The technology-driven lifestyle we have today makes software and applications an essential part of our daily routines. It is almost impossible to imagine an activity that does not have software-related processes as a part of it.
When you probe a little deeper, the software development process requires proper structure with defined procedures and steps, making up the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle). In addition, developing a customised software solution refers to bespoke software development. Companies often partner with a bespoke software development company to make these customised solutions.
Essentially, the SDLC is an assembly of practices and rules that help in connecting non-technical and technical team members and other stakeholders while successfully transforming your bespoke software needs into a real-world business solution. It provides form and structure to the development team’s work, allowing them to work within deadlines and fulfil the project needs while staying under the given budget.
5 Stages to Develop Software Successfully:
Step 1: Research
For any project, regardless of its nature, research is one of the most critical steps. Any credible bespoke software development UK company uses 80% of its time purely for research and analysis.
When you start working on a project, begin by understanding its human element. Try to get the client’s motivations and expectations behind this project so that you can deliver the experience they wish to create. At the end of the day, success should complement the client’s perspective and expectations. Thus, it is important to have your foundation laid first.
Once you have established the expectation, analyse the technology needed to meet these requirements and define the solution that the business wishes to create.
Step 2: Ideation
After this step, the creative execution process begins. This stage is called the ideation stage. It is here that developers let their creative instincts run the show. These ideas may be groundbreaking and new, while others might be simpler proven solutions to mainstream problems. The development team works to analyse these ideas and use them as a combination to solve the client’s issues.
In this process, there will be several new problems and obstacles that the client had not expected. These unique needs could also become problems that need to be solved. Hence, there needs to be enough time to discover these new problem statements and the right mix of solutions.
A bunch of ideas might seem wholly useless and get discarded. But the best solutions are always part of this stage and can revolutionise the solution and its impact.
Step 3: Design
Once all the final ideas are selected, the design process begins at the front end. This process also follows a specific structure. First, a low-fidelity prototype is created. This is a rough concept at the early stage of the process that tests workflows and structures within the solution. When the different behaviours of the final prototype have been tested and analysed, it is time to create and test the interactive UX prototype.
Step 4: Development
Once you complete the design process, the development stage begins. In this stage, a back-end solution is created to support your existing design. The development process entails studying behaviours and data found in the designing process and creating a database model. Among other things, this means choosing the right server-side language.
Step 5: Iteration
When your final product is ready and deployed after client approval, this starts a cycle of iteration and testing. Iteration, as a process, is a part of all the steps mentioned above, but its most important role comes after the product is launched. This includes bug fixes, glitches and anything else needed to provide a seamless user experience for your end customer.
A bespoke software development company can easily modify or adjust the software development life cycle according to the requirements of your project, software or app development needs. This way, you can identify specific actions needed to achieve predefined goals. The SDLC can be defined as a foundational model that arranges a framework and equips your team to identify, design, deploy and manage a solution that meets project expectations and helps in structuring decision-making.