Basic Steps of the Software Development Process In 2023
A software development process involves enhancing design and product management by dividing the software development work into smaller, manageable steps that can be executed sequentially.
This helps companies control their software development process efficiently, making their full-cycle software development services more robust and systematic.
In conclusion, the software development process may be challenging, but breaking it down into steps, stages, or phases aligns efforts and provides direction to the team. So to make your process of software development more efficient we are jotting 7 steps below which are going to help you.
Software Development Process Steps
The software development process consists of seven major steps. Each of these steps is explained in detail below.
- Planning Stage
The first step in this process is to gather requirements because customers typically have an abstract idea of what they need or require. It is necessary to have experienced software developers at your side to recognize incomplete and even contradictory requirements. Also, the scope analysis should be done and clearly stated. The planning phase also includes product and project management. This may include
- Capacity Planning
- Resource and talent Allocation
- Provisioning
- Cost Assessment
Ideally, in this stage, the Project Manager and Development staff coordinate with Operations and Security to make sure that all aspects are covered. The results of the planning phase should be
- Decided schedules and timelines
- Frequency of sprints
- Cost estimation plan
- Procurement requirements
2. Analysis Stage
During this phase of the software development cycle, the experts and specialists meticulously gather precise requirements from customers. The reason behind this extensive collection process is to fine-tune the solution as per user needs. Any confusion or obscurity must be cleared at this stage. It also includes a feasibility study that identifies the weak points and the strengths of the project. At the end of this stage, you should have
- Clear business needs
- Process diagram
- Exact development pipeline
The software requirement specification, or SRS document, is frequently produced by developers for more clarity. The analysis stage also includes
- Gathering precise information
- Deciding prototype ideas
- Inclusion of USP (Unique Selling Point)
- Features and functions of the product
- Hardware & Network requirements
3. Design & Prototyping Stage
The next is the design and prototyping stage-mandatory precursor leading to the development stage. In this phase, the designer designs the interface and determines the user flow whilst the developers outline the intricate details of the overall applications. Such as user and system interfaces, databases, and network requirements. At this stage, the real development and design process is initiated by the software developers and application architects.
The prototyping involves producing an initial, inexpensive, and scaled-down version of the product. The purpose behind this is to assess technical details in the current design. Prototyping is a great opportunity to
- shape the idea into reality
- test the practicality of the design
- get reviews from the users about the product
The developers in this stage can construct an application from pre-existing components using an architecture framework like TOGAF to promote uniformity and reusability. Also, to address the specific algorithmic changes, developers test the design patterns, and do rapid prototyping, referred to as spike, which might be utilized in this phase to compare potential solutions and declare which is most appropriate.
4. Software Development Stage
In this phase of the software development life cycle, programming is done and coding is started representing the design implementation. The programming tools, including interpreters, compilers, and debuggers are utilized to generate and implement the code. The decided methodology is implemented to get the desired results.
The development process includes a team of seasoned developers as well as new developers depending upon the nature and the timeline of the project.
Ideally, the team works with tech leads, product or project managers. The managers are responsible for
- Managing team and meeting deadlines
- Releasing parts of the product (if the agile methodology is implemented)
- Make decisions & provide support to team members
- Employ resources and plan the project
This is one of the longest phases in software development mainly because of coding. Each developer writes separate code and then these codes are merged. The sync and interaction between all the modules are ensured.
There are a few pointers that are key to success in this phase.
- The version-controlled application is required in this phase.
- Selecting the correct tool for debugging, coding, modification, and designing needs is necessary.
- Before you start coding, define some standards as multiple developers are working on the same thing.
- Make sure to write appropriate comments during this stage so that all the developers know the logic behind it.
- Collaborate via regular team meetings on bug identification at an early stage of development.
- Keep close coordination with the team to analyze code quality.
5. Software Testing Stage
One of the most difficult stages of the Software Development Life Cycle is testing or quality assurance. The testing makes it possible to deliver high-quality software. A variety of tests are required to measure software quality
- Code quality
- Unit testing
- Performance & security testing
- Integration testing
6. Deployment
The deployment stage is highly automated and is almost invisible in high enterprises because software is always deployed immediately. During the deployment phase, the program becomes available for users’ access. This process includes provisioning infrastructure with cloud providers (or on-premises) and elaborating a software deployment strategy for delivering changes to a customer. This phase can be challenging and below are some pointers that can help
- Clearly outline the deployment schedule
- Educate the users on the functionality of the new software.
- Maintain a proper channel of communication if you are offering support after release.
7. Software Maintenance Stage
The software maintenance stage is the “end of the beginning”-this phase starts when the software is delivered. Here, the development has entered maintenance mode, and any issues encountered by users are solved. The developers are also responsible for executing the modifications the software may need after the release. This can encompass
- Lingering defects
- Brand-new problems
- Solving user complaints
Take Away
Software development is the epitome of complexity, and SDLC is the main element of software development in the tech universe. It assists full-cycle software development service providers with a secure and top-notch process, aligning the roles of each individual and stages in the development.
If you have an idea for your next software, an effective software development procedure is what will help translate your idea into reality.