If your organization is searching for a new system for candidate, certification or credentialing management, it may seem like custom software development is the only way to get all of the features and capabilities you need.
It is true that building your own software can allow your organization to create a totally customized solution that fits your certification requirements perfectly—but it also comes with a lot of time, troubleshooting, and expense. That is why custom development has traditionally been of interest to the largest boards, although organizations of all sizes are increasingly exploring this option.
Why is custom software development so difficult when it comes to certification and credentialing?
4 Reasons to Skip Custom Certification Software
1. Developers don’t truly understand certification
Managing your custom workflows across multiple certifications, each with its own set of requirements and rules, can get messy fast. And that’s before the constant changes due to evolving business needs. It can be difficult for someone outside the industry to ask the right questions and create smart solutions, no matter their previous experience.
2. Software development is not your core competency
You are an expert in certification and credentialing, but probably not software development. Managing a custom software project can be demanding for developers and clients alike, and you may not even know what you really need at the end. That can require more revisions and longer timelines for the end result, leaving your inefficient systems in place far longer.
3. The cost of software maintenance is high
You may make it through the development process with a custom software solution, but understand that the work is never really done. It is estimated that software owners need to spend between 10-20% of their initial project budget each year on functionality and security updates; server costs can also reach into the thousands per month, depending on the complexity of your platform.
Those figures also do not incorporate the cost of adding new features or capabilities as your certification programs grow – or fixing bugs that inevitably show up. That can increase the total cost of ownership for custom software well beyond what you initially thought.
4. Compliance and data security are on the line
Your organization is only as good as its data. Data security is an imperative for any organization working with sensitive personal data. Your software must be compliant with all the relevant industry standards to protect your users from cyber breaches and data theft. We have unfortunately seen examples of cyber criminals breaching and destroying custom solutions developed without the right safeguards.
ROC-P Offers an Easier Solution
As you can see, custom software development can be slow at best and downright disastrous at worst. While you may think the complexities of your (re)certification cycles demand a custom solution, what you really need is a powerful, ultra-configurable platform that can manage your organization’s candidates, certifications and credentials today and in the future as you grow.
For many organizations, ROC-P is that option.
ROC-P has been purpose-built for certification management. This is not an AMS or CRM dressed up with candidate and certification functions; it has been honed through the years, based on feedback from certification clients across a variety of industries. The result is a platform that offers extreme configuration capabilities, out of the box and without any custom development work needed.
Your team can build new applications and workflows, manage candidates, and run complex recertification cycles, all without having to involve developers or link up outside systems. And ROC-P doesn’t just configure to your requirements seamlessly; it also automates routine tasks ranging from payments to verifications to exam scheduling. The time saving opportunities are truly endless.
We are so confident in ROC-P’s ability to handle your organization’s unique cycle requirements without custom development that we have created the Certification Cycle Challenge to prove it. We are also constantly rolling out upgrades and improvements to our platform, at no cost to you.
Read more about our challenge and then reach out to discover how ROC-P can manage your candidates, certifications, and credentials more efficiently. It really is that simple.