From the list of essential software below, operating systems are a special category, forming the bedrock upon which all other software operates. The development of an operating system is a very large undertaking, involving teams of hundreds, even thousands of developers and immense budgets. Billions of dollars are being invested by large companies and the open-source community to crearte and maintain these systems. Now, in a way, operating systems represent the largest variation of every software in terms of budgets, teams and planning.
Here are some well known software products:
→ operating systems
→ office suites
→ web browsers
→ antiviruses and security
However, complex software products, especially enterprise ones, serve a larger variety of purposes. Let's have a look at some of the most popular:
→ content management systems
→ customer relationship management
→ accounting and financial management
→ e-commerce platforms
→ data analytics and business intelligence
→ customer experience management
→ customer engagement and marketing automation
→ supply chain management
→ enterprise resource planning
→ document management
→ virtualization and cloud computing
→ sales and CRM automation
→ business process management
While some of these can be acquired 'off the shelves', companies need a highly customized version for specific needs.
For example, a custom web platform for a bank, addressing would-be customers through gamification and advice on investments, is a highly customized platform unavailable as a mass product. (eg. the BBVA Game, the Punch the Pig game of PNC Bank, and the Monopoly game of Ally Bank)
If you are a CIO or a CTO, you are well aware of this. If you plan to lead your company's next software project, be it a custom web platform or anything from the above list, let's have a chat.
