7 Steps Needed to Plan a Software Development Project

6 Steps Needed to Plan a Software Development Project.jpg

6 Steps Needed to Plan a Software Development Project.jpg

As a software developer, I know how important, and difficult, properly planning a software development project can be. However, when it comes to software development, if you fail to plan, you certainly plan to fail - or at least drag out the timing, drive up the cost, and frustrate the team for your project. Here are the essential steps to planning a software development project.

1. Define Your Goals

Defining the goals and scope of your project helps to indicate your ideal end point and clarifies your intentions for the project. Rather than starting with fuzzy ideas about what you want to do with your project, clearly defining and outlining your goals makes it easier to set up a realistic plan to achieve them.

>> Learn 6 Techniques to Improve Your Software Development Team 

2. Work Out What You Need

Once your goals are clearly defined, you can work out what you will need to reach those end points. Your requirements will include defining the other aspects that will make up your project - the team, equipment, time, skills, and budget required. All these requirements will change depending on the size of your project and your specific goals. It can often take experience and skill to accurately determine your needs, so consult with a project manager if you think you need some expert advice with this.

3. Plan CostsSoftware Developers.jpg

Budget can be a significant aspect of planning a software development project. Developing your list of requirements helps to determine a rough estimate of your costs, so you'll be better prepared for the investment in your project. To manage costs without sacrificing results, many companies are choosing nearshore software developers for their projects, to strike the right balance between budget and quality.

4. Create Timeline

Once you've outlined these basic elements of your software development plan, it’s time to draw up a timeline of the steps you will take throughout your project. By breaking down the tasks that need to be completed and looking at the resources such as budget and team, you can develop a rough estimate of the time it will take to complete your project. However, there is still a high level of uncertainty in software development projects. It's important to allow extra time to complete all your tasks, or have a project manager on board to ensure your project progresses at an adequate rate to meet deadlines.

5. Build a Team

Once you've got your timeline and other plans in place, it's time to recruit and build a team. This is no easy task, and it can take a long time to find the right developers for your project. One option is hiring a project manager or outsourcing recruitment to a software development company who will put the ideal team together for you, without you having to do the work of searching, interviewing, and hiring.

Related Content: What are the Benefits of Outsourcing My Software Development Team?

6. Progress and Quality

Once your project is set up and ready to go, the planning doesn't stop there. It's important to include quality testing and progress checks as a part of your plan. Quality testing is an essential aspect of software development and needs to be accounted for as a final step at the end of the project.

Planning a software development project is no easy task, but working with an experienced software development outsourcing company can make it easier. A company like Bydrec can provide a project manager, software development team, recruitment assistance, and quality testing to fast track your project and ensure its success.

>> Connect with Bydrec on LinkedIn to get more valuable content! 

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Topics: Software Development Tips and Tricks

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