Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Who can use RSF services?
We serve Colorado State University faculty, researchers, labs, and research centers. Our services are available for any CSU-affiliated project in need of software development support.
What kinds of projects do you support?
We support a wide range of research-driven software projects. Whether you’re building a new tool from scratch or need support integrating with existing systems, we can tailor our services to fit your technical and research needs.
Our team specializes in:
- Website, Desktop Tool, and Mobile App design and development
- API Development – Creating tools that help different systems share data
- Data Visualization – Building visual dashboards to better illustrate your data in charts and graphs
- Cloud Hosting Solutions – Supporting the hosting of your software online securely and reliably
Getting Started
How do I start a project with the RSF?
Fill out our project inquiry form! We’ll schedule a short consultation with you to understand your needs and assess fit.
What is the process of project scoping?
Our project scoping process is designed to be collaborative, efficient, and aligned with your research and technical needs.
- Initial Consultation (15–30 minutes): We start with a short call to learn about your project goals, background, budget, and desired outcomes.
- Internal Assessment: Our team reviews the project to evaluate fit with our services, timeline, and current capacity.
- Collaborative Scoping Meeting: We schedule a follow-up meeting to refine the project scope, clarify deliverables, align the timeline with your goals and constraints, and establish a cost estimate tailored to the required effort.
- Ongoing Review (as needed): For larger or evolving projects, we may continue refining the scope to stay aligned as the work progresses.
This process helps us build a clear, shared understanding of your needs while creating a plan that supports both short- and long-term goals.
Do I need to know exactly what I want before reaching out?
No. While the more details you provide, the better we can assess your needs and recommend appropriate solutions, we’re also happy to help you explore options and develop software tailored to your budget and timeline.
How long do projects typically take?
Project timelines vary widely based on the scope, or size and complexity of the project, along with our team’s availability. We’ll work with you to develop a realistic timeline during the project scoping phase.
Below is an example of what a Simple Website Project Timeline could look like:
| Phase | Estimated Duration |
| Project Scoping and Budgeting | 2 weeks |
| Prototyping Website | 1 week |
| Feedback and Refining Website | 2–3 weeks |
| Launch Website to Platform | 2 days |
| Final Tweaks, Project Write-up, and Handoffs |
1 week |
| Total Project Timeline | 6-8 weeks |
Funding & Costs
How is RSF funded?
We are a soft-funded facility within CSU. We are funded through the projects we work on, rather than central university funding.
What is the cost of RSF services?
Costs vary based on project scope. We charge daily rates or project-based rates that reflect our developers’ technical expertise. After we meet, we will include an initial budget estimate for the different services requested.
Can RSF help with grant proposals?
Yes—we regularly assist with budgeting, timelines, and technical justifications as it pertains to software implementation.
Team & Process
Who will be working on my project?
Your project will be supported by a highly experienced team of software professionals. Each team member brings 7 to 30+ years of experience in software development, research, and academic collaboration.
Every project includes:
- A software project manager, who coordinates timelines, communication, and deliverables
- A technical lead or architect, who designs the overall structure and ensures best practices
- One or more developers, who write, test, and maintain the code throughout the project
We tailor each team to meet the needs of your project to ensure high-quality, reliable results that support your research goals.
Will I have regular contact with the team?
We take communication seriously at every stage of a project.
- At the start, we will meet regularly to define the project scope, clarify goals, and establish clear communication standards.
- During development, we will provide updates, demos, and check-ins on a consistent, agreed-upon schedule to ensure transparency and alignment.
- After the project, we will be available on a consultation basis to support future planning, troubleshooting, or additional development needs.
We’re committed to making communication clear, consistent, and responsive.
Do you follow security and accessibility standards?
Yes. We design software with both security and accessibility in mind. This includes:
- HECVAT (Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit) for software security
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) for accessible, inclusive design
- Compliance with laws like Colorado’s HB21-1110 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
By prioritizing security and accessibility from the start, we help ensure your research software is responsible, compliant, and future-ready.
How do you ensure software quality and reproducibility?
We follow industry best practices, including:
- Version control (tracking code changes)
- Code reviews (peer checks to ensure accuracy and clarity before making changes to the product)
- Automated testing (software tools that check whether things work as expected)
- Comprehensive documentation (guides that explain how the software works and how to use it)
These practices improve long-term reliability and support reproducible research results.
Technical Collaboration
Will I have access to the code?
Yes. We work under open and transparent terms to ensure you retain access to the codebase.
What technologies do you use?
We work with modern web, desktop, mobile, and data science technologies including but not limited to Python, R, JavaScript (React, Node), C#/.NET, and cloud platforms like Google Cloud and AWS.
Can you join an existing project?
Yes, we can work with or extend pre-existing systems, provided there’s enough documentation or support to onboard effectively.