's say you're in the process of creating your construction management software. You've covered the basic functions like user authentication, project dashboard, task management and calendar functionality. But what about situations where the organisation want to do the automated integration with 3rd party supply provider? Have you incorporated a feature to manage such scenarios? These are the types of issues where a wireframe will help you identify potential gaps. Look, once again, the wireframe serves as the foundation for your app's functionality and user experience, and it's crucial to make this foundation rock solid.Next, let's delve into the UI Design of your app. There are two key aspects to consider. Firstly, the UI design should cater to users of all age groups, so the UI should be modern but not too fancy. Secondly, and most crucially, your UI design should facilitate users in solving their problems with the fewest clicks possible. Remember the problem of complexity of these systems that I highlight at the beginning? Thus, your job here is to incorporate well known icons, design intuitive elements locations, and a simple colour scheme that will help your users swiftly and effectively navigating your app. Forget about branding, fancy logos, and other visual design nonsense. At the early stage this won't bring value neither to you nor to your customers. Center your design around your users' problems, minimizing clicks, accelerating user goal paths, and simple but modern design esthetics. Here's a helpful pro tip for you - to generate really cool UI design style and ideas, explore portfolios on websites like Behance or Dribbble. Search for CRM, EPR and project management apps, and incorporate design elements that catch your attention. And remember what Picasso said, "good artists copy, great artists steal." If you found value in these tips, please show your support by hitting that like button and subscribing to my channel. Your support will boost this video visibility in the YouTube algorithm and you don't miss any valuable business videos from me. Thank you! Now, let's delve into the tech stack. This is one of the most critical aspects when creating a construction management software. Therefore, choosing the right tech stack is vital to avoid challenges such as slow user interfaces, non-scalable and non-maintainable cloud infrastructure, high costs, payment and subscription issues, and the risk of your app going offline during traffic spikes. If you're planning to create a construction management software, it's essential to select the appropriate tech stack that enables rapid development of your minimum viable product. Flutter or React Native are excellent choices for swift mobile app development. For back-end development, Python, Django, Node.js, and Amazon Web Services are perfect options. React, Vue.js, and Angular are ideal for crafting web applications with ease. Additionally, leveraging third-party services like Stripe and Braintree for payment processing, Twilio for SMS, and SendGrid for emails can expedite your development timeline. Remember, it's crucial to choose the appropriate tech stack for each stage of your software development journey. Tools and services like MERN stack, GraphQL, Microservices, Docker, Kubernetes, MongoDB or PostgreSQL are also important but your goal is to start with a minimum viable product and make notes regarding your future feature set when you are designing your app architecture. Different tools you have to use at the different project stage. Some tools you can use both at the same time depending on your business goals. Anyway, the right tech stack is like receiving a correct diagnosis after a blood test. Alright, let's discuss the Agile process, one of the most powerful methodologies out there that can significantly speed up your development process. However, did you know that in some situations, it can actually slow down your project by up to 30%? Picture this: you have a team of 5 developers who understand their roles, communicate effectively, and have made significant progress in coding the product, they could use simple tools like Trello, Asana, Google Docs, and quick Zoom meetings. However, as your team expands to 15 or more people, you may face some challenges such as: losing your key developers, complex and time consuming onboarding processes, reduced team productivity, communication issues, missed deadlines, and a decline in code quality and architecture. To avoid these problems, it's important to: • Hire a tech lead to oversee the team and code architecture. • Find project manager with tech background • Implement SCRUM, Sprints, Backlog, and Retrospective processes. • Conduct daily standups to keep everyone updated on pending tasks. • Utilize advanced tools like Jira to manage tasks and track your team velocity. Choosing the right tools at the appropriate stage can accelerate your progress towards achieving your Minimum Viable Product. However, keep in mind that even the best tools can lead to failure without the necessary knowledge or expertise. Another pro tip for you: Agile methodology can be a valuable asset not only in your software development journey but also in your daily tasks, business, and marketing. It's really powerful tool. Collecting user analytics is a crucial practice in the tech industry, allowing you to uncover essential metrics like unique visitors, user behavior, and session frequency. Using powerful tools such as Google Analytics, Sessionstack, Firebase, and Mixpanel will enable you to gather valuable data. By consistently tracking your app's performance and analyzing your users feedback, you can pinpoint areas that require improvements to ensure your users' satisfaction. Alright, if you're thinking of creating a mobile app or a web app, but you're not quite sure where to start and you need some advice on how to start and outplay your competitors, feel free to shoot me a message via Calendly, and we can have a 30-minute call. Trust me; I'd be more than happy to share some insider knowledge and expertise with you, that could be a real game-changer for your startup. So, what are you waiting for? Let's make it happen! See you!