5 Challenges Faced During Custom Software Development and Their Solutions

0
1335

Share on LinkedIn

5 Custom Software Development Challenges and Solutions

The IT industry is very vast, complex and dynamic. Software development is an integral aspect of the industry. It is influenced by numerous factors, including market conditions, growing complexities, changes in technology trends, and growing challenges faced during software development. Software developers from different business landscapes and domains face different challenges.

That said, software development projects are governed by the “write once, run anywhere” paradigm, which means that the application can run seamlessly on all platforms. The issue gets further complicated when they are required to add different programs and at the same time maintain support throughout. In addition, software developers have to work within limited budgets and timelines, which adds to the complexities.

A competent custom software development company should comprehend the major challenges that enable it to devise a systematic roadmap to develop the required software effectively. It will also help them drive efficiency in their projects and enhance the reliability of software development initiatives.

1. Unclear and ever-changing software requirements

Gathering all the requirements helps establish the foundation of a software project. Unclear requirements lead to a weaker foundation, and ultimately, the resultant product is weak as well. It also leads to the wrong estimation of cost and time. That said, when the software requirements are inadequate, it often results in unrealistic estimates.

Another issue is ever-changing software needs. That said, on one day, you ask for something, the next day you ask for some other thing, and on the third day, the requirements change completely. It is because of the ever-changing needs of the industry. It only leads to an increase in development time and cost.

Solution:

Before getting a product developed and adding a new feature to it, re-think. What do you want? What good will it do? Document all the features and functionalities that you need to integrate into your app. If you choose a custom software development company in India, they will cross-question you to ensure that they completely understand your requirements. Do thorough market research to know what features are in trend and suit your software best.

2. Technology Stack Issues

After your product requirements are clarified, and the plan is approved, the next step is to shortlist the technology stack. If you are of the notion that the software development path is clear, you are wrong. The development team has a hard time addressing the challenges that come in the process of software development. Firstly, you will have to identify the technologies that should be included in the stack required to perform the required tasks. The next thing is to ensure that the commission product can integrate well with the legacy software employed.

The third is to stay updated with the latest development trends so that the implementation process becomes valuable.

Solution:

During the software development process, you will have to look for expert consultation services that can assist you with the right choice of tech stack which fulfills the latest industry standards and blends perfectly well into your project requirements. This way, you will not need to look for another technology stack when your project is halfway when the tech stack you have already chosen proves to be inadequate.

3. Inefficient Project Management

Problems faced during Project management and its solutions are of primary importance that should be paid attention to throughout. A good project manager is competent enough to balance quality and speed of performance and limit multitasking to the inevitable minimum. Some organizations choose to employ a dedicated project manager responsible for decision making and exercises control over the progress of a project.

The major drawback of this strategy is that it works well only if the project manager and the entire team hails from the same country and share the same cultural background. They also have a common work ethic, and managing such a team is easy. When the team is dispersed across the globe, managing the team becomes a headache.

Solution:

To get away from adjustability issues, think of end-to-end product development. If you look forward to opting for this strategy, you should look for a dedicated software development team to the process along with a project manager. This person will know the entire software development team’s expertise and will also deal with the entire process accordingly. Project managers, especially those working in the IT industry, cannot do without software tools and some knowledge of agile methodology.

4. Hidden Costs

There are instances when you spoke to a software developer, and at that time, they promised to work on your product at comparatively lower rates than what others are charging. However, the cost is much higher than what was committed earlier when you get your final bill. This is the result of hidden costs that were not included in the quoted price. There is another type of hidden cost that product owners may have to incur. It refers to the one to be paid when the code is written terribly, and the product is poorly designed.

Such hassles often lead to costly investments. The total cost of custom software development accounts for much higher than what was promised in the long run. A security breach is another issue that will cost you more than what was expected.

Solution:

You should ask your vendor to create a document that lists all your requirements, also known as a business requirement document. This document will contain everything right from the features to the complete user flow of your software. The features that were discussed earlier but later scrapped will be a part of this document too. You can ask the vendor to give an estimate of the total cost based on the document prepared.

A detailed document will help you keep track of everything and will also keep the costs in check. Ensure that the security of the software is a priority for the development team. Ask for the security practices that are in trends and the ones that they follow.

5. Confidentiality of Information

You must have shortlisted a list of software development companies that suit your requirements. For this, you will have to share your business idea with the companies, and this task is overwhelming. They are the people you are not sure about, and you don’t trust. That said, sharing your idea of software may be risky. One always stays worried that their idea might get stolen or their trade secrets may get exposed too.

Solution:

A full-proof solution to this problem is a non-disclosure agreement. It is referred to as a legal contract between the two parties, outlining the information that will be shared, and all shared information should be kept confidential. If any of the parties breaches the NDA, then it may lead to legal actions by the opponent.

Conclusion

If you hire an incompetent company, you will come across either one or more than one of the above-listed issues. Hence, the first step is due diligence. That said, you will have to spend a considerable amount of time looking for the right custom software development company in India. Communication and approach are other significant factors, apart from the ones listed. Try to get things right so that the issues get struck out on their own.

Vikrant Bhalodia
An Avid Writer by nature. People Ops & Marketing Strategist: Leader with 15+ years of experience in Organizational Capability Building and Marketing Success. Having passion towards technology and with multi-functional experience at WeblineIndia, a leading Software Development Company based in USA and India, Vikrant loves sharing insights on optimizing the success and internet visibility of the customers’ businesses.

ADD YOUR COMMENT

Please use comments to add value to the discussion. Maximum one link to an educational blog post or article. We will NOT PUBLISH brief comments like "good post," comments that mainly promote links, or comments with links to companies, products, or services.

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here