Classic problems in software development

Software engineering is a discipline that has been refined for years. Over time, specialists have gathered experiences and lessons from millions of projects and work teams. Below, we summarize the main problems a software development project may face.

1. Unrealistic time estimation

Making a good estimate of the resources, time, and costs needed to carry out the project is a task that is sometimes not approached properly. No one wants to hire a service with a certain budget of time and cost in mind, only to discover that it will actually take twice as long and costs will multiply.

Although estimation is largely an experience-based process, there are also techniques for getting fairly close to a good quote. Therefore, setting realistic expectations around these two issues, thanks to proper planning and analysis, is essential.

A technique that allows us to get an idea of how a project was estimated is to check the following:

• Did the provider have meetings with me to carry out a preliminary analysis?

• Did they contact me to resolve any questions?

• Did they ask me for documentation to help them estimate?

• Did they express what I needed, in order to check whether they understood me?

  
  

If any of these points were not present during the process, it may be an indication that your project has some risk of not being properly estimated and quoted.

2. Incorrect risk management

It is vital to perform a good analysis of project risks and the actions to mitigate them, so that the work plan does not stop or get delayed due to unforeseen risks in the analysis. It is then necessary to identify at least the known and predictable risks, whether they involve technology, people, the context, the market, competitors, and/or the government, so that we are prepared and have a plan of action in case some of the identified risks occur.

Doing this planning exercise helps align expectations so they are more realistic, depending on the likelihood that certain risks will happen and on their criticality. If many risks are identified with a high probability of occurrence and high criticality, it is necessary to establish a broader action framework. On the contrary, if the probabilities are very low and their impact is not very high, then the plan can proceed as estimated.

3. Insufficient quality control

Quality assurance is a key stage in your software project, because this stage makes it possible to validate all the critical and breaking points in the operation of a given business and toward which the software is aimed.

It is advisable to allocate at least 30% of the total development time to the tests carried out by the quality department. Estimating less time is not advisable, because according to experts it is not really possible to guarantee that the software can do everything expected in the correct way, even when the functionality to be validated is already well known.

As a client, you are fully entitled to request results (documents supporting their execution) for at least the following operations carried out in this phase, whether in waterfall or SCRUM projects: test plan, test case design, test cycle execution, integration test validation, and automated tests.

4. Technical debt

Technical debt is the accumulation of design or coding shortcuts that can cause problems in the future. The classic problem is that technical debt is often ignored or not properly managed, which leads to increased maintenance costs, reduced performance, and limited scalability. To mitigate this problem, it is essential to identify technical debt early, prioritize it, and assign resources to pay it down.

5. Requirements management

Requirements are the foundation of software development, and managing them is crucial to the project's success. The classic problem is that requirements are often poorly defined, incomplete, or constantly changing, which leads to unforeseen scope, missed deadlines, and additional costs. To mitigate this problem, it is essential to involve stakeholders early in the process, establish clear communication channels, and use collaborative tools such as user stories, prototypes, and mockups.

6. Not involving the end user or client

Their participation is essential so that developers receive constant feedback that allows adjustments to be made during project execution. This prevents reaching the end only to realize that much of it has to be rebuilt. The sooner aspects that need correction are detected, the less time and money will be wasted.

Additionally, the client is the one who determines the success of the software, because if the user does not approve it or considers that it does not solve the need or desire that was identified, then the project has been in vain.

Another fundamental aspect is not only involving the user so that the software fulfills its purpose, but also ensuring that it does so in the best possible way, considering the interaction the user will have with the system so that it provides the best possible experience.

7. Not communicating "what is going to happen"

A common situation is to omit "telling what is going to happen" during the execution of the project. This works against the client's expectations and can generate feelings of frustration that could be avoided. It is useful from the beginning to address what commonly happens throughout your project's life cycle by communicating it clearly:

• All projects can experience delays, some due to the provider and others due to the client. That does not mean that it will not be successful in the end.

• You may find it tedious when you are repeatedly asked for the details of the requirements, but this is important to remove ambiguities ("the devil is in the details").

• You may have to participate in many meetings, even after having told your provider everything they need to know.

• And it will bother you when new requirements come up in those meetings and you are told they are not within the original scope, requiring additional costs and time.

But if the above is not communicated and agreed to מראש? Actually translate natural: and agreed מראש. Let's write: But if the above is not communicated and agreed to in advance, unnecessary friction will surely be generated because expectations are not aligned.

At Suris Code we help our clients avoid these situations and have a pleasant project experience without surprises.