Choosing a Software Development Strategy: A Short Guide

Tech leaders have several approaches to bet on when it comes to software development – Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall being ahead of the pack. Each of them offers a unique set of processes aimed at executing a project and organizing teamwork in the most efficient manner. Picking a suitable software development strategy for your project is essential, as it lets you get a handle on your team’s productivity, produce bug-free software and streamline product maintenance. 

In this post, we take a look at three common software development strategies (plus a bonus one) to help you choose the one your team will stick to throughout your project. 

Software development strategies: Agile

Agile is known as the new norm in project management: According to reports, over 70% of U.S. companies use Agile as a part of their software development strategy. This approach excels at adapting to changes aiming at delivering the utmost value to customers while moving hindrances out of the way. Agile prioritizes such aspects as:

• People over processes and tools;
• Cooperation with clients over agreements and contracts;
• Working software over laborious documentation;
• Responding to change over following a plan.

READ ALSO: Benefits of Agile Nearshore Development 

Agile assumes establishing collaboration processes among cross-function software development units that follow a gradual approach with frequent testing, alteration, analysis, and recalibration of the project course. Many companies are proponents of such an approach, as it allows them to reduce or eliminate any inconsistencies early on, without waiting for the final product to see the light. 

The outcome of using this software development strategy is:

• Enhanced quality of software;
• Improved customer experience;
• Transparency and predictability;
• Easy adaptation to changes;
• Better team collaboration.

Scrum

This software development strategy helps tech units develop and maintain complex projects while creating a tight-knit collaboration environment. Scrum puts a premium on the team’s productivity, helping team members improve their input throughout the entire project lifecycle. 

The centerpiece of Scrum is “a sprint,” a fixed period of productivity, where the team works on a defined scope of tasks, which ensures quick, step-by-step implementation of the project. This software development strategy allows project managers to get a handle on the processes, spot complications, and overcome them easily.

Baseline principles of Scrum are:

• Courage to cut through difficulties;
• A more focused approach due to clearly defined “sprints;”
• Focus on personal and team commitment;
• Openness to discuss and work on challenges. 

READ ALSO: Getting Started With a Remote Software Development Team

Waterfall

Waterfall is a linear software development strategy used in projects with cut-and-dry requirements, a documented project scope, and clearly defined software development stages and objectives – a difference from the flexible approaches such as Agile and Scrum. In this model, the teams launch each stage of the workflow after the previous one is completed. Unlike Agile and Scrum, Waterfall prioritizes documenting requirements as an essential primary step. Only after this step, the team members can roll up their sleeves and launch the first stage of software development. The process in this software development strategy typically consists of:

• Requirements gathering;
• Software design;
• Implementation;
• Testing;
• Deployment;
• Maintenance. 

Bonus: The offshoring strategy

The offshoring strategy assumes delegating product development activities to a third-party vendor that specializes in team formation overseas. If you’re based in the U.S., the optimal locations for you can be Eastern Europe or Latin America where you can count on flexible rates and vast pools of tech talent. 

The offshoring strategy lets businesses make the most of several benefits:

Optimize your budget. Building an in-house tech team can be costly, especially for businesses operating on a shoestring budget. If adding skilled developers is costly for you, the offshoring strategy can save the day. It lets you build software with experienced developers from other corners of the world with lower developer rates. It also lets you cut back on team administration, retention, recruitment, and other expenses. 

READ ALSO: How to Reduce IT Development Costs 

Achieve more flexibility. With an offshoring strategy, you can expect that your goals and objectives will be met based on the agreement with the vendor. Compared with building a local team, using this approach, you can easily expand or disband an offshore unit, which is especially convenient for projects lasting 6+ months. 

Improve the quality of your services. The offshoring strategy can bring in the needed innovation to win the hearts of your customers. Hiring skilled tech talent can help you improve your existing software – and hence the quality of the services you provide. If you are developing a product from the ground up, gaining access to experienced developers is crucial for shipping quality software fast. 

Get more coverage. Your team overseas can work on your project while your in-house staff is resting. It allows for significant coverage when it comes to the number of hours invested in your project, as each one of your units can clock in 8 hours in a 24-hour timeline. If such coverage sounds like a significant advantage for you, consider going with an offshoring strategy. 

Whether you’re a proponent of Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall, you can combine it with offshoring and get a tech team tailor-made to the software development strategy of your choice. nCube can help you make the most of an offshoring strategy by creating a dedicated team that follows your engineering practices and becomes an integral part of your workflows. We’ve built such teams for doTerra, Life360, CrossEngage, AstraZeneca, and other companies. 

Contact us and let’s see if our software development strategy is a good fit for your business.