How to Choose the Best Software Outsourcing Company

Does Software Outsourcing Work for Every Stage in the Application Development Lifecycle?

Software outsourcing enables companies to develop high-quality applications quickly and affordably. But is it effective for every stage of a project? Creating a new application typically requires prototyping, validation, coding implementation, rigorous testing and ongoing maintenance. Let’s look at how effective software outsourcing is at each stage of the application development lifecycle.

WHAT IS AN APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE?

An application development lifecycle encompasses the different stages at play when designing, building, and delivering an application. The goal of having this lifecycle is to make the whole development process more straightforward while reducing the inherent risks. By following that lifecycle, projects are developed more smoothly and quickly, all while keeping the costs down.

The development lifecycle starts with the planning stage, in which the team gathers information about the project and carries out studies to check its feasibility. The team analyzes the collected data and gets insights from it to build a roadmap that then guides the development and the testing phases. The team then builds and tests the product and, once it’s done, deploys it. The lifecycle keeps going through the maintenance phase, in which the team adds new features and updates the application.

THE AGILE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

Most development companies use agile methodologies to build their products nowadays. That’s because those methodologies help teams focus on four key pillars for development work: collaboration, communication, flexibility and adaptability.

By providing those essential aspects, agile methodologies ensure the team gets a framework to successfully complete all kinds of projects. In fact, an effective software lifecycle mainly relies on the methodology the team uses to build it.

That’s why at BairesDev we use different agile methodologies and frameworks such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, RAD, and XP – because they provide us with the flexibility we need to successfully tackle all our projects while keeping clients involved in the development process.

“Agile methodologies provides teams with a framework to successfully complete high-quality projects”

AGILE METHODOLOGIES PROVIDE THE FLEXIBILITY NEEDED TO COMPLETE A HIGHLY-FUNCTIONING APPLICATION PROJECT

THE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE IN STAGES

Let’s look at how software outsourcing works over the six stages of the application development process:

1. Planning

Arguably the most relevant part of the entire lifecycle, planning is the stage when the team documents the project. In other words, here is when they lay down the project specifications, including the features, the intended functionality, and a proposed roadmap for the development.

A reputable software outsourcing company knows about the importance of planning, which is why they’ll take the time necessary to ensure a comprehensive development strategy. From carrying out feasibility studies to determine how achievable the project actually is to identifying potential issues and building processes to mitigate them, there’s plenty of tasks to be done here.

A spiral process allows us here at BairesDev to build a Proof of Concept that will later serve us during the Analysis phase.

2. Analysis

With the information gathered in the Planning stage, we move onto the Analysis phase, where we take a deeper look at the product’s requirements and target audience. Here, the team finalizes a Software Requirement Specification (SRS), a document that encomprasses the full project requirements.

The software outsourcing team analyzes the entire product to better understand it and to break its development down into manageable tasks that will make up the development workflow. From here, we’ll create a project timescale that includes the documented milestones for each individual phase.

Additionally, a good outsourcing company will use this stage to define the resources the team will need to work on the project. That includes the engineering team and the tools they’ll use, especially those related to communication. At BairesDev, we rely on project management tools like Asana, Basecamp, and Jira to oversee our developments and efficiently communicate with your clients.

3. Design

The SRS will serve as a guide for this stage, where the team will define each of the project’s modules. The main goal in this phase is to determine what the final product will look like and how the team will implement such design. This is the moment when the team agrees on the project’s architecture but it can also be the time to define external design elements.

At BairesDev, we use a Design Thinking mindset to lead us through the Decision stage. That means we follow the 5 steps of the Stanford Design School for that mindset: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. We apply those principles to all the tasks in each project we tackle.

4. Implementation

This is usually the longest part of the development process because, as its name implies, here’s where the team starts implementing the application’s features, as defined in the previous phases. Since the work in the Implementation stage depends almost entirely on the Design stage, it’s very important to carry out the previous phases properly, as they can lead to a smoother and more efficient Implementation stage.

At BairesDev, the architecture we built during the Design phase is the key that leads our projects towards a successful implementation. And to ensure that everything goes according to plan, we use Scrum meetings that allow our engineers to provide updates on the project’s progress, get feedback, and put any potential issues on the table.

5. Testing

The Testing stage is all about checking whether the application works as intended. The team carries out a diversity of tests against the SRS to make sure that the product meets all the requirements in that document. In doing so, Testing engineers analyze the code and identify bugs and defects so the engineering team can later work on fixes for them.

A reputable software outsourcing company will perform different types of functional and non-functional tests, combining manual and automated approaches. Some of the typical tests during this phase check the application’s core functionality, its security level, and its scalability capabilities. Given the huge importance of all of those aspects, the Testing stage becomes essential for the overall development.

That’s precisely why we at BairesDev have made testing a cornerstone of our development services. We have Software Testing and Quality Assurance teams of over 60 experienced QA Engineers that work as an independent division to ensure the high quality of all our products.

6. Deployment and Maintenance

After the application has been fully tested, the team deploys it for Beta Testing, a new phase that takes the product to end users for feedback and bug detection in real-life scenarios. Once the Deployment phase has begun, the team will monitor the application to ensure everything works as intended, providing maintenance and support when needed.

This is the final stage of the development lifecycle that future-proofs the product in the marketplace. At BairesDev, we do that by providing 24/7 technical support and maintenance on a long-term basis through 3 distinctive services: monitoring, remediation, and management.

IN SUMMARY

AN EXPERIENCED OUTSOURCING TEAM WILL HAVE ROBUST TESTING PROCESSES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE APPLICATION IS SECURE AND ERROR-FREE

Software outsourcing does work for every stage in the application development lifecycle. When Agile methodologies are used, the process is flexible and adaptable and can be tailored to a company’s requirements.

Every successful application project starts with effective planning. With a documented SRS in place, generating code should be seamless. An experienced outsourcing team will have robust testing processes in place to ensure the application is secure and error-free.

From planning through to deployment, a good outsourcing company will keep the customer up-to-date every step of the way.

At BairesDev, we provide custom software development at every stage of the application lifecycle. Find out how we can help you create a quality application that will enhance your reputation in the marketplace.

1.2 million applicants each year

Work with the Top 1% of the market

Access world-class software development teams