Common challenges of software development projects

Software development projects are big undertakings and for the investment that needs to be made in doing one properly, you would hope the projects would  be smooth sailing.

Unfortunately, software development projects are typically time consuming and have a tendency to go over budget. It’s safe to assume that the process won't go 100% according to plan and while this unpredictability can be advantageous for innovation, it can make planning ahead a bit of an issue. 

If you’re wondering what the common pitfalls of software development are and how they can be avoided, then this article is for you.

Software development project pitfalls

One of the most apparent issues that tends to crop up in software development is that of time management. Projects have a tendency to go on beyond the expected timeframe and while this is unavoidable in certain circumstances, having the right team can minimise the frequency of this type of issue. 

To an extent, setting realistic expectations and having milestones and deadlines is helpful but unfortunately, errors can pop up and setbacks can occur. Using  an Agile methodology for the project may help reduce the potential of this issue happening - it means that the process is broken up into sprints where the most important issues are dealt with periodically and the product is constantly tested for viability, meaning less big issues crop up later. While an Agile methodology can be helpful, that’s not to say that it guarantees a perfect schedule can be kept. 

As well as going beyond time constraints, software development has a tendency to go over budget and while this too is an unavoidable, it tends to occur due to the scope of the project broadening or shifting. 

It is another concern that can be tough to completely remove from the process but hiring an experienced team that are more in tune with the kind of changes that are bound to happen can make preparing for them a lot easier.

An experienced software development team will be more familiar with the pitfalls that can typically occur and while they won't be able to prevent issues from arising, they will be able to navigate the journey better than most with a better understanding of how things will play out. In addition, for any software project you will need someone from your company to oversee the project to improve the chances of success. 

Getting UX design right is also another key issue in the process. Meeting the user’s expectations and needs stretches beyond simply achieving functionality. Achieving an end product that the users can be happy with and provides a good user experience, requires the involvement of a UX designer and also requires ensuring that the functionality and presentation are undergoing constant reviews from the end users during the different sprints.

Conclusion

One pattern does emerge from looking at the issues and the reality is that the end result does boil down to the quality of team you choose. All of these issues as well as a good level of communication can ensure that your project goes as smoothly as possible. 

So if you’re looking for a software development project to run as smoothly as possible, an experienced, agile team can deal with most of the issues you can expect to see elsewhere.

At Zoosh, our Product Studio is industry agnostic, design-led and highly experienced in creating quality solutions. If you’re looking for a world-class team to help with your software development projects then look no farther.