Software applications are managing almost every critical aspect of a business. They are transforming the business models, streamlining significant processes, and improving the way value is delivered to the customers. Hence, custom software- one that compliments the business and adheres to its requirements is a must have.
For building a custom software, your business can either opt for an in-house team or a competent outsourcing partner. While both the options for custom software development have their set of cons and pros, the benefits of Outsourcing software development are overpowering.
However, outsourcing could be your best bet, only when you choose the right technology partner and know what to expect from them. Here is a step-by-step guide that will introduce you with the right process to get started with custom software development and get through it.
Step 1. Choosing the Right Technology Partner
A technology partner can do a lot for your business, other than offering technical help to build a software application. It can actually lead the way by understanding your business requirements or application idea and transform it into a viable product.
But, finding the right technology partner is a tough nut to crack. With custom software development services gaining so much traction, a number of mid-level ISVs can be found in every geographical zone, claiming to offer a complete custom software solution.
However, before you sign on the dotted line and outsource your software development project to a technology partner, make sure that you know what to expect from them. Here is what an ideal software development partner can do for you.
a. Understand your Business/ Software Idea through You
When you reach out to a technology company for custom software development, a Business Analyst is aligned to analyze the need/objective of your business. In this phase, it is important that your business reps share three aspects in detail:
b. Requirement Elicitation before Defining Roadmap
The next step is Requirements Elicitation, a practice of researching and discovering the requirements of a system (software+domain) from users, customers, and other stakeholders. The objective is to define software workflow and roadmap with:
Requirements Elicitation includes:
c. Roadmap Development [Framing the Business Idea]
Once the requirements are gathered and understood, the next step is structuring product roadmap. This includes:
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This entire cycle, where the business analysts discover the requirements & frame it into a comprehensive solution is defined into a Requirement Understanding Document (RUD).
Step 2: Choosing the Right Technology Stack
Keeping the product scalability & complexity in mind, future scope, cost, feature-set, third-party integrations, a technology stack for custom software development can be defined. Other aspects that can be considered while choosing a technology stack for the software can include:
Step 3: Analyzing Cost and Timelines for Product Engineering
On the basis of technology stack, feature-set, and future scope of the product, an estimate for cost and timeline for product development can be defined. In this step, your technology partner can also offer help in analyzing the cost and delivery timelines, various breakpoints to release a product increment, etc.
ALSO READ: How to Estimate the Cost of App Development?
For feasibility study of an idea and to mitigate the risks involved in bringing the entire product to the market in-a-go, we recommend our customers to start with Discover & Frame (D&F) workshop. D&F is an expert consultation program, wherein a business analyst outlines the entire scope, user flow, timeline and cost of developing a market fit product.
Step 4: Product Development and Deployment
Next is the phase where your product is developed, tested, and deployed for users. Herein, choosing the right project management methodology lay down the basis for a balanced, on-time delivery of the project and further releases.
Whether a mobile app, web application, or a desktop application, Agile methodology and its frameworks for project management are known to bring adaptability and visibility to development cycle, thereby reducing risks in the project, significantly.
Despite Agile being an iterative approach to development, it complements outsourcing. With latest tools available for communication, it is possible to make custom software development outsourcing work with Agile methodology. Here is a quick guide on how.
ALSO READ: How to make Software Outsourcing work with Agile Methodology?
Tips for Attaining an Effective Development Cycle:
Step 5: Maintenance, Competition, User Analysis
The process of building a software never ends with deployment. Once the product is available in the market for its target users, it requires a thorough analysis of how it works and is received by users.
Analyzing technical and functional gaps in software functionality is important. This is usually done with analytics tools. Along with application performance, analytics tools enable stakeholders to understand how the app is received by users so that further enhancements, in terms of UI/UX or features can be done.
AlSO READ: How In-App Analytics can help to Improve App Engagement and Performance?
Keeping a watch on competition and updating the software accordingly for improved user experience is crucial. Upgrading the software with technical advances, features, or new UI/UX can help to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
Planning to Outsource Custom Software Development?
Now that you know the importance of custom software and outsourcing for your business, its the time to get started with it. For more help or inquiries related to custom software development, set up a 30-minute free consultation with our technology experts.