Choose the path that best matches where you are today.
You may have an idea, a business problem, an aging application, or an opportunity to automate—but you still need help figuring out the right next step.
Our First-Step Services help you define the problem, evaluate options, reduce uncertainty, and make a smarter decision before committing to a larger development project.
You have a project in mind and want to understand how Tornado plans, develops, reviews, and delivers custom software.
See how our Iterative Co-Development Process uses short development cycles, frequent feedback, visible progress, and changing priorities to keep projects focused on the right business outcomes.
You don’t need to diagnose the project before talking with us. Tell us what you’re trying to accomplish, and we’ll help identify a sensible next step.
“Working with Tornado was a pleasure. Me and my organization have several other web or web tool development projects going on or just completed. This project has been the easiest by far. I highly recommend Tornado Technologies to anyone who is looking for a true partner for development. The project was on time and under budget, even though we had to figure out a few things while development was underway. They never hesitated to go above and beyond to help solve issues and brought ideas to the table that I hadn't thought about.”
A practical, collaborative approach built around the business problem and regular visibility into the work.
We first want to understand what you are trying to accomplish, who will use the software, how the business works today, and what a successful outcome looks like.
Software development should not feel like a black box. We provide regular updates, discuss issues and decisions openly, and give stakeholders frequent opportunities to see and review progress.
Many clients come to us with an idea, a problem, an aging application, or simply the feeling that there must be a better way. Part of our job is helping determine what makes sense—and what does not.
Seeing working software often reveals things that no specification could predict. Our process is designed to learn and adjust while there is still time to act.
Custom software often becomes an important business asset. We build with the expectation that software may need to be maintained, improved, integrated, and adapted as your business changes.
Most custom software projects fall into one of three ranges:
Foundation Apps: $5,000–$25,000
Impact Apps: $25,000–$75,000
Advanced Apps: $75,000–$150,000+
The right investment depends on the complexity of the application, the number of users, integrations, workflows, and business goals. Just as no two houses cost the same, no two software projects are identical.
We also tell prospective clients that custom software is not always the best choice. If an off-the-shelf solution already meets most of your needs, it may be the smarter investment.
Our goal is to help you determine which approach makes the most sense for your business.
In many cases, buying existing software is the right choice. If a product already meets most of your needs at a reasonable cost, we typically recommend starting there.
Custom software tends to make sense when your business relies on unique processes, employees are spending significant time on manual workarounds, or you need capabilities that existing software cannot provide. It can also be a good investment when software plays a direct role in creating a competitive advantage for your company.
A simple rule of thumb is this: If your problem is common, buy software. If your process is unique, custom software may be worth considering.
Our job is to help you evaluate both options and determine which approach provides the best long-term value for your business.
Most custom software projects fall into one of three timelines:
Foundation Apps: 2–8 weeks
Impact Apps: 2–6 months
Advanced Apps: 4–9 months or more
One thing many people don’t realize is that you often don’t have to wait until the entire application is finished to start receiving value. In many projects, portions of the system can be released and used while development continues, allowing your team to begin benefiting from the software much earlier.
The actual timeline depends on the complexity of the application, the number of users, integrations, workflows, and overall project scope.
The projects that move fastest typically have clear goals, consistent feedback from users, and a focused scope.
No. Many of our clients come to us knowing the business problem they want to solve, but not exactly what the software should look like or how it should work.
If you are still figuring things out, one of our First-Step Services may help you define the problem, evaluate options, establish priorities, or determine whether a larger software project makes sense. If you already have a well-defined project, we can move directly into the development process.
Your involvement is important, but it should not become another full-time job.
We typically need access to the people who understand the business process, can answer questions, review working software, and help make decisions when priorities or tradeoffs arise. Regular input from the right people helps us build software that actually works for the organization rather than simply matching an early specification.
You should expect regular interaction throughout the project.
For many projects, that means a short call or meeting every week or two to review progress, answer questions, and discuss upcoming priorities. On other projects, a regular email status update may make more sense. Some projects require communication several times during the week.
The exact cadence depends on the project, but we generally want some form of meaningful client interaction at least once a week.
That regular contact helps us surface questions quickly, keep priorities aligned, and avoid the situation where weeks go by before anyone realizes the project has drifted in the wrong direction.
Improving what you already have is often the better option.
Tornado works on existing applications as well as new ones. Depending on the condition of the software and your business needs, that may mean adding functionality, fixing problems, modernizing portions of the system, improving integrations, or gradually replacing components that have become difficult to maintain.
We would rather help you make the best use of a valuable existing system than recommend replacement simply because the software is older.
Launch is usually a milestone, not the end of the relationship.
Business needs change, users identify improvements, operating environments evolve, and new opportunities appear. Tornado can continue supporting, maintaining, and enhancing the software after the initial project is complete.
The level of ongoing involvement depends on what the application and your organization actually need.
Tell us what you’re trying to accomplish. We’ll help you determine the next sensible step.
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