Software Product Development: The Definitive Guide

• Krunal Mendapara
• |
• 17 Oct, 2022

Want to know in detail about the steps and methodologies of software product development and help your organization reach the zenith of success? Read ahead!

Quick summary: An enterprise is heavily dependent on software for the smooth functioning of all its business operations. Hence, a sound knowledge of software development steps and methodologies is indispensable for an organization's growth and success. That said, an organization needs a professional software development team to achieve its goals. Continue reading on to learn more.

Introduction

Today, software products have become an indispensable part of our existence. It's hard to imagine a single day without using any kind of software.

However, developing a robust software product is no child's play. It is much more complex than one can imagine. Moreover, as easy as it may sound, more than 14% of software projects fail straight away due to a lack of strategic and efficient software development plans. Additionally, around 70% of all projects fail to deliver what customers had promised because of poor product development strategy.

This explains the need to follow a systematic process while developing a high-quality software product. Meticulously following the order of software product development improves the quality of the finished product and the entire software development process.

This article provides comprehensive and insightful guidance regarding the steps and methodologies of software development! So, let's dive into it!

What is Software Product development?

Software Product Development is the process of developing entirely new software or adding and altering some of the existing software features to meet the market demands. It is a systematic process that aims to create a programmed software product to commemorate a unique business or personal goal, objective, or strategy.

What are the steps of Software Product development?

An ideal software product development method consists of the following steps:

1. Product Ideation

The Software Product Development life cycle begins with a strategic plan. Organizations must research their product niche, competitors, intended audience, budget, and growth prospects at this stage. It saves them money and time, as they know exactly what product they want to develop.

2. Requirements Elicitation

Once the organization has decided what kind of app they want to build, it's time to communicate the idea to the software development team and share what they expect them to make. This process of explaining features to the development team is called software requirements elicitation. The development team then creates an app requirement document called a software requirements specification(SRS).

The SRS contains functional as well as non-functional requirements. The functional requirement specifies the software's functionality, whereas the non-functional requirement specifies the product description and other technical specifications. This phase is very crucial as it sets the direction of the entire software development process.

3. Product Design

Before building the application, a blueprint is made which defines the design and the way how the software will work. In this stage, the software development team provides an application architecture and a user experience design to the organization to visualize the end product.

The software architecture delineates its structure, parts, and how it will work. In contrast, the UX/UI design is made before the actual development process so that the end product is in sync with the organization's expectations and provides the desired results.

4. Development and Testing

At this stage, the actual software development process begins(both frontend and backend). Besides development, the Quality Assurance (QA) engineers also test the product to ensure it functions well. The standard tests performed are performance testing, functional testing, usability testing, and security testing. If any bugs are found, they are fixed at this stage, and the software is tested again if required. This phase is the most time-consuming and labor-intensive stage.

5. Deployment

Deployment can be considered the final stage of a software development life cycle. This is the phase when DevOps collect all the parts of code for deployment. Moreover, each piece is tested for its functionality using automatic and manual processes to cross-check the product's efficiency. The end product is then transferred to the end users/client.

6. Maintenance

Although deployment is regarded as the final stage of the software development life cycle, development does not end with the product going live in the market.

Usually, a minimum viable product (MVP) is developed and launched to collect user/client feedback. This feedback helps to analyze whether the MVP has any shortcomings and then make necessary changes or upgrade the MVP. Then the final version can be launched in the market or delivered to the client.

However, the product requires maintenance after deployment, which includes software upgradation and continuous bug fixation.

What are the various methodologies of Software Product development?

A wide variety of software product development methodologies are available in the market. Some of the widely popular software development methodologies are as follows:

1. Waterfall

The waterfall development method is sequential. In this model, the steps of the product development process flow downwards in a linear manner. Each stage of the development process needs to be fully completed before the next one is begun. For instance, the company cannot start with the coding phase until the application design stage is complete. This methodology is ideally suited for projects that have predictable outcomes and when your development team has inexperienced developers.

Pros

1. Clear documentation of the project reduces the chances of miscommunication.
2. The linearity of the waterfall model enables developers, particularly new developers, to understand it easily.
3. Since the project's full scope is understood beforehand, the progress of the software development process can be easily measured.

Cons

1. Since it doesn't consider the client feedback at the early stages of development, the chances of the project going off the trail are high.
2. Testing is executed almost at the end of the development process. This makes it highly problematic to fix complex issues.
3. More time might be consumed in detailed documentation rather than delivering solutions to meet user requirements.

2. Agile

Agile methodology differs from the traditional, linear model of software development. It involves breaking up a task into short sprints that can be completed within 1 to 4 weeks. It is an iterative model that includes multiple tests conducted while developing a product. The development team continuously takes in feedback from customers/clients and keeps on incorporating them. This methodology is best for projects with fast-changing requirements.

Pros

1. The end product has minor defects due to repeated efforts in testing and fine-tuning.
2. Changes required in a project can be easily implemented without any significant impact on the deadline.
3. This method ensures clarity among team members.

Cons

1. Team members might lose focus due to the overwhelming number of change requests.
2. Since documentation needs to be prioritized, it can be problematic later in development.
3. This method can be very time-consuming as it emphasizes feedback and discussions.

3. Scrum

Based on the Agile philosophy, the Scrum development methodology involves the product owner, the development team, and the Scrum Master.

The product owner takes orders from the client and ensures that the development team works per the client's requirements. Meanwhile, the Scrum Master plays the role of a facilitator and ensures that the development team members are acquainted with the Scrum process.

Under this methodology, the tasks are executed in short sprints, each of which takes 4 weeks to complete. Such speedy execution allows the development team to locate issues, introduce solutions to address those issues, test the product and gather feedback within a short period. It is ideal for a project with unclear requirements and must be flexible to adapt to frequent changes.

Pros

1. Scrum is cost-effective
2. Short iterations facilitate quick problem resolutions.
3. Regular and frequent meetings ensure that all team members are on the same page.

Cons

1. All team members need to be equally skillful for scrum methodology to succeed.
2. Time-to-market might increase in the absence of a strict deadline.
3. Not ideal for large projects.

4. Lean

The lean methodology aims at minimizing wastage and boosting productivity. With the help of guiding principles, developers bypass non-productive activities and deliver high-quality products.

It allows teams to keep an open mind while developing a product and consider all factors before deciding. This methodology prioritizes communication, which is indispensable for team collaboration. It is apt for small projects having budget constrictions.

Pros

1. Cuts down redundant codes, repetitive tasks, and unnecessary documentation.
2. With the help of lean principles, the overall development cost of software is reduced.
3. Short time-to-market, as lean development methodology promotes efficiency.

Cons

1. A team of highly-skilled developers is needed to succeed in lean development methods.
2. Since detailed documentation is required, it puts an enormous workload on the business analyst.
3. Less-skilled developers might find the method overwhelming and lose focus.

How can Sattrix Software help your company?

For any IT-based business organization, the most crucial aspect is having the right product development strategy, which starts with an idea and concludes with product deployment.

To ensure that organizations successfully get through all of these product development stages, they need the assistance of an experienced development partner who can comprehend their business requirements and plan the best strategy roadmap. A reliable and efficient Software development team can help organizations seamlessly develop their desired product and achieve phenomenal success.

Our company, Sattrix, understands the need for the right product development strategy. We collaborate with global enterprises and start-ups to transform innovative ideas into successful products.

But what makes us unique as software product developers? Here it is:

• We provide end-to-end product development services throughout the software development life cycle.
• We deliver complete specification lists, designed interfaces, and static mockups to businesses, considering their future scalability.
• Our company's global delivery model ensures speed-to-market with agile development methodologies and proven processes.

Our list of services does not end here. The advantages of using our services are:

• We assist organizations in identifying and creating innovations.
• Our product specialists assist organizations with Architectural Design, Prototyping, and Minimum Viable Product(MVP) development to help them launch their products into the market without spending unnecessary money and time.
• Our ultimate software products are fuelled by design strategy and driven by data and analytics.

So, if you want to hire a nearshore software company, contact Sattrix now!