Custom software for startups: Key things to know
For startups, saving money is always a top priority. By utilizing some of these tips, you are sure to save buckets full of cash.
If you are a startup you should focus on what will help you reach your targeted audience more quickly and effectively. The quicker you can get your product out to customers, the sooner you can start gaining revenue
But often, startups find it diffcult to locate the right developers who can develop their software according to their specific requirements.
Consider outsourcing
Outsourcing software development can be really good for the budget. But there is always a trade-off between price and quality – consider hiring firms that offer custom development, as they are usually more expensive. The most important part is to make sure you get what you need from a developer and is at a budget.
If you are stuggling to decide whether outsourcing would be financially worth it for your day to day operations consider researching what types of custom software development projects other companies in similar industries have undertaken.
You may also want to consider communication and dissemination of information when deciding on a domain name. As a founder of a startup, you are probably very close to the product and want to be involved in it’s growth. Outsourcing your development abroad can bring a lot of benefits: you get to work with expert teams of developers who will create the product you need as well as be cheaper than hiring in-house personnel. This also allows for innovation and creativity from outside sources:
Agile vs Waterfall Methodologies
- Agile and Waterfall offer different software development methodologies
- Agile methodology is broken down into smaller sprints, enabling features and fixes of bugs to be added or removed as development proceeds. This means you can make course corrections if needed or adjust the direction of your project as developments arise.
- A lot of teams are using incremental development these days for high-risk projects. That way, they can make quick decisions without needing to wait for all the work in a sprint to be complete. They can also switch to a different sprint or cut features if needed.
- This will be a slower process as there are stops, but the product can be tested after each sprint.
- With Waterfall, the development usually starts with finalizing requirements and ideas. This helps to manage expectations and provides a clearer direction, but you cannot easily change shape or direction in the event of major setbacks.
Both methodologies have their pros and cons, but agile is more popular these days.
Allow developers to collaborate on project tasks
In software development, collaboration is one of the most important factors. For example, to be able to work together with other developers and clients without sacrificing the quality of your project.
An Agile approach is all about team collaboration, and because of that, it relies on communication between all parties involved in the project. Without good communication, there’s a big risk you’ll run into serious problems further down the line.
Agile methodologies depend heavily on communication between team members, which can be hard to do when they are lumped into cubes with just enough space for a monitor and keyboard. Giving your developers desks or tables will give them more opportunities to collaborate with their team members.
Choose the right development tools
When choosing the right development tools for your business, it’s important to find the ones that will help deliver on time and within budget. Tools that allow for flexibility are also helpful to have as you can change projects as needed.
One of the most popular ways to create software is to buy some of those created by other developers. Though this can be an expensive and risky venture, it is often worth the risk.
Tools are readily available to help make your job easier. Updating the latest version can solve most issues and help to simplify your workflow. A good workflow increases productivity and keeps you focused on what needs to be done.
Starting a business can be difficult, but thankfully you don’t need to be a programmer to use our software. It caters to both programming experts and non-expert individuals and so is suitable for any business.
Let Smashed Crab do the hard work, we can help with your Software Development goals.