The first computer program was invented in 1959 when the software development process had an indefinite development algorithm. At that time, inventors had no idea that in time, program coding would evolve to become smoother and faster.
Today, each and every software development project adheres to definite steps, Vishal Shah, developer at TatvaSoft, a software development company said while discussing this topic. He further added that with defined steps launching of high-quality software is much easier. Let’s explore further at the stages in software development and the various management methodologies available.
Steps in the Software Development Process
Step One – Planning and Brainstorming
The initial step is brainstorming. It all begins with a brilliant and smart concept. Nevertheless, any proposal should be considered thoroughly before being adopted. Choosing the right project scope, establishing ways and means for the new software system to achieve strategic objectives, cost-related issues, resource availability, timelines, and establishing solutions, all are part of the meticulous software development planning stage.
Step Two – Preparing the Requirements Gathering
The first thing that you should do is to gather all functional and non-functional product requirements. In this stage, project managers talk to stakeholders, perform research and make an image of prospective users via exploration works. Usually, the results of the search are compiled in a software specification document.
After gathering all the requirements, and questions that have been answered, the next thing is an analysis of the conditions. The plausibility of the gathered elements into the final product is carefully studied and analyzed in detail. After completing the analysis of the requirements, the development team could proceed to the next level, which is to make out a product design to be adhered all throughout the development process.
Step Three – Coding Focus
The team of developers implements all business logic, models, and the specified service integrations in the prior stages. Usually, the coding stage is the longest, since it’s the cornerstone of the entire process. The team adheres to the software requirements to create a product that lives up to the expectations.
The stages proceed from alpha, beta, and release candidate to building the product. When the development team has the specification and the design of the documents in hand, the developers could start programming.
Aside from coding, software developers perform module or unit testing as well to determine potential issues early on in the development stage. Some companies outsource coding to third-party service providers.
Step Four – Consider the UI/UX Design
In the design stage, the development team begins the development of the product’s visual solution. This part of the process is known as the user interface design, which stands for the way users perceive the application. Nevertheless, there is more to software design that visuals.
The user flow convenience, interface structure, and the user interaction in general are covered by the User Experience or UX design. The UX design, in Agile Methodologies, follows the Lean Design principle. This means that an app design is user-centric, an aimed at exploring and satisfying the needs of users.
Step Five – Reviewing the Product with the Quality Assurance Stage
In the QA stage, testing experts discover and inform about the issues that could arise while using the software system. The testing frameworks could vary, depending on the project, which includes manual testing and/or automation. The phase, which includes system integration and testing, now commences that the program has been built and completed.
This could vary, depending on the testing processes used. QA engineers, however, usually employ different frameworks in conjunction with continuous integration to perform automation compilation, and unit testing. To guarantee that code is clean and the business goals of the solution are accomplished, the QA team runs various tests.
The tests could include systems integration, functionality testing, and interoperability. Furthermore, it could also include user acceptability testing. Validation and certification are vital steps in making sure that the solution or app is completed in a most effective way.
Step Six – The Operations Stage—Caring about the Software Product
Finally, the software solution is deployed into a live environment. This step involves deployment, support, and the necessary maintenance to keep the system updated and functional. In the Waterfall method, the software development cycle ends here.
However, in the Agile methodology, the development team would begin the entire cycle anew with a new product iteration. The software solution should be kept operational and maintained. Maintenance and operation include fixing issues and keeping systems up to date with the latest OS updates or patches of third-party software.
Conclusion
To create and deliver a quality software product, the necessary software development stages should be applied. Whatever methodology is used, the core of the process of software development will always be the same. Furthermore, the SDLC or the software development life cycle could be adjusted or altered to meet the objectives of the project, the software development provider, or app development, to determine the steps that help reach the goals.
