1. Start with the bottleneck, not the software category
Bosseo describes custom software as a way to build around a firm’s workflow rather than force the firm into an off-the-shelf process. Its public examples include client status portals, intake tools and internal dashboards. That makes the first decision operational: identify the repeated task that causes the most friction, then determine whether software is the appropriate answer. St. Cloud is a municipality recorded across Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties. That geographic relationship may matter when your staff organizes inquiries, matters or referrals by county, but the city’s population estimate does not establish legal demand, competition or revenue.
Recommended approach
Bring one concrete process to the consultation. Describe who performs it, what information they receive, where they re-enter it, what decision follows and what must happen when the normal path breaks. Ask Bosseo to distinguish a custom build from a configuration, policy change or existing product that may solve the problem more simply.
