Many businesses struggle to translate ideas into a reality but none of these struggles is more profound than the software product vision. Often, the business abandons a great idea for a mobile application or a software product that has great potential to improve and increase business. Usually the reason for this includes the cost, the time and effort required and the absence of the skills and training to conceive, design, develop, implement and maintain a software product.
“If it is to succeed, a business plan for Software Product Development must include state-of-the-art software engineering practices, appropriate technical architecture, versioning control, detailed technical and user documentation and high development and quality standards.”
Businesses often believe that software product development services are too costly and that offshore software product development may be too difficult to manage and may lead to frustration, delays and overruns. Even when a business has an IT team they intend to use for software product development, the time and focus required to complete the project must be weighed against other projects and against the day-to-day requirements of an overloaded IT team.
When thinking about the choice to develop in-house or to go with a partner, there are five critical areas to consider:
- Skills and Training – Does your team have the knowledge and the skill to create a software product? Application development and software product development require some of the same skills and processes, but there are differences in the way a project is run and in the things you will need to do to ensure success of the launch and ongoing success in the market. Once a product is released to the market, it either supports or damages the reputation of the business. If you are considering doing this work yourself, you will need to think carefully about security and compliance, legal liability, integration with other software, customer or partner access and how you will manage users, platforms and frameworks that are suitable for all types of devices, and more! Review your team skills and training and think about this aspect of in-house vs. experts. It is an important one!
- Availability and Productivity – Even if your team has the skills and training required to do the job, your IT team is probably already very busy with day-to-day activities, user support, data governance, bringing in new packaged software solutions, monitoring data security etc. You many have a great idea for a software product that will expand your marketing and sales channel and your reputation and competitive position in the market, and you don’t want to put off this kind of project but you also have to consider the impact on your IT team productivity and availability for other projects. Using an expert does not take you out of the loop. If you select an IT consultant that allows for onsite, offsite and hybrid activities, you can consider involving your team in appropriate activities and thereby creating a team extension to ensure your involvement while still making sure that the project progresses on schedule and on budget.
- Planning and Roadmaps – Your in-house IT team may or may not have the skills and knowledge to prepare and execute a long-term plan but one thing is for sure, if you launch a software product, you must plan for the initial launch and for upgrades, migration, integration, additional security or compliance going forward, and many other issues and opportunities. Creating a flexible, open environment in which your software product can grow is important but so is protecting your business from risk, legal liability and a software product that has a short shelf life or will have to be significantly re-engineered to keep it relevant and accessible.
If it is to succeed, a business plan for Software Product Development must include state-of-the-art software engineering practices, appropriate technical architecture, versioning control, detailed technical and user documentation and high development and quality standards. The software product development process must include steps to refine product requirements and to create and manage clear goals to meet business and technology objectives, mitigate risk and produce products and output. The business must perform market analysis, comparative analysis, and functional and technical feasibility studies to facilitate and accelerate growth and market success. Very few internal business IT teams possess the resources or domain expertise to successfully develop a software product for market. If your business leverages the experience and skills of software product development experts to design and develop software products, your team can focus on core activities to advance market position and grow the business. Let us help you conceive, design and develop a software product that will assure success in your market!
“The process of creating and managing a software product, whether it requires mobile application development or web technologies approach, is not the same as the standard application development process.”
In order to ensure success, the business must select an IT consulting partner with experience and proven success in Software Product Development. The process of creating and managing a software product, whether it requires mobile application development or web technologies approach, is not the same as the standard application development process and the business must choose a partner with the experience to plan and complete testing, perhaps submit products to an app store for approval, and certainly create and maintain documentation and a roadmap for upgrade and integration with other products and solutions.
If your business wants to translate a software product vision into reality, this is the place to start. Explore our Software Product Development Services.
This White Paper provides a foundation for your business to use when choosing an Offshore Development Partner to help you with your software product vision. With a firm understanding of your requirements and vision, and solid selection criteria, you can ensure project success.
Original Post : Top 3 Considerations for the In-House Software Product Development vs. Expert Assistance Decision!
