Tips to Choose the Right Software Development Process for Your Industry

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A company’s software inventory can make or break the viability of its organizational framework. Software infrastructure is fast-becoming the most valuable asset for many brands in various industries. The increasing importance of software in the enterprise ecosystem has given rise to an unprecedented windfall of choices in the various phases of web and app development.

Today there is a greater need to make incisive and insightful decisions concerning every fine detail of web and app development. These decisions encompass the choices of functionalities and features, the software development life cycle (SDLC) model selected, and the criteria for hiring software product development services.

Making the wrong choices in any of these aspects can lead to delayed deliveries, dissatisfied employees and customers, and can ultimately be a recipe for disaster.

In this article, we reveal tips that can help you make the most optimal decisions in the critical areas of web and app development.

The Most Popular Software Development Life Cycles

Let’s take an overview of the most widely used software development life cycles before we dish out tips on making the best choices in a software development process

The Waterfall Model

This is the oldest life cycle model. It’s a traditional technique that has proven itself to be a highly effective method on many occasions. The US Department of Defense was one of its high-ranking proponents, as published in the DoD’s Standard 2167A in 1998.

Waterfall refers to a development model with clearly defined sequential phases and phase objectives. It requires intermediate reviews of work in progress to ensure that the requirements for each phase are completely met before the next phase kicks in.

The Iterative Model

The iterative method approaches software development on an incremental basis. It starts with a partially completed system and then gradually integrates more features until it develops the complete system. With this approach, the iterative method allows for greater flexibility in the development process than the waterfall process, as it makes for easier integration of new functions and implementation of changes. In subsequent iterations, you can easily implement improvements to the previous iterations.

Agile

Agile draws from the iterative method to cater to the needs generated by the rapid progressions occurring in the wake of the internet. In this method, progress is accomplished in bits and stages like in the iteration model.
The main difference is that the progress occurs much more rapidly in Agile. Agile fast-tracks time-frames from months to weeks. It’s become widely popular because of this. It enhances collaborations and flexibility in the development process, and that helps custom web development services handle changes to standards and the peculiar needs of the development with greater versatility and effectiveness.
Here are some tips for choosing the best software development life cycle.

Determine the Level of Flexibility in the Requirements

You need to consider the flexibility of your specification before choosing an SDLC model. The Agile and Iterative methods are ideal for a web and app development in which changes are frequently introduced along the line. The waterfall is ideal for a classic web and app development where stability and predictability in the various phases of the development are preeminent.

Define Your End-Users Clearly

If you’re targeting a controlled group of end-users, you’ll most likely have a mostly fixed set of requirements to work with, and that would make the waterfall method ideal for your web and app development. But if your target end users are dispersed, you’ll most likely have to deal with wads of feedback after the app launch requesting the inclusion of new features, so the Agile or iteration methods would be the best SDLC models in this case.

Consider the Scale and Scope of the Development

The scale of a project determines the number of developers needed to handle it. The larger the project, the larger the size of the development team. Larger projects, therefore, require much more elaborate and orderly project management plans, and in such cases, the good old waterfall module is the best-suited.

Determine Whether a Sprint or Marathon Time-Frame is Best-Suited

For developments that unfold through sprints, the Agile and iterative methods are the best, as they facilitate the release of partially completed systems to generate an impression of rapid progression. But if the time-frame for the development is long-term and there are no fast-approaching deadlines, the waterfall method is a great choice.

Consider Your Developer Team’s Location

If your developer team is dispersed across the map, then there’ll be a greater need for coordination, coherence and accountability. In this case, a more rigid project management regimen is the best-suited, and this is the case where the waterfall shines the most. Agile requires much more frequent contact and closely-knit teams; a dispersed developer team might have to deal with lots of confusion and missteps in the development process if Agile is the chosen SDLC.

Tips for Hiring the Best Developers

The team of developer you hire can make or break the effectiveness of the SDLC model you’ve chosen for your development. These tips will help you choose the best custom web development services for your development:

1. Assess Their Track-Record: The best custom web development services for your project should have a proven track record of successful developments similar to yours. Read their customer reviews, and steer clear of companies that have many negative reviews.

2. Consider the Number of Developers on Their Team: Before choosing a development company, it’s important to find out if they can assign the right number of developers to your project as per your time-frame and budget.

3. Inquire About Their Development Methodologies and Project Management Processes: The development company you choose should be able to demonstrate proficiency in managing projects like yours.

4. Consider the Location: Outsourcing to a remote development company can make for cost-effectiveness in the development process. When choosing this option, be aware of time planning, so that you understand the staggered times that your developers are working at in comparison to you. Plan some cross over time so that you can have some live time with your team when needed.

5. Inquire About Their Test Cycles: You need to have a clear understanding of their testing methodologies and quality control measures.

Conclusion

It’s crucial to make the right decisions concerning your software development process right from the outset, as you might find it much more difficult to implement changes down the road. However, with these tips, you’ll be able to make the right decisions on the Custom web development services you hire, the choice of SDLC model, and other key aspects of your software development process. When you’re ready to get started, be sure to contact us, and we’ll work with you to make your project just right for your business.

Vishal Bhatia
Vishal Bhatia is an international pioneer and expert innovator in the field of outsourced web, software, and mobile application development. In the last decade as the CEO and Co-founder of Dedicated Developers, he has successfully partnered on development projects with over 320 technology companies from 12 different countries to bring their web and mobile application ideas to life. His passionate team at Dedicated Developers is revolutionizing the outsourcing industry by cost-effectively aligning technology strategies focused on fueling business growth.

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