Have you heard about the myths and misunderstandings surrounding software development? These misconceptions have the potential to hinder your business's growth by discouraging you from pursuing beneficial strategies. As a software development outsourcing company, we have encountered these misunderstandings and aim to provide clarity.
This article aims to clear up some commonly held misconceptions in the information technology field. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let’s separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: Outsourcing software development is a bad idea and results in lower quality
Outsourcing software is becoming a key ingredient in a company’s success. Let’s explore why together. While there may be cases where outsourcing leads to challenges, it's important to know that quality largely depends on many factors.
What are the key factors to consider to assure high quality in your future product? The main points that influence your products’ quality are the experience and skills of the development team, project management, communication, and regular quality checkpoints. When these elements are in place, outsourcing can be an excellent opportunity for your business to access top talent and achieve high-quality software development results.
According to Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, outsourcing software development at start-ups is expected to increase by 70% in 2023. For instance, consider that you decide to outsource the development of an app for your start-up to a software development company from Eastern Europe. The company has proven experience, a strong portfolio of cases, highly-experienced developers, and strong communication channels.
At the beginning of the development process, you set clear requirements and establish clear communication channels with the software development company. A remote dedicated team follows the requirements, provides updates regularly, and solves problems quickly. Throughout the project, you made regular checkpoints for quality assurance and adjustments.
This strategic approach will ensure that you get a high-quality app for your business. If you are interested in knowing more about the benefits of outsourcing software development, we invite you to read our blog post here.
Myth #2: Agile development is only for small projects
Well-known companies such as Apple, IBM, Microsoft, and others use Agile, an iterative and flexible approach to project management and software development that emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. If you are thinking that Agile is only for small-scale products, you are probably influenced by a common misconception.
Agile practices have been effectively applied in numerous large-scale applications. A great example is Spotify, which utilized Agile principles to expand its platform to millions of users globally while upholding exceptional quality standards. The platform achieved its success because of continuous iterations, with the development team gathering feedback from users and stakeholders, prioritizing features, and making improvements based on data-driven insights.
According to Zippia, Agile has helped about 98% of companies become more successful. Therefore, it is not surprising that several companies in the Fortune 500 use Agile in their projects.
As a leading software development company in Eastern Europe, we use an agile approach in our work and projects. Agile helps our team at Oneest collaborate and adapt to changes with minimal ceremony and delivery costs for our clients. You can check out our approach here.
Myth #3: Testing is only necessary at the end of the development process
Software testing is the process by which you evaluate what your product does versus what it’s supposed to do. Testing should indeed be conducted throughout the development lifecycle to ensure the quality of the final product.
If testing is conducted only at the end of the product’s development process, it can lead to many risks and problems. Let’s imagine that your team spends months developing an e-commerce application, and the focus is only on coding and building the platform’s infrastructure. Until the final stage, you did not conduct any testing. When you finally finished the development process, you decided to run the first test of functionality. What do you think will be the result? Of course, if the magic works, you may have in front of you the app of your dreams without any bugs or issues.
What if magic doesn't exist? When testing finally begins, it is discovered that your platform has various critical issues. For example, the payment system is not functioning correctly, the product search feature is returning inaccurate results, and the user registration process is not working. Identifying and resolving these issues at this late stage of the development cycle requires extensive rework, which results in missed deadlines, delays, increased costs, and unhappy customers.
On the other hand, if testing is conducted iteratively throughout the development process, these issues can be identified and addressed at an early stage. By incorporating testing early on, the development team can catch and resolve issues before they appear or as they arise, reducing the likelihood of major defects going unnoticed until the end.
Testing throughout all project development stages allows for quicker feedback from users, better collaboration between developers and testers, and more rapid bug fixing.
Myth #4: As soon as the product is released, the work is done
"Submit to the App Store" is not the last action that you take with your custom mobile app. The reality is that there is always something new to implement, update, or change. The release of a software product is just one part of its lifecycle.
Imagine that you create a well-liked video game that players have been eagerly awaiting. After months of effort and hard work to create the game, you release it to the public. However, once the game is released, your work doesn't end there. After release, the development team continues to fix any bugs or issues that players may encounter. They release regular updates to improve the game's stability, fix any gameplay imbalances, and improve the overall user experience. This ongoing support and maintenance are crucial for you to make sure that the game remains enjoyable and functional for your players.
Additionally, you actively listen to player feedback, suggestions, and issues. You can use this feedback to further improve your game, introduce new features, and keep the player community engaged. In this example, the work of the development team extends beyond the initial release of the software.
We know from experience that continuing maintenance, upgrades, and feedback collecting are critical to maintaining the app's quality and meeting your users' increasing expectations.
Myth #5: Outsourcing software development is expensive
Many entrepreneurs believe software development is extremely costly. While it’s true that developing custom software might come with a high price tag, many factors influence the overall cost, including the development company you choose, the app dimension you are looking to build, and the features you want to be included.
Is outsourcing software an investment or just an expense? Outsourcing software development can be a cost-effective solution for your business. To get a better perspective, let’s imagine that you run a small start-up in the US and you want to develop an app. The average salary in the US for a developer is $114.668 per year, according to Indeed. Therefore, if you decide to hire a full-time team of four developers locally, it would cost you around $458,672 per year. If you decide instead to delegate this task to a software development company, the final cost can range from $10.000 to $40.000.
"Time is money" is a popular expression in the business world. Outsourcing software also saves you time. You don’t need to worry about such things as organizing office spaces, the hiring process, infrastructure costs, and other expenses when you hire in-house.
On the other hand, when you outsource software development to a third party, you will get access to a highly experienced team of professionals. It means your company will get the best talents, and you will only be paying for the technical expertise while receiving a high-quality product. The key is to choose the right outsourcing company for your business’ IT needs.
Myth #6: More features mean a better product
It is commonly believed that more features make software better. The quality and effectiveness of software depend on various factors, including its purpose, usability, design, and overall user experience. Adding more features without careful consideration can lead to complexity and confusion for users. A well-designed app focuses on providing functionality according to the needs of its target users effectively and efficiently rather than simply adding features. Quality and user satisfaction should be the main goals when assessing the value of software, not just the number of features it offers.
Consider a photo editing app with an abundance of features, powerful filters, complex editing tools, and numerous special effects. Navigation is challenging due to its complex user interface and lots of options. Users frequently struggle to find the tools they need because there are so many options available. As a result, the software is not useful despite its extensive feature set.
On the other hand, imagine you focus on simplicity and intuitiveness, offering a streamlined set of essential editing tools that are easy to access and understand. What makes clients happier? If the user interface is clear and works efficiently. Although you may not add as many features, its users appreciate the app's user-friendly design and ease of use. If you are interested in knowing how user-centered design can help you develop a great product, check out our blog post here.
Myth #7: Custom software development always requires long development timelines
Do you believe that developing an app takes years? Remember that there is never one solution for every product or a timeline for every project. However, custom software development can be accomplished within an efficient timeframe for your business.
The number of features, complexity of functionality, and difficulty of implementation influence the development time. According to Forbes, it usually takes three to six months to develop an app with simple functionality and six to nine months to make an average-complexity product.
The popular team communication platform Slack provides an amazing example of custom software development with efficient and short timelines. It took just four months to develop the initial version of Slack. This rapid development timeline allowed the app to gain early popularity and quickly establish itself as a leading communication tool. Slack’s success story proves that custom software development can be accomplished within relatively short timelines, even for complex and feature-rich applications.
At Oneest, we believe the main goal of software development is to get your business challenges resolved. Therefore, the custom software development process is designed according to your company's requirements, meaning that custom software development services require some specific time to meet your business’ standards.
Wrapping up
The IT field is continuously evolving. Today’s innovation is tomorrow’s legacy. So, you should constantly monitor IT trends, tech insights, and user requirements and adapt them quickly. Businesses that take application development seriously are sure to surge ahead of the competition.
Don't let misconceptions hinder your software development efforts. Understanding the realities behind common myths is key to achieving success. We hope that we helped you shed light on the realities of the IT industry and debunk some popular misconceptions. Follow our blog to stay up to date on the latest developments, tech insiders, practical ideas, and best practices.
If you are looking for a reliable software partner and a dedicated remote team, contact us today. We will be happy to discuss your software development needs and unlock the full potential of your future projects.
