1. A logical outcome of systems development is the need for providing support to the end users of the system. As the number of developed applications increases, so will the need for support activities (and the amount of time demanded from the systems development team to provide training, bug fixes, and system maintenance).
2. Although there is no hard rule as to the percentage of a developer's time that support activities will consume, the time will need to be planned for and managed. Some world class software companies plan that developers will only be actively coding new systems 50 to 60% of the time, knowing that the remaining time will be consumed in meetings, training, and maintenance (including bug fixes).
3. Leading edge companies that are heavily involving the end users in the system definition and iterative development process are creating “power users” within functional groups inside the business. These special users can assist with testing and training and become the trusted subject matter experts within their groups. They can also help “spread the load” of support activities, while increasing overall company buy-in.

This is Part 9 of an 18-Part Series

Topics Covered in the Series Include:

• Clarification
• Industry
• Best Fit
• Workflow
• Time & Money

All relationships start with a simple conversation. Let’s schedule some time to talk about your specific challenges and opportunities.