Today, more and more IT companies, especially on agile software, have been hiring external software developers to work on a certain project or product. This has proven beneficial to the industry for years.
According to statistics, outsourcing software developers can significantly reduce the company’s operational costs from 50 to 90 percent. This is because the company needs to hire only software engineers who are experts or knowledgeable on the project; thus, eliminating the need for trial and exploration.
Aside from that, hiring external app developers helps the company refocus their time and energy on other matters, leaving the project in the hands of experts. They can also provide a broader understanding on the subject matter.
Although hiring external developers have become a trend in many companies, there are still downsides that are undeniable. One is their loyalty and commitment to the service. Because they are “hired men”, it is easy for them to feel like they are just completing a task and not really working with passion. These things are unavoidable and can even worsen if you don’t work it out.
If you’re a business owner, a project manager, or simply a team leader, you might be asking yourself how you can make them feel “at home” in your team. How do you really integrate external software developers into your existing team? Here are simple tips that you can start with.
Tip #1. Get them involved with each other
One way software developers can stay happy and committed to their task is by giving them a pleasant and light working environment. Provide a friendly atmosphere, and make sure everyone is getting to know each other. Since communication, cooperation, and coordination are key to completing a project, it is important that everyone in the team works together. As a team leader, you must look for an external app developer who is willing to work with other developers and is open to share his or her knowledge and learnings with them.
Moreover, it is important that developers become familiar with the business. Being transparent is one key to making them feel that they are part of the company. You should let them feel that they are trusted and that they are able to complete the project. The goal of the team should also be laid out thoroughly in detail. Make sure that the entire team is directed toward one goal.
Tip #2. Define each member’s roles, both among the external software developers and the existing team
As a team leader or manager, you must clarify the role of each developer and the part they have to take in the project. This way, conflict between the developers will be avoided. This also makes it convenient for everyone because they know which area they will be needed in or will be working on. Once a member is done with their part, he or she can help in the other parts by providing input on how to make things easier and faster.
Make sure that developers do not only finish their parts but that they are also aiming to complete the project.
Tip #3. Build strategies together as a team; hear what they say
The first thing that you must do after hiring external software developers is to sit down with them and talk things through. One effective way to have them trust you is to get their opinions. Make sure that you are letting their voices be heard and that you are open to their suggestions. Let them plan out approaches that will help the team complete the project.
Tip #4. Ensure constant communication within the team
Working together will not be possible if there is no constant communication. This is important, especially for developers who are using the agile method.
You can use online communication platforms for business to make sure that you can communicate as a group even after meetings. Developers should be updated on the status of the project, especially when you encounter problems or technicalities. Everyone must be open and should not be afraid to raise concerns, especially those that need to be addressed. These can only be resolved through proper communication.
Tip #5. Get everyone moving
External software developers are usually hired because of their expertise and knowledge about the project. However, other members or the existing team should eliminate the mentality of separation or the “this is our or my part” and “this is their part” thinking. Make sure that everybody is involved and working as a team. Software development needs group effort, and completing the project requires unity from the team.
Conclusion
The tips discussed in this article can help you integrate outsourced software developers into your team faster and easier. However, the best way is still to motivate and trust them. Developers stay loyal and committed to a company that motivates them and gives them the kind of growth they need. This is important, especially since software development takes time and commitment.
Are you looking to work with a competitive and committed agile software development team? Contact Us we can help you.
In this modern age of technology mostly dominated by applications, one of software developers’ major considerations is how the overall product or application affects user experience.
When we mention ‘user’ and ‘design’, two things come to mind: User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX). There’s a difference between the two, but in this article, we’ll focus more on the UX Design perspective.
UX has a very broad definition — from being the creative and analytical process of determining what a piece of software will be, to an approach in design that takes the user into account. The term originated from Don Norman, a renowned cognitive scientist in the 1990s. He defined ‘user experience’ as including everything about how the end-user interacts with a company, including its products and services.
Simply put, UX Design is the overall approach or process for designing a system that offers a positive experience to the users through product interaction.
Before you put your tech-wiz hat on, we’ve narrowed down the five most important things that you need to consider in designing your software application, ensuring that it isn’t only successful but user-friendly as well.
Consideration #1. Users First: The Art of App Onboarding
Before you create your software application, you need to know your audience or users first.
How does your audience operate? What do they want and need? How can your product make their life easier?
These are some of the key questions that you need to ask yourself when designing a software application. But how can you know what they want if you don’t show it to them?
Here’s where ‘app onboarding’ comes in. This is a term used when a random person is given the chance to use an application that he or she hasn’t tried before. This is the stage where your user will grasp the application’s UI and Controls, a critical step in the software development life-cycle.
There are many methods of onboarding, but the most important thing you must keep in mind is that your new users shouldn’t get lost or frustrated when trying out your app.
Consideration #2. Simplicity: Avoiding the Unnecessary
When designing a software application, software developers tend to get lost in the process. Because of their desire to develop the best software, they often forget one of the most basic principles in designing, which is to keep it simple.
Instead of jumping straight into features, successful teams prioritize UX design for software to ensure users get value fast — and keep coming back.. This way, you won’t get exhausted in adding features that other software applications do — for free.
This allows your software application to have breathing space, and it streamlines the user experience. It also makes it easier for you to get the message across, in terms of marketing.
Consideration #3. Personalization: Customization and Originality
Not having the ability to tailor your newly-installed software application can be frustrating. That’s why a lot of people prefer one that they can customize or where they can add a bit of their personality into it.
Changes that allow for personalization may vary from font size and colors to the application’s layout. They may even include the capability of hiding some features within the software.
What this gives the users is the opportunity to play around with the application. Tailoring it to their needs leads to a more satisfying experience for them.
Consideration #4. Responsiveness: Efficiency and Speed
This is a key and standard element in any software application. If your application isn’t designed to be quick and responsive, it will result in inefficiency and a bad user experience.
By efficiency and speed, it means that your application can quickly accomplish what the user is trying to do and that it is efficient in finding different ways to cater to the user’s needs.
Reducing the number of actions to get something done in your app is one way of making it efficient and quick.
Consideration #5. Scalability: Growth and Functionality
Giving your software application ‘space’ for new features in the future opens the door for added functionalities, enabling the application to grow or “evolve” into something better.
Final Thoughts on UX Design for Software Teams
Developing a software application that gives users a great experience boils down to knowing what your audience wants; keeping it simple and functional without losing its efficiency and speed; and making it customizable while also keeping it original.
By keeping these things in mind, you’re on your way to designing a user-friendly software application that will keep your users hooked.
If you need to develop software that your users will surely love, contact us and we will be glad to help you.
Startups are an exciting place to be right now. They are full of ideas, passion, and a race to become the next Unicorn. Everyone wants to work for the next Uber or Snapchat, but their meteoric rise to prominence was the result of a complex series of steps, setbacks, challenges, and of course people.
What may entrepreneur fails to realize, is that now is the best time to get a winning formula. If you have a small team, responsibilities may tend to be ad-hoc. One of you will have a knack for chasing down clients, while another may prefer managing employees on a day-to-day basis. None of this is bad – if you agree on the roles each person should be doing, that is!
How do you share responsibilities without treading on the toes (and delicate egos) of your partners? We have a few handy tips.
Know Your Skillsets, Objectively
Entrepreneurs and founders are typically good at a few things. They can get by in most scenarios, which is why they are great for getting an idea from paper to production. However, as your company grows, you need to be objective about your own skills. It’s not as simple as writing down what you are good at – have your team do this for you. It could be that they see you as effective in an entirely different area.
A great tool for this (though slightly cliché) is Myers-Briggs type personality tests. They give a business-friendly view on personality types, and where the team would fit best in your startup.
Don’t Take It Personally!
If your co-founders or colleagues don’t agree on your assessment of their skills, it’s easy to say that’s ‘Just Business’. If they say the same about you… well, it’s hard not to take that criticism personally. Truly successful businesses rely on management seeing the bigger picture and moving the idea forward.
Remember that your team wants to succeed as much as you do – and only a team effort will get you there.
Formalize Roles…
I know that you may not need an entire C-Suite management team from day one, but formalizing roles based on skillsets gives your team legitimacy. You know the fundamental areas of your business and what skills they require, so once you have a list of everybody’s strengths, formalize what they do.
…But Don’t Become Too Stale
Of course, don’t formalize roles to the detriment of your startup. Things change. Business evolves. The great thing about a startup is that it’s flexible enough to change with the market, and so should your roles. Tim may have been a great salesman when you had smaller clients, but dealing with corporations takes an entirely different mindset (think purchase orders, tenders, procurement contracts, I could go on…). Don’t be afraid to shuffle up the deck, bring in new skills, and evolve your team over time.
Create Accountability
This may be the hardest thing to do in a smaller startup. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs rely on gut and emotion when forming a team. Friends are brought in, are given a role, and then silo mentality can take hold. You trust your friend. If you are divvying up roles based on skillsets, then you should hold those same skills accountable for the results they bring.
Have regular, formal meetings, and discuss objectives. Track progress. Assess whether something is succeeding or failing. If something isn’t going so great? Discuss why, and then take action.
As computer and internet technologies have evolved, so have the products and applications that are available. While it used to be that software applications would come as a self-contained program, more companies are switching to SaaS-based platforms. Essentially, a “software as a service” or SaaS, is an application that can be accessed as a subscription. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages for those looking to build a SaaS application.
Advantages of Building a SaaS Application
Lower Up-Front Costs – One of the foremost advantages of building a SaaS application is the fact that it is usually cheaper to get the project started. With a SaaS application, you will not have to worry about building all features at once before being able to grant access to your clients. You can build the initial versions of the app and start offering to clients, and then increasingly adding new functionalilty.
Easy to Upgrade – When you are building a SaaS application it is easy to deal with updates and hardware upgrades, as the platform is already being hosted, so there is no need for redeployment at your clients infrastructure or sending each one of them an upgrade set of files. This substantially decreases the workload once the project is up and running.
Instantly Accessible – The internet can be accessed from nearly anywhere in the world these days and this bodes well for SaaS application developers. So long as there is a sufficient connection to the internet, then changes to the SaaS application can be quickly implemented from any location.
Disadvantages of Building a SaaS Application
Security Concerns – There is no doubt that the primary disadvantage to building a SaaS application is the chance of security breaches. While in a self-contained application, user information is stored locally, in a SaaS service user data, including credit card numbers and personal information, it stored in a cloud. If there is a flaw in the security system then subscriber information could be compromised. You should ask your software development team to perform regular security checks as to confirm the App has no vulnerabilities.
Internet Requirements – While access to the internet is available almost anywhere, there are spots where access is very limited. This limited access can cause problems for those building SaaS applications, as they will require an internet connection to perform any necessary changes or updates. Your development team should provide 24/7 support from a highly connected development center.
Control Issues – Seeing as SaaS applications are typically hosted by a third party, this limits the amount of control that developers will have once the service is launched. This lack of control also causes issues for users, as they will be forced to keep up with updates and other system requirements. In essence, as the SaaS application is updated, there is no way of going back to preexisting interfaces, whether the user would prefer it or not. This should be something you discuss thoroughly with your development team, so you can plan on offering different features to different clients, as well as ways of ensuring all production deployments are done when most of your users are not using the App.
In Summary
There are many things to consider when building a SaaS application, as it comes with many advantages and some disadvantages. Perhaps the greatest motivator in creating a SaaS service is the low budget that is required to get the project off the ground. In addition, once the application has been deployed it is easy to make updates, so long as there is an internet connection. On the other hand, there are disadvantages that need to be considered as well when planning the product and the deployment of versions. There is nothing more important to a SaaS application than keeping user information secure, and since the data for the app will be stored in a cloud there is always the possibility of a security breach. If you are planning to develop and deploy a SaaS application, be sure to keep these tips in mind, and you are sure to have a successful launch.
Software development can be complicated, often involving a high level of knowledge and expertise. And even for those with development experience, working out all of the issues within an application to ensure that the client is provided with an acceptable solution can be difficult. It is for this reason that many software development companies use a QA or quality assurance team for testing apps. Here are the best practices for quality assurance in software development.
What is Quality Assurance (QA)?
In essence, QA is simply a means of making sure that the demands of the client are met with a high-quality product. Assessing the quality level is typically the job of the team member that is filling the QA role. The primary goal for a quality assurance professional is to ensure that the end product is not hindered by any defects introduced during the development phase. In most cases, software that has been developed for a client will be given to the QA analysts for testing before it is deployed.
Why are QA Best Practices Important?
There is an array of reasons that utilizing the best practices during software development is important. First and foremost, the QA role will have an arsenal of automated tools that help in working out issues within the software. These tools can be used to assess scripts, validate applications, and provide an overall structure for the engineering workflow.
Another thing that makes the QA role valuable is their understanding of the code that is being used in the application and this can help them to identify trouble spots that must be worked out before delivering the product to the customer. Once the QA department has discovered a section that may be problematic, they can review the code and make educated decisions on the steps that should be taken to remedy the situation.
QA Leads to Lower Development Costs
It is no secret that software development is a time-consuming and expensive process. Any unwanted delays or coding issues can end up costing significant amounts of money and may deter clients. And while some may argue that it can be expensive to retain personnel for QA purposes, their role within a software development company is vital. After all, it is always better to provide a client with software that has been thoroughly checked for quality issues, than to give them a program full of glitches.
In Summary
There are few roles in the world of software development that are as crucial to the success of the final product as that of a QA professional. By allowing the QA team to test code scripts before they are received by the client, you will help to ensure that the software will function correctly once it has been deployed. In addition, the QA role can actually lower costs by detecting issues before they are noticed by the customer. When you are having an application developed, make sure that it has been put through the proper quality assurance steps. A new tendency is to stop separating the QA role completely from the Developer role, so developers themselves test the software and help maintain automated tests up to date, achieving the required testing and making sure no issues are kept before delivering the solution to users.
The first thing that you must do after hiring external software developers is to sit down with them and talk things through. One effective way to have them trust you is to get their opinions. Make sure that you are letting their voices be heard and that you are open to their suggestions. Let them plan out approaches that will help the team complete the project.
