Regardless of whether you hire in-house developers or hire a software studio that does contract work - I believe the key to success is giving the developer unfettered access to an experienced subject-matter expert who really understands what is needed.
No offense meant - but by my personal experience, executives like yourself are a bad choice for this - some experienced longtime employee that's deeply involved in day-to-day operations in the trenches, would be preferable, I think. Ideally somebody who went through process changes before - like was already working there before your current software had been introduced.
Don't get a developer who wants to start programming right away - you want somebody who asks for time to first really learn and understand the processes the software needs to cover - and who actually questions all the underlying approaches your current software takes - but does not just rule those out out of hand.
Then get that senior employee to mentor them and teach them the job - not the existing software. I would even advise have the developer DO the work for a while - under the supervision of that senior employee.
No offense meant - but by my personal experience, executives like yourself are a bad choice for this - some experienced longtime employee that's deeply involved in day-to-day operations in the trenches, would be preferable, I think. Ideally somebody who went through process changes before - like was already working there before your current software had been introduced.
Don't get a developer who wants to start programming right away - you want somebody who asks for time to first really learn and understand the processes the software needs to cover - and who actually questions all the underlying approaches your current software takes - but does not just rule those out out of hand.
Then get that senior employee to mentor them and teach them the job - not the existing software. I would even advise have the developer DO the work for a while - under the supervision of that senior employee.