When you hire a software development company for developing your first custom software, you feel very excited to see how things will shape. You are curious to know how the software will bring transformation to your company and will fuel its growth.
You can never be sure if the software development company will deliver you the same software that you wanted, at the cost that was quoted, and in the time period that was estimated. And your concern is not invalid. In fact, it can be supported by verifiable figures. A recent report by The Standish Group says 31.1% of software projects are canceled before they get completed. Also, 52.7% of the projects cost 89% more than its original cost estimates.
These figures bring our attention towards the need for proper planning and research that should be carried out by the software development companies to avoid these overruns. There are many software development models which help the developing company to ensure that proper procedure is followed during the software development lifecycle. One of the most widely-accepted models is the Agile software development model.
Agile software development model has both iterative and incremental feature. It breaks the software development into small parts which are then provided the iterations. This model helps in the timely completion of the project. The backbone of the project is good communication between the cross-functional teams and the customer.
Following are the key benefits of conducting preliminary research and planning in software development:
1.Clarify the understandings
A preliminary design is made for the required software in which only the basic functions are kept. This gives an opportunity to ensure if the developer is on the same page as the customer. Queries are raised from both sides and are addressed continuously throughout this phase.
2.Prevent Mistakes
Once the communication is done and queries are solved, the scope of error is brought down to zero. This helps in preventing mistakes and saving the time and efforts of your development team. Most mistakes in software development happen because of lack of clarity or misunderstanding between the developer and the customer.
3.Identifies risk
Unless the whole planning is done properly on paper, the potential risks cannot be outlined. The process of research and planning includes the active involvement of all the professionals. This helps in identifying the risk before it occurs. And we all know, “Prevention is better than cure!”
4.Better cost and time estimates
Planning will involve calculation of how much work needs to be done. This is then divided into different teams and the time and cost of the project are estimated. This estimation is far accurate than the one that would have been made without following this method. This clears out an important friction point between the software development firm and the customer.
5.Failure analysis
The research carried out includes analyzing the success and failures of similar projects delivered in the past. There are many issues which cannot be solved with mere brainstorming. With this, the potential failure areas are identified and are addressed y introducing a better or a different design altogether.
6.Scaling requirement calculation
Premature scaling can be dangerous, especially for a startup. Similarly, under-scaling can also hinder the growth of your company. It is important to find the right scaling need by researching and calculating the available data of similar companies.
Implementation of this research and planning requires dedication and commitment from the top management of the developing company.
What does Software Feasibility Research include?
It takes 2 to 4 days in gathering the information from the client and understands their expectations from the software. A typical research should include the following:
- Review of the existing system
- Business Ecosystem mapping
- Interview with the end users
- User-oriented software development
- Enhancing better user engagement
- Collaborative research
- Researching similar software development projects
What does Software Design include?
The process of software development involves high-level designing. The software is divided into small parts called modules. This includes:
- Workflow sketches
- End-to-end wireframe – unstyled
- End-to-end mock-ups
These processes are done keeping in mind the available infrastructure, legacy software, software testing expertise, and operational aspects. Efforts are made to ensure the product developed will hold good for a long period and will be compatible with futuristic technologies. Once the planning and design are complete, it is followed by processes like Development, Testing, Deployment, Maintenance, and Bug fixing.
Note that, not all software development company does research and planning. This is because it involves utilizing their professional team in a task which will take some time to execute. These companies focus on finishing their software development work and not the quality of their work.
It is in your interest that you hire the developer which employs a systematic planning and research method. You can ask the company which model they use and make sure your money is secure. This might look a little expensive at first, but in a longer run, it can save you a lot.
About Us:
i-Verve is a leading software development company with over 9 Years of experience. We have designed and developed custom software applications for the SMBs companies that are delivering ROI as aspected. We have a team of software developers who have mastered their individual skill and expertise. You can contact us to make sure; a proper planning, research, and design are done by experts saving your precious time and cost.
