In this article by K. Muzammil, he’ll go through 7 of the most common mistakes to avoid when undertaking software development projects.
Since the software industry has been booming for the past decade, it is now one of the most advanced industries of all time. The current software industry is valued at over six hundred billion US dollars.
However, all the other commercial industries in the business are extremely dependent on the software and IT industries for their growth.
Did you know that According to Statista in 2022 the revenue of the Software market is anticipated to reach US$608.70 billion?
As an industry develops with time, the software market strives to cater to the client’s specific requirements.
In an ever-changing market, the software industry grows exponentially. This growth at any point does not question the reliability of the industry or its quality of service.
With a constant demand for advanced features and developments, this market is always looking to improve and grow. Behind this pot of gold lies several complexities that need to be dealt with with the utmost dedication.
During the process of developing new software to aid the market’s requirements, several mistakes can go unnoticed. Here is the list of the 7 most common mistakes to help you save time and avoid trouble.
1. Starting The Software Development Project Without A Thorough Plan
Any software development project requires extensive planning and management from start to finish. This extensive planning helps in overseeing the project.
Importantly, planning also helps grow the overall productivity of the work as all software projects run a tight deadline. Planning essentially removes overhead costs and time and ensures on-time delivery of the service/product.
Planning helps in developing tiny details that enhance the usability of the software. In an unplanned situation, people can overlook these tiny details that boost the software’s approval ratings.
All planning with regard to the development needs to be adaptable for feedback and new inputs.
2. Inadequate Research
As mentioned above, most programming teams have a strict deadline that cannot be compromised.
In order to meet these deadlines, programming teams usually skim through the research phase and focus on meeting the programming requirements of the project.
Inadequate research leads to a poor understanding of the client’s requirements, and a poor understanding of the project requirement will inevitably end up in a sub-par product.
When investing high magnitudes of resources into a software development project, research is the last thing that should be discredited. The later bugs in the product can be avoided with efficient research and a good understanding of the client’s requirements
3. Poor Delegation of Work
In a software development project, the team needs to understand the distribution of work. It is harmful to a team that does not have a crystal-clear idea of the work delegation.
Mistakes involving the distribution of work are ones that a software development team can’t afford.
Proper delegation boosts progress and optimization in the project. Improper delegation can cause heavy losses in time and other intellectual resources, and it could also negatively impact the team’s future development phases.
‘Over-delegation’ of work could hamper team progress as the deadlines could become overly dependent on each other.
An efficient system that thrives on good communication and proper delegation of work will always make seamless products.
4. Skimming Code Review
Code review helps understand areas for development and enhancement of the project. A code review can lead to one of two things.
- The code is up to the mark and can be finalized.
- There are areas for improvement.
Skimming code review can aid in overlooking the underwhelming part of the code. The code review has to be detailed and specific to help provide feedback and develop a consistent product.
Pair programming will help optimize code reviews, and it can be monotonous and inefficient for the author of the code to review it.
A new set of eyes can help provide a different point of view to the code.
5. Ignoring Feedback
Feedback is the best way for a software development project to grow in quality. Regular updates and feedback from the client can save you time and energy.
Invaluable feedback could be coming back from the users, the testers, or the management as well. Ignoring this intel could lead to a sub-par product with a troublesome interface.
Respecting the feedback and evaluating the project will help optimize the outcome. Overlooking the feedback could cause a snowball effect that could jeopardize the quality of the entire project.
6. Skipping Testing of The Product
Testing is considered to be one of the most efficient ways of identifying issues with the development of the project. Software testing is a crucial step in software development.
Regular testing at major intervals can help identify bugs in the software before it’s too late. Testing gives you an apt understanding of the progress of the software project. It is the best way to avoid long-term irreversible harm.
Avoiding or skimming through the testing process hurts more than it helps. Improper testing is just an absurd waste of time and resources.
The bugs or issues that go unnoticed during compromised testing will inevitably come back to cost more in the future. Employing an efficient testing system will help in making the necessary fixes and changes at regular time frames.
7. Inability To Keep Up With Technological Advancements
In a fast-paced industry like the software one, it is essential to keep track of advancements in the industry. This helps in growing the knowledge base of the team.
Many of these advancements can prove to be very beneficial to the software projects in progress.
As the software market is flooded with programmers, hire a world-class software & web development company that is keeping up with the current technology and growing expertise in these advancements.
The inability to keep up with the current technology could affect the progress and shut down the whole product in no time due to fewer features and being outdated.
Conclusion
Keeping track of these common mistakes can help avoid them while working on a software development project.
The top mistakes often slow the progress of the project, and they can also prove to be very costly for the team and the client they’re developing for.
Since the world at present is quick to dismiss inconsistently developed products, these mistakes need to be avoided at all costs when working on major software development projects.
Use this article to evaluate your current/future projects and create seamless software for the world to use.
Article By Guest Author Muzammil K
Muzammil K is a passionate marketer and technology enthusiast who loves to share ideas and thoughts on technology and marketing. His 5+ experience enables him to deliver the right services to businesses across the globe.