Venturing into the competitive world of software and application development can be a daunting yet rewarding task.
Right from the get-go, you are faced with a myriad of possibilities and options… from making sure that your solution can cover a common problem to whether it can gain one-upmanship over potential rivals, from picking a software outsourcing partner to using a DIY platform, or creating beautiful, simple and easily navigable interfaces.
The platform on which you build your application is the most important factor in its success. Platform that seamlessly blends architecture, technology, framework to ensure flawless functioning of your software’s features.
You may have ever had an idea for a software product, whether you are a techie entrepreneur or not. We will walk you through how to deliver your software on the right platform.
Validate the platform with users
Although you may have developed a mobile app for your customers, you are still losing significant sales because they did not realize the importance of capturing them on the web-platform. With a thorough user validation program, you may have uncovered that a progressive web application would have been the right fit.
Entrepreneurs are often blindsided by their instincts when selecting a platform. Software that is complicated and has features no one uses often results in software that is not easy to use.
This is due to the lack of a feedback loop and MVP releases, which deliver software in small incremental cycles to users for validation. Software that doesn’t meet a customer’s requirements may need to be refactored. This will reduce costs and make a bad first impression.
A user-validation program that works well often includes:
- Market research in depth
- Analyzing the channel distribution of customer segments (web and mobile)
- MVP Incremental Releases
- Test prototypes with users in mind
Take a look at all the options
There are many options, so it is important to be familiar with the various development and deployment options for each platform.
You can choose from pre-made reusable code libraries or create custom code. Some platforms include:
- Operating platform (iOS, Android, Windows),
- Automation platforms (AI, analytics)
- Cloud platform (PaaS, Google Cloud, AWS)
- Mobile platforms (Native, hybrid web apps, progressive applications)
- Database Platform (Oracle, MySQL, MongoDB)
Platform that serves its purpose
Whether you’re building a simple native iOS app or a complex web app, your integrated development environment should provide programmers and developers with a specific set of tools that is concurrent to their domain expertise and can accommodate the features explicit to your product vision.
Learn about the technology adoption cycles of your software. Then, consider each feature and the technology stack required to build it.
Ask the right questions to find the right technology.
Is your app able to scale up?
Is privacy and security important?
These will help you align all your ducks in one row.
Specificity can be too rigid. This is why your SDLC should be based on agile frameworks. Agile allows you to build a product iteratively. This ensures that your products are able to bear customer suggestions and can be updated with the most recent technologies.
Get the experts:
Software development companies often hit a wall in terms of their skill set. It is important to choose a platform that will easily adapt to the needs of your team. What if your software requires special features that can only be understood by experts?
You can also turn to software outsourcing partners who are highly skilled and have the experience to handle any complexity presented by newer platforms or existing ones.
Many companies fall for the ballpark prices and choose to go with the cheapest option they can find. This is a recipe for disaster.
It is a smart investment to hire seasoned professionals who can not only develop software, but also work with your business and market strategy.
You should look for a partner who is open to your technological ideas and creative discourse. They have a track record in handling software start-ups, and can provide expert knowledge on both front-end and backend technologies.
You are searching for the right partner to help you build a platform that can handle any level of complexity. Reach out to us and we’ll help you in articulating a successful software venture.
