Ever Wonder What Goes Into Custom Software Development? Part 1

Then you’re in the right place! Welcome to part 1 of our 5-part look at Proleadsoft’s custom software development and custom app solutions process that delivers guaranteed results.

When you have reached the limits of what off-the-shelf software can do, investing in custom software development or custom app solutions can give you a strategic advantage.

The benefits of custom software for business needs include streamlining your operations, boosting efficiency, unlocking valuable insights from your data, and so much more. The sky is the limit for what custom app development can do for your business.

But what exactly is the process that goes into custom software development?

We are glad you asked!

In part 1, we start off with a look at how we build a strong foundation for each project through software requirement gathering.

Part 1 – The Software Requirement Gathering Process

So what separates successful software development from bad software?

The answer lies in the software requirement gathering process.

The goal of professional software development is to solve a particular problem that a business is facing. But before diving into the app development process, it is essential to start with software project planning.

Spending time to clearly understand and define the problems you intend to solve, ensures that we design software for business needs.

That is why Proleadsoft’s development cycle starts with a 3 step requirement gathering process:

1. MoSCoW Matrix  ->  2. Business Requirements Document  (BRD) ->  3. User Stories

The MoSCoW Matrix

The MoSCoW matrix is the first step in communicating project requirements from the client to Proleadsoft.

It is a handy tool for prioritizing project requirements that breaks features down into 4 categories. Clients provide a list of features that the software:

• Must Have – The essential features that your software MUST have to achieve your goals. These features are non-negotiable.
• Should Have – These features add value, but they are not tier 1 features.
• Could Have – Nice-to-have features, but would not compromise the core functionality of the product if left out.
• Will Not Have – These features may be implemented in future releases, but are not considered a priority for the initial release.

By utilizing the MoSCoW matrix we are able to guarantee that your custom software development will meet your most pressing needs first.

Business Requirements Document

Next, our business analysts create a Business Requirements Document (BRD). A BRD is like a manual for a successful project, laying out business requirements in a detailed, yet non-technical way. Flowcharts and diagrams are great tools in software project planning that provide a bird’s eye view of the project.

Our clients review the business requirements document and provide detailed feedback. Once approved, it becomes the project bible, helping to:

• Clearly define the issue that the business is trying to solve.
• Identify project phases and establish requirements for each.
• Ensure that all teams are on the same page with regard to project requirements.
• Establish standards to ensure the quality of work needed to fulfill requirements.
• Identify stakeholders, team members, and their roles.

User Stories in Software Development

User Stories in software development are an invaluable tool. They can guide software project planning by keeping the focus on what customers need – and why they need it

Our business analysts and developers create user stories to frame a problem from the end users’ perspective. This technique keeps our developers focused on how a software feature will solve the user’s problem. User Stories help:

• Keep the focus on solving real problems faced by users.
• Clearly define the goals so that all team members can work towards finding the best solutions.
• Encourage creative solutions for solving user problems.
• Express a problem in a non-technical way that all team members can understand.
• Make it easy to rank and prioritize problems to solve.

A Strong Foundation Is Key