We all understand well that custom software development brings many tangible benefits to a business. For example, it reduces cost, increases efficiency, and enables the organization to gain a competitive advantage and market itself faster. However, few companies understand that they can only achieve these goals if they have a good professional team to assist them in planning and executing their software development projects. The following information describes the major problems associated with custom software development.

Poorly Documented Software Requirements 

Gathering all software requirements helps the professional software development team establish a solid foundation for the organization’s software project. Unclear, inadequate, or constantly-changing requirements weaken this foundation and the entire project. They also lead to an inaccurate or unrealistic estimation of the project’s cost and the amount of time required to complete it.

A business is also less likely to achieve the desired software development results if its software needs are constantly changing. For instance, today, you may ask for a specific software feature and something entirely different tomorrow. Such frequent changes increase the software development project’s time and cost because the scope and development will also change.

The perfect solution to this challenge is clearly defining and documenting your software needs and requirements before the development project starts. Be sure of all the features and functionalities that you want and discuss them with the custom software development team.

Doing extensive market research to know the trending software features will prevent the scope from changing constantly. Additionally, breaking your project into different phases will help you set clear expectations and have realistic estimates.

Broken Communication Within a Team

Clear and effective communication between the business stakeholders and the software development company contributes significantly to the achievement of a successful software development project. Ensure that you participate in the process by interacting with the developers and asking them questions when necessary. This will help you monitor the progress of the project. You will also be able to determine whether it is going in the right direction or not and whether they are adding the required features. The communication between the two parties can be in the form of conference calls, emails, or face-to-face meetings. Broken communication slows down the lean software development project, makes it irrelevant, and leads to the delivery of a final product that does not meet the client’s expectations. It also causes missed deadlines and increased expenses. The most common causes of miscommunication are the language barriers and failure to provide regular updates. The solution to poor communication in the project is to always interact with the project manager directly. He or she guides the team, delegates duties, distributes resources and monitors the progress. Therefore, the manager knows every detail of the project. You should always contact him when you have any questions or concerns. Additionally, organize regular physical meetings to get updates on the progress. If you are dealing with an international company, various technologies, such as video calling, can help you break the time-zone barriers and create a local office environment for easier communication. Hiring software developers who are fluent in English can prevent the language barrier.

Unexpected Costs

Sometimes, software developers quote a comparatively lower rate for a project. However, you end up incurring a higher cost in the final bill than the initially quoted price. This challenge happens because of hidden costs in lean software development. This happens because the developers fail to include some costs in the stated price. In other cases, you might have to spend more money when the company purchases poorly-designed products or writes the code terribly. A security breach can also cause you to incur additional expenses in the course of the project and lead to hidden costs. These problems occur more often when you work with a software development company that is not devoted to your project. To avoid hidden costs, request the software developers to prepare a Business Requirement Document before the project. This document must outline all the features and functionality of your software. It should also outline the current security practices and explain how the developers plan to ensure your software’s security. Prioritizing your software’s security is an effective way of preventing the hidden costs associated with security breaches. The software vendor should use the business requirement document to estimate the cost and time that the project requires. A detailed BRD makes it easier for the firm to meet the deadlines and also track the expenses.

A Leak of Proprietary Information

Lack of information confidentiality is another issue affecting many custom software development projects. Most businesses research and select a few software development firms that match their requirements. This process makes it easier to find a good and reputable software developer. During the shortlisting process, you have to discuss your business idea with potential companies. This task is not only devastating but also risky because you are sharing vital information with people you do not trust. It is normal to be worried that the company might expose your trade secrets or steal your idea and share it with your competitors. The most effective way to prevent software development companies from leaking their proprietary information is to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This document acts as a legal contract between the business owner and the software vendor. It summarizes the information that the vendor can share and the information that he or she should keep confidential. The document will give you the confidence to share your business information without fearing that the vendor can steal or expose it. A company that breaches the NDA or fails to comply with the regulations outlined in the document faces severe legal consequences.

The MVP or Even Final Product is Too Buggy 

Business owners should know that no software is perfect and that bugs and glitches are unavoidable components of every software. Software developers are responsible for reducing the occurrence of these bugs in the minimum viable product or final product. It is the goal of every organization to achieve high-quality applications that satisfy the customers. Software with too many bugs is flawed and can inconvenience your business in different ways. For example, it would force you to launch at a later date because the developers will require more time to reduce the number of bugs and faults. Moreover, the software would offer an awful user experience, especially if the developers discover the issues after the launch. User dissatisfaction can negatively affect the reputation of your business. It can also deteriorate your performance and competition in the industry. Avoid flawed software by investing in quality assurance and working with reputable and experienced software developers in your custom software project. These experts will discover and eliminate the bugs in the early phases. Their knowledge will also reduce the cost of fixing these bugs. As mentioned earlier, dividing the software development project into several milestones can prevent some challenges. Ensure that you test and assess every milestone thoroughly. Doing so will help you identify inconsistencies in design and process flow as early as possible. It will be easier to deal with the issues when you detect them early. Another advantage of testing every milestone of the software development project is that it assists in providing an excellent user experience. The practice also ensures customer satisfaction which further improves your relationship with your customers and increases their loyalty. If the developers wait until the project is complete to test the milestones, they will have to re-do some critical tasks and the subsequent procedures that depend on them. This work might increase the costs and affect the quality of the final product. Therefore, quality assurance in software development enables you to achieve quality software and improves your company’s general performance. A competent project manager knows how to balance the quality of a product and the cost and speed of the project. These experts understand that quality is the most important factor in software development. For this reason, they make decisions that ensure that bugs do not interfere with lean software development in the business or delay the achievement of your software vision.

Bottomline

In conclusion, a custom software development project improves your business’ efficiency, performance, and competitiveness. The pillars of a successful lean software development project are proper planning and good collaboration with the right team. Various challenges, such as hidden costs, poor communication, and undefined software requirements, can affect the project negatively. Hiring an incompetent software development company increases your chances of experiencing these problems. Software development is a complicated process. Ensure that extensively research before selecting a software development firm. Kapsys is the right fit for your business’ lean software development. The company employs qualified, skilled, and experienced professionals who provide quality custom application development services to its clients. During these projects, these experts consider the client’s product vision and industry standards to ensure that the final product increases their sales and offers an incredible user experience. Kapsys supports remote teams to ensure consistent communication and direct involvement with its clients, regardless of their location.