Software development is the foundation of digitization and technology adoption. Whether we talk about onside applications, mobile applications, or website development, software failure can cause a devastating impact on the business and its reputation.
A report by Standish Group says that any new application is challenged in 47% of the cases, successful in only 4% of the cases, and fails 49% of the time.
According to these shocking numbers, there’s something that we all are collectively doing wrong. While the software development plan is on point and the team is ready to plunge into the new project, what goes wrong? Are you aware of the risk factors?
If not, then read on. Here are 4 most common reasons why software projects fail. Being developing software for decades, we have also outlined a simple solution at the end, that will ensure that your software development project will be a success.
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4 Reasons Why a Software Project Fails
When you start software development for your business, obviously this holds some level of importance. Whether it is good for your outreach or digital image of the business, you need to succeed in software development and project management.
Here are the 4 common reasons of a software development project failure:
1. Vague Requirements
The very first step of every software project is to define project specifications. But, don’t you think that in the need to develop a software product as soon as possible, we overlook details? Failing to understand requirements, the bigger goal of the project and thus giving vague requirements is the number one reason for a software project failure.
This mistake derails the entire software development plan. Many times, even the customers fail to communicate the requirements clearly. For example, the management wants a developer who knows both .Net and PHP. But, you may consider it as an either-or situation: .Net or PHP.
There’s a reason project requirements are discussed in detail. It helps in understanding the objective, goal, and requirements of the project. You can know the actual expectations of the project.
The simplest method to mitigate these issues is to ask questions. Create a checklist of questions that you need to ask for every software development project. For instance, what type of product do you need? What programming language seems better?
An important fact is that if you don’t get anything, ask. Don’t wait for anyone else in the room to do the task. Assuming requirements is one of the most common errors the developers and managers make. If something is unclear, then it is better to ask a question, rather than assume and build it wrong.
Additionally, take note of the following:
- Measurable and specific tasks
- Realistic deadlines
- Clear expectations and deliverables
Once you have cleared everything, document it. This will help you stay clear on the software development plan from the start. Review this document with the project manager and make the final necessary changes.
Using a project management tool to capture and plan the detailed feature will also ensure that the project is on the right path and is building the right thing. Using any of the Agile methodologies, Scrum or Kanban can improve communication and keep your project on track.
2. Unrealistic Communication Structure
Similar to vague requirements, an unrealistic communication structure also plagues the project. Once you have understood the requirements of the project, you need to communicate them to your developers. Your team is likely to avoid asking doubts or explore more on the requirements. Unless you have a great communication culture, doubts will be lost in the hierarchy.
Another issue in communication occurs when there’s a huge hierarchy. If developers are only allowed to voice their concerns to the software development head, then there would be challenges.
So, till the information reaches the project manager, things will become complicated and the meaning will be modified.
And ideally, there’s no second solution to this problem. If there are communication issues, you need to resolve them. Encourage developers to ask questions, raise complaints, speak their mind, eliminate the blame-game, and take ownership of the project.
Some tips to mitigate this issue:
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- Meet on a weekly basis to discuss the project.
- Keep the project on track by constantly taking updates.
- Try to calmly hear out developers and find a resolution.
If you are working with remote teams, then communication becomes more important in addition to other challenges. If you are facing issues with remote team communication and management, then read how you can handle remote teams for better productivity.
3. Sub-Standard team members
If your software project is still haywire, then it is time to face the ugly truth: you need to check your team members.
Sometimes, you can do everything right, plan, gather requirements, and communicate. But, the project is still not working out. In this case, either you don’t have the right resources or they don’t have the right skills or there are some related issues.
You need to build a team that has:
- Experience
- Skills
- Learning abilities
If cost constraints are stopping you from fulfilling these requirements, then there are better options: find an IT solutions partner. The best software solution in this case is to hire an offshore team or reach out to a software development team. This will offer you the right expertise and skills.
4. Failing To Change
Change is inevitable!
Of course, there’s a time for brainstorming the project and deciding the requirements. We have already done that in step 1. Isn’t it?
Why would you want to make changes mid-project?
When you are brainstorming, often it is not a task that you can achieve in the starting. When you are brainstorming, changes should not be something that you achieve in the starting. Take agile working, for example. In agile, changing requirements are encouraged and embraced in the development even in the later stages. However, only one condition that we have here is that these changes should be better for customer satisfaction.
If you stick to only one stringent plan, you would not receive outcomes as expected. The software development plan needs some changes to keep the project feasible and high-quality.
Software Solution
Understanding the unique requirements of your business, you need to think about partnering with an IT solutions provider. An IT partner that understands your needs and can provide you with cost and time efficient solutions can help you grow your business. The smartest software solution is to find a software development company for the entire project management.
This will:
- Reduce costs
- Decrease hassle
- Improve ROI
- Improve management
- Improve development quality
There’s only benefit to this collaboration. You will have control of your project. In fact, your internal team can stay updated with the software development plan and make modifications whenever necessary.
It’s a win-win situation!
Conclusion
Software development is no cake-walk. It requires hard-work, immense planning, and smooth communication flow. If you are not able to manage even a single factor due to a lack of experience, skills, or budget, consider the above software solution.
At Desuvit, we have a team of software development experts. These experts are equipped to handle your IT Solution, Mobile App and Web development requirements. Simply connect with us to discuss your business needs and we will be happy to help make your software development project a success.
Desuvit is a Norway-born software development company delivering Custom Software Development, Mobile Apps, and Web Applications Development for various verticals and business domains. We offer end-to-end solutions for companies with no software or IT division, Startups, and companies that need to scale their software development efforts but lack the expertise required. We help our clients in growing their businesses so we can grow with them. Some of the technologies we work with: .Net, Azure, Microservices, Azure functions(Serverless computing), React Native, Flutter, React JS, TypeScript, Angular, NServiceBus, Azure Service Bus, Azure Queues, SQL Service, MySQL, Cosmos DB, etc.
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