Did you know that how you manage an offshore software project will be different from how you will handle any other project? Yes, it is.
Managing the process will have a great benefit to both the team and yourself. Best of all, it will save you as the owner great time, reduce reworks, and speed up time. Those are just a few benefits if you get this process very well.
If this is your second or third time getting involved in the software project, then you know that building the project is a tedious process that requires lots of attention. Not only will the team need to have the right resources, but they also have to avail of great time and energy to make this project a success.
In this article, we want to take a deep dive into software development and how you can manage the process effectively. Like any business task, we have ways we can speed things up so that you complete the project in record time.
Besides, when you know how to manage the process, you will have the edge over your competitors. Let's get started.
What is the Software Development Process?
The first thing we need to do is define what a software development process is and why it is essential? Then we take a deep dive into ways you can improve it.
The software development life cycles are the steps and initiatives that lead to the successful completion of a software project, with each face meeting its expected requirements and tasks performed.
Even if software teams may have their procedures and techniques, they have to follow standardized procedures and methods that will guide them in the development process.
We have offshore teams that stick to the Agile procedures while others stick to Scrum processes. If you have been in this industry long enough, you will notice they are lots of project management approaches you can rely on. Here are the things included in the software development process:
Project requirements – Here is the stage where the team, key stakeholders of the project sit down and define the primary purpose of the software. This is the stage where the principal owners of the project will have to discuss the ultimate goal of the software, the key features and functionality to prioritize, and limitations that may prevent the project from going forward.
Software design – In this stage, the team will work on the design and functionality of the software. Here the team will start creating the original features of the software.
Quality check and validation – This is the stage where the team checks on the progress and evaluates the software to find out if it conforms to the stated specifications. Quality assurance involves checking to see whether the key functionalities meet the client's standard.
Maintenance and scaling – When the software is released in the market, it will require the offshore team to keep up with regular maintenance and upgrades. Since the market is always changing, the team needs to improve the performance of the software consistently.
Speeding up the Software Development Process
Now that you know and understand how the process works, you need to know how to improve the software. The success of any outsourced project lies in how you will develop it so that there are few mistakes and reworks to be done.
One thing you need to understand is, you don't need to contribute everything in the process. You have a team, and the more discussion you have with the software team, the more you will speed up the process. That said, here are the few areas you need to pay attention:
Requirements – Your team's progress depends on the needs you have all agreed upon. Most of the problems occur when your requirements are not evident to the team. That's why when you start any software project, you need to define your vision and what it means to you and the people who will be using the software.
Every decision regarding the appearance and behavior of the software has to be agreed upon. Otherwise, there will be a delay and rework. This will further increase the amount of time needed to complete the software. Going back to the drawing board once again can frustrate your team because that means a waste of their resources.
Before any work begins, especially when the requirements are very unclear, you guys must do a significant brainstorming to find out the best ideas as much as possible. That way, they will be no going back once the project has begun.
Deadlines – You will need to have a reasonable timeline for your project. Since you will depend on your offshore team to do excellent work, they need to set realistic deadlines when they think they can complete the task. Rushing each process will compromise the quality of your final software. The team should work on their own pace without feeling like they are on a marathon sprint to meet your deadline. If that happens, they will burn out. Encourage your offshore provider to work at a slow but sure pace. During the meeting, check with them often to know where they are. It will also be vital if they can set for themselves the weekly milestone they need to achieve.
Resources – The team you are going to work with needs to have every tool and support. That way, they will speed up the software building process. Ensure they have everything before you commit to them.
Feedback – After every deliverable or meeting a particular milestone, you need to give the team thoughtful feedback. One reason why the software development process is slow is because of the lack of feedback or notification when errors or bugs exist. The worst thing is when the team receives this information very late, and there is a major change to be made. As a client, your ultimate goal is to ensure the team moves forward and not backward. The moment the team has achieved a particular milestone, it's your job to check with the team and give them a green check when things are going on well. That way, they will move in fast.
Meetings – Kick-start meetings are essential. They allow you and the team to communicate real-time problems and concerns that occur during the development process. The main goal of this meeting is to ensure everyone is on the same page. These meetings need to be there only when it is necessary.
If you need seasoned developers to work on your software project, you can contact us right away and learn more.