No “Right” Way

There is a lot of debate in the software development world about whether the waterfall (traditional) or agile development process is superior. Personally, I find this debate to miss the point. Your goals and available resources determine which is best for you.

Whichever method you use, it is important to spend enough time at the conceptualization stage of the project to gather and document requirements along with designing a user interface (UI). In our experience, this is the most critical step to a successful project. Working with an experienced team to really review the current processes and look for ways to improve efficiency can lead to much better results from the final software.

Agile development is focused on periodic reviews (called “sprints"), and there is a lot of value in ensuring the client and any end users have a chance to see early versions of the software. This can be done through a prototype, wireframes, or mockups. Each has different advantages and costs associated with it.

The real challenge of sprints is that the client needs to set aside time to review the progress every 2-3 weeks. This can be challenging for smaller companies if the core management team needs to be involved. It can make sense if there is an internal technical team that oversees software development. 

At Bytes, we use a hybrid approach to get the best of both approaches and customize it to the needs and style of each client. For example, for smaller companies, we typically start with a traditional approach then add prototypes/mockups and milestones from the agile approach, so a client can see progress and give feedback. This allows time to make any changes in the design if needed. Then, we provide intermediate releases, ensure there is enough time in the end for client testing, and go through a User Acceptance process. 

If you would like to discuss a project and how we would approach the project to meet your needs, then let’s talk. To schedule a time, just reply to this email or give me a call at (619) 933-3366.

About Me, Sanjiv

In early 2002, I founded Bytes to provide a very needed solution the enterprises, and that is to offer guaranteed rapid delivery and to keep the costs down. To ensure an expeditious delivery at savings, we added a layer of project management to provide such. Our model is proven and sustainable. From it, we deliver clients gain 25%+ operational efficiencies & achieve 35% faster time to market. Proven process.

You can contact us via the Contact Us page or give me a call personally at (619) 933-3366.