When it comes to software development projects, one of the most common problems that team leaders and managers face is getting them to happen faster. The more time it takes for a project to reach launch, the more it’ll cost and the more chances there are for something to go wrong.
Fortunately, we’ve learnt some tricks you can use to speed up your development cycle without compromising too much on quality.
- Clearly define your project goals
The first step before starting any project is to know exactly what you’re setting out to achieve. This will not only help your engineering team understand what they’re supposed to do, but it will also give you an idea about how much time to dedicate to development and how soon the product needs to go live.
- Apply Agile methodologies
Agile methodologies are a series of software development practices that help teams react to changes quickly. They allow for faster feedback and adaptation to requirements.
One of the main advantages of Agile is that it helps keep teams focused on the most important tasks and allows them to act quickly. This can be especially important when working with clients who don’t have a clear vision of what they want, or when the project is subject to frequent change.
There are several different Agile methodologies, but all share some common features. Most Agile processes focus on breaking down tasks into small sprints that can be completed in a short period of time. Typically, a sprint lasts between 2 to 4 weeks, but some projects may have shorter sprints. Each sprint ends with a review, during which the team presents what they’ve completed and discusses any changes needed. The focus is always on building working software that can be tested and demonstrated at each step of the way.
Some of the most common Agile methodologies include Scrum, XP (extreme programming), feature-driven development (FDD) and Rational Unified Process (RUP). Despite their different names, they share some common features:
- Each task is broken down into small chunks to make it easier to manage
- An overall goal is set for each sprint
- Tasks are prioritised, and the most important tasks are given higher priority
- Progress is constantly monitored and teams adapt to changes quickly
- The goal is to always have working software that can be tested and demonstrated.
Agile also emphasizes collaboration and regular communication between team members. This helps ensure that everyone is aware of what is being worked on and that everyone is on the same page. If you’re looking to speed up your development process, Agile is definitely worth considering.
- Implement automation in development and testing
The use of automation in software development and testing can significantly speed up the process by eliminating the need for manual intervention. Automated tools can be used to check source code for potential errors, manage builds, track defects, and run tests.
Two useful automation testing tools are:
Selenium
A free and open-source web automation framework that’s widely used in the market. It is one of the best QA automation tools because it supports multiple operating systems, such as Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Headless Browsers. Selenium test scripts can be written in Java, C#, Python, Ruby, PHP, Perl, or JavaScript. Selenium’s browser add-on Selenium IDE includes record and playback capabilities. Selenium WebDriver’s robustness enables you to create more complex and advanced automation scripts.
Kobiton
Kobiton simplifies continuous testing for mobile and IoT, regardless of how you prefer to automate. It lets you automate functional, performance, visual and compatibility tests quickly using an AI-driven scriptless approach or your preferred open-source and script-based tooling. It helps ensure comprehensive quality and release at the speed of DevOps.
- Use a full stack developer
A full stack developer is proficient in both front-end and back-end development. This type of developer can work on all aspects of the project, eliminating the need for a separate back-end and front-end developer, thus reducing time to launch.
Hiring a full stack developer for your startup can help reduce bottle necks and save you money.
- Train your full stack developer in DevOps
DevOps engineers are responsible for managing deployments and automating the process of putting new software into production. Often startups can’t hire a dedicated DevOps engineer and rely on consultant DevOps, which can delay deployment.
If you train your full stack developer in DevOps, you can move your project to production any time you want.
- Have a dedicated full-time development team
If your development team is working on multiple projects, it will significantly impact their availability and speed of work. In fact, research shows that switching between projects can impact productivity by as much as 40%.
Startups can maximise productivity by outsourcing work to offshore teams of full time developers at a fraction of the cost of local talent. Offshoring full stack developers also increases your speed of development by a huge margin.
- Make use of Agile tools
Agile tools like Jira and Pivotal Tracker help avoid bottlenecks and dependencies on other teams by providing a collaborative platform for development and bug tracking. This enables the project team to streamline processes and create complete transparency on task status and progress without having to depend on emails and phone calls.
- Implement continuous integration and continuous deployment (CICD)
Continuous integration (CI) is the process of integrating new code into the main branch of a project frequently and continuously. This helps catch errors and bugs as early as possible and prevents them from becoming too big to fix. Continuous deployment (CD) is the process of putting new software into production as soon as it is ready, often through the use of automation. Commonly, CICD tools are built on a master/agent model, in which a server (the master) delegates tasks to multiple nodes (agents). An agent may be tasked with the responsibility of building the application, running tests, or performing any other task associated with the build process. Not only the master, but also the agents and their work environments are housed in containers. As a result, a reproducible build environment is created that is scalable on demand and portable across servers or platforms.
Examples of CICD tools:
GitLab is a collection of tools that automate nearly every aspect of the software development lifecycle. The primary product is a web-based Git repository manager that includes issue tracking, analytics, and a Wiki. With each commit or push, the CICD component allows you to trigger builds, run tests, and deploy code. You can run build jobs on another server, a virtual machine, a Docker container, or a Docker container.
GitLab is available as a fee Community Edition and a paid Enterprise Edition. It is available as a hosted service or as a self-installed solution.
Jenkins, arguably the most popular CICD solution available, is a Java application with its own built-in web UI. Originally released as Hudson in 2004, its popularity is owed in part to its history, cross-platform compatibility, and extensive plugin ecosystem. In 2017, a redesigned user interface called Blue Ocean was released to further simplify the configuration process.
Jenkins provides Docker images for both server and agent deployments. Additional information about configuring agents is available on the Jenkins Wiki. Jenkins is a free and open source software project.
- Use ready-made templates and components
Ready-made templates and components can help reduce the amount of time needed to build an app or website. By using these pre-made elements, you can avoid having to start from scratch, which can significantly speed up the process.
The speed with which software is developed is critical for an organisation to gain a competitive edge. How quickly a business can meet a customer’s needs influences its market success. Rapid application development also guarantees that products are very adaptable, as clients receive updated items in a timely manner.
These are just some of the ways you can speed up your development cycle and achieve faster results without compromising on quality. With a little bit of effort and planning, you can easily get your project up and running in no time.