The software development process is a lengthy one. In any Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), there are certain things that you need to handle before you can start working on the main project. These things, although not part of the actual development phase, are still integral to your project.
Today, we’ll be discussing 7 of the most important things that need to be taken into account before starting the software development process.
#1 Purpose of the software you’re building
Applications and software are built to tackle problems. They provide their users with solutions to these problems, making life a lot less difficult for them. Each software is built to serve a purpose, and it’s this purpose that defines the software’s key functions and responsibilities.
For you to start working on the software, you need to get a clear and precise brief from your client regarding its purpose. You also need to inquire about the potential users of this software, the industry it’s going into, how long they intend to use it, and so on. The briefs will vary greatly from project to project. Just make sure you stick to what your client asks for, and avoid making any additions on your own (unless the client specifically allows you to do so).
#2 Features your product needs to have
The client will also provide you with a set of features that they’d want to see in the software. Your responsibility is to incorporate all those features in a user-friendly way, and ensure that they’re functioning flawlessly. Knowing what features the software needs can help you decide on a lot of the technical details including the codebase for your project, database type, security features, etc.
#3 Budget at your disposal
The client’s wish is your command, but that same wish will be meaningless if they’re not willing to spend accordingly. If the budget they have in mind doesn’t meet the amount you’ll be needing, you can always scale it down. Ask them to prioritize the features, and provide the ones that fit into the budget for your project. If the client insists, you can also suggest alternatives that are available at the budget they’re offering.
#4 Choosing your team members
Choosing the right people is necessary to get the right results. Without skilled personnel, you’ll not be able to deliver a quality product.
Usually, a software development team will consist of the project manager, developers, software architects, UI/UX engineers, analysts, and quality assurance personnel. Each team member will be tasked to handle a different part of the project and will be held accountable for their part alone. Hence, you need to have full confidence in their skills before you hand them a place in the team, and assign them their tasks.
#5 Outline the project MVP
The MVP – Minimum Viable Product – for your software will include sufficient features with which your client can run an early test with their users. This particular approach is necessary for getting feedback from the end-users. While setting the outline for the project MVP, you should ask your client what features and functions of the software should be prioritized.
#6 Securing the product
When the concept of DevSecOps was initially introduced, it took the software industry by storm. As an SDLC methodology, it shows great promise and appeals to a lot of developers. However, even if you’re not eager to secure every step of the development process, as in the case of DevSecOps, you should at least consider eliminating all the vulnerabilities from each step so that the final product can meet the required security standards.
Launching the product without preparing it for all possible forms of cybersecurity threats is a huge gamble, one that your clients won’t appreciate. Hence, keep testing and monitoring the final product for such vulnerabilities and security loopholes until you’re a hundred percent sure that it’s fully secured.
#7 Ensuring scalability
In the modern-day, it’s very important for software to have scalability. This is due to the fact that the product needs to last the user a very long time. Given the amount of money people spend to develop software, they want it to be usable for a very long time. And for that, the software needs to be scalable.
Your software should be able to handle an increasing amount of data and load. It should have the capability to process a high volume of information when needed. Don’t just build a product that can only be used for a limited number of users and can’t be scaled up or down as necessary.
