From missed deadlines to miscommunications, here’s the lowdown on the most common software development mistakes and, critically, how you can avoid them with your next project.

When it comes to software development, finding a partner that’s reliable, cost-effective, skilled and understands your business’ individual needs is no easy feat. But putting in the work to find the right software house now will ensure that costly mistakes are avoided later down the line.

From missed deadlines to miscommunications, here’s the lowdown on the most common software development mistakes and, critically, how you can avoid them with your next project.

Poorly-defined needs = poor results

Found a software house that’s willing to jump straight in and get started on development? Hmm – maybe take a minute… Rushing straight into the development stage of a project without clearly understanding its objectives can be a recipe for disaster. Ever heard the phrase, ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you’? The same is true for software projects; without a clearly defined plan, results can totally miss the mark, leading to a hefty price tag and wasted resources without much to show for it.

Initially, it may seem frustrating if your chosen software development company wants to spend time getting to know your business and its goals – let’s just get to the build already, right?! – but it’s exactly this approach that will help the build to run smoothly later on – and get you the results you want. Opt for a software house that appreciates the value of the Research & Discovery stage of a project, covering:

Your target audience
Your brand
The objectives for this particular project
The wider objectives for your business
The viability of your project

In doing so, your software development partner will have a clear understanding of your business and its goals, which, in turn, will result in a product that’s aligned with your vision for it.

Over-promising can lead to under-delivering

Naturally, your software partner will want to do their very best for you. Often, however, overly-ambitious time estimates lead to missed deadlines, or failure to have those hard but necessary conversations result in expectations that are never met.

Of course, you want a software development company that’s excited to work with you, passionate about your project and wants to go above and beyond – but it’s important to ensure that such enthusiasm is balanced with a pragmatic, well-defined and deliverable plan of action. Don’t be afraid to push your software partner for more details on their Approach to software development: what project management system do they use? How are deadlines set? Are they willing to be honest and direct with you about the viability and delivery of your project?

Outdated tech leaves your product open to risk

Naturally, software houses may specialise in certain technologies over others and, depending on the needs of your project, this may suit you perfectly. However, for most software development projects, a tech-agnostic approach, whereby the development team are skilled in a variety of tech and languages, can offer the greatest results.

Reliance – or insistence on using – a certain tech can quickly see your final product become outdated, irrelevant or prove difficult to develop further later down the line. Meanwhile, a tech-agnostic approach offers fluidity and the assurance that your product is future-proofed.

A developed product isn’t a finished product

It’s all too tempting to see your developed product and instantly want to go live with it – but there’s still a crucial phase to undertake; testing. As with the issue of over-promising and under-delivering, it’s essential to find a software house that acknowledges the importance of this stage of development.

Without thorough testing and quality assurance, issues can easily fall through the cracks, ready to be picked up by your end users. This can result in negative feedback, poor user engagement, an increase in unsubscriptions or cancelled memberships – all of which could be easily avoided if the time was taken to test before going live.

To be clear, an enthusiastic team isn’t necessarily an unskilled one – and a skilled team isn’t necessarily an unenthusiastic one! The key is to find a software development company that can offer both; passion, excitement and enthusiasm – plus pragmatism, logic and transparency. The result is a product that blows your mind (without blowing your deadline or budget).

Want to work with a passionate team that delivers? Get in touch today!