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About the
company
Ryland Technology has been developing custom software for businesses for nearly a quarter of a century. This section gives you some background information on the company and an insight into what it's like to work with us. You can also have a look at some case studies, illustrating the relationships we've built with some of our existing clients.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can help your business, please get in touch.
The Parliamentary Review
Combining political commentary from leading journalists with sector-specific insight from Secretaries of State, Ministers and MPs, The Parliamentary Review is an indispensable guide to industry best practice which demonstrates how sector leaders have responded to challenges in the political and economic environment.
Ryland's Managing Director, Patrick Heighes, was delighted to be asked to contribute and to give his thoughts on the inception of the company, how we have fared through the digital revolution, and the values and skills that will see us through any challenges ahead.
Our history
Ryland initially specialised in financial sofware, diversifying over the years to cover most market areas. You can see some examples of the clients we currently work with in the case studies.
Today, Ryland offers a wide range of services, including the development of web applications and mobile apps, bespoke software and databases, as well as providing outsourced programming, consultancy, and hosting services. We do all of our work in-house; we do not outsource any technical work to third parties. So you can rest assured your project will be managed efficiently and effectively by UK-based Ryland staff.
Our values
It's really important to us that every client is happy. By focussing on providing quality, value-for-money services, and prioritising the long-term relationship, we have built partnerships that stand the test of time.
Our staff are not just technically skilled, but they understand business too. One of the most important elements of software development - and one which is all too often done poorly in the wider industry - is understanding the client's needs. Getting this right is something on which Ryland prides itself. This, togegher with our flexibility and can-do attitude, means we are frequently viewed by clients as part of the team.
Our location
Our offices are in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, ideally located for access from London, the M4/M40 corridors, Oxford, Birmingham and beyond. High Wycombe is just 25 minutes on the train from London, a few minutes from junction 4 of the M40 and 20 minutes from junction 8/9 of the M4. And we're only half an hour from London Heathrow Airport.
We have clients all over the country and are happy to travel to your location, or to host meetings at our offices. If you'd like to meet us to discuss your requirements, please get in touch.
Working with us
At Ryland Technology we place great emphasis on building and maintaining good working relationships with our clients.
Every client is given a technical account manager, meaning you always have direct access to a senior developer who understands the details of your project. This account manager will provide project management, business analysis and technical guidance as the project proceeds. And all of our developers have experience in explaining technical concepts to both technical and non-technical clients.
Working in small, self-managing teams enables Ryland Technology to avoid the kind of big company bureaucracy that often bogs down projects and raises costs. You get the knowledge and experience of the whole team, not just one developer, with the option to draw on further resources within the company if required. We pride ourselves on providing the same level of availability, enthusiasm and commitment as our clients' in-house developers, and are frequently viewed as part of the team.
We have wide experience of being brought into projects at various stages, from initial design and specification, through the development process to testing and bug-fixing in the final stages. Ryland has a number of long-standing arrangements with partners (including several graphic design companies) who sub-contract technical aspects of projects to us due to our development expertise.
Regardless of the work required Ryland is happy to work on an agile, "time & materials" basis, or on the basis of fixed price quotations, depending on whether your priority is flexibility or certainty.
Our development process
Initial discussion
Whether you have a high-level idea or you've already drawn up a detailed functional specification, the first step is to talk through your requirements with an experienced Ryland project manager. We'll discuss the possible approaches and give you the benefit of our experience.
Planning and specification
Having heard your requirements, we'll write a document outlining our proposal, which will include the functionality of the system, the user experience, the technologies we use, and the hardware and infrastructure required. We'll also agree a development approach with you, from one of two options.
The first option is Fixed Price. This is suited to smaller and simpler projects, where the exact requirements are known in advance, or where it's important that you have certainty about costs and timescales from the start. A detailed specification will set out exactly what will be developed, and will be accompanied by a fixed price and timeline. Any changes to requirements at a later date will mean the specification will need to be re-written, and the fixed price and timescales amended.
The second option uses
Development
This is where we actually do the work. We'll start writing the code and producing your software, keeping in regular contact with you to ensure that you're happy with progress and your needs are being met. And in the unlikely event that there are any unforeseen challenges, we'll make you sure you're involved in addressing them from the outset.
Internal testing
Once development is complete, the software will be deployed to a Ryland Technology test environment and we'll undertake our own internal testing. We aim to find any bugs in the software and to check that it matches the specification agreed. Once we're happy that the software is ready for the client, we'll move to the next stage.
Client testing (UAT)
The test environment is now opened up to the client to begin User Acceptance Testing (UAT). This is a critical stage, as it's the first time that the client gets to play with the finished product. During this stage, you should thoroughly test the software, putting it through its paces and making sure everything is as expected. If you find any bugs, they'll be reported back to the developer for fixing, and we'll only sign off this stage once you're happy.
Hosting and deployment
If you have opted to host the software with Ryland Technology, once testing is complete we will move the software to its production server. If you're hosting it internally or with a third party you've chosen, then we'll work with you to deploy the software to that environment as set out in the project proposal.
Ongoing support
There are no obligatory ongoing fees to pay with software developed by Ryland Technology. However, many clients opt to enter into a support contract to ensure dedicated resource is available to provide technical support and make functional changes at short notice. All support costs will be discussed at the planning stage, so there will be no unpleasant surprises.