IT has become the centre point around which today’s businesses orbit. As a result, the need for well-developed quality end-to-end software systems that address all business processes has become vital. Whether constructing, enhancing, or simply maintaining a complex business system, it pays to assess application quality.

Sound database design that accurately supports the needs of your company, as well as the use of solid coding techniques and programming practices to develop high-quality systems, play an important role in software quality and performance that is easy to comprehend and maintain.

Well designed and developed applications offer many business benefits, including lower cost of maintenance, reduced business risk, and easy integration with other systems. Belay’s Application Assessment service helps organisations identify and eliminate system stability and performance, as well as risks surrounding maintenance to the business.

Belay Integration Services has many years of experience in performing application assessments for clients such as Simba, TDF and Cyberlab.

The main focus areas of an assessment and stabilisation process are:

•    Technology used: Was the right technology used for the specified application?

• Development language used (VB.net, C#, ASP .net etc.)
• Windows forms or web development
• Architecture design (distributed, centralised, n-tier etc.)
• Database (SQL, Oracle, etc.)

•    Coding standards and techniques:

• The readability of source code has a direct impact on how well a developer comprehends a software system.
• Code maintainability refers to how easily a software system can be changed to add new features, modify existing features, fix bugs, or improve performance.

•    Database design and integrity:

• Relational model: proper entity relation diagram with primary and foreign keys
• Efficient storage of data: In a database design that adheres to the rules of the relational model, each data item is stored only once, that is, in one location
• Data integrity. By setting field properties, by linking tables and by applying data integrity rules you can increase the reliability of your data.

•    User interface:

• Usability
• Standardisation
• Navigation

•    Error handling techniques:

• Knowing your exception
• Catching your exception
• Handling of exceptions
• Logging of exceptions

•    Documentation

• URS
• Training and operational manuals
• Help

•    Business requirement vs. system functionality.

• User requirement specification

•    Performance

• Security and accessibility
• Archiving
• Audit Trail