Since the computing age began, we have had Software created for nearly every possible thing.

However, the ideas on new technologies and new software must be properly captured by the software’s creator so that the end product reflects the primary purposes of the software. 

Depending on the software under Development, methodologies can vary from the less complex that require little planning, to the detailed and complicated with a more formal approach. In this article, we discuss three such methodologies, their strengths and where best to use each.

Design thinking

The term design thinking has been used severally in other industries such as Architecture and manufacturing. However, when it comes to IT, it represents a way to create software using certain principles at the back of your mind. In today’s markets, your products have got to be distinguishable from the others while being uncompromising regarding design, usability, and comfort.

Today’s users value functionality just as they do design and aesthetics. As such design thinking is an approach to software development that incorporates creativity while at the same time making the software more useful and pleasing to the senses. In a nutshell, we can say that design thinking is not only about having the best ideas. It’s all about giving an existing problem an elegant solution.

Why Design Thinking?

Software solutions and development

In design thinking, visualizing the project starts at the finish line then works its way to the start. Through designs that are both dynamic and interactive, many teams can find solutions to complex issues. Since most complex problems need a lot of visualization and creative thinking, design thinking helps developers define the problem and the ideal end-goal then work towards a solution.

Collaboration

Creating the best solutions require different stakeholders to handle their part. For a truly spectacular piece of software to be created, the development team should comprise of engineers, designers and end users. Through design thinking, developers and designers get to look at problems from a new perspective which promotes ideas and innovation.

End product matches client’s requirements

The design thinking process involves quite a bit of prototyping. That means the final product won’t be untested. It will already have undergone numerous tests, and customer’s feedback will have already been incorporated into the final product. As such, most products created using the design thinking approach tend to impress clients more and even if there are modifications to be made, they are quite minor.

Lean Startup

Most of these principles are derived from Lean Manufacturing principles. In essence, they were made to help the developers accomplish tasks and customer alignment without compromising on quality and speed of execution.  There has often been some sort of confusion between Agile and Lean methodologies of developing software. When dealing with a Lean Startup, the main agenda here is not to create a product that is ineffective and one that people also do not need. It’s all about finding a problem that should be solved and building software around it.

Why Lean Startup?

Working smart

For any product to be successful, the team behind it should not work hard, but work smart. The Lean Startup method works off the idea that every software is a sort of experiment. The question to ask is not “can this software be built.” It’s rather, “should it be built?” One of the things that lean iterates is the need for feedback. With the proper feedback, developers can create something that customers actually want and have fun using. As such, chances of not hitting the project’s bull’s eye in terms of objectives and usability is usually pretty slim.

Flexibility

This methodology has perfected the “release early, release often” principle. Basically, it means that when a team discovers their assumptions were incorrect, they will pivot to a new idea instead of dwelling on what doesn’t work. This way, during the development cycle, if something is identified as incorrect, it’s either fixed or removed entirely.

Client satisfaction and product quality

If the customer is not happy with the product, it has failed. Lean startup focuses mainly on a single feature, perfects it and then move to the next one. Since what the customer needs most are the features, it’s essential that the customer is kept happy. Throughout the project, there is constant feedback that shows whether what is being created is on the right track. As such, it’s impossible for a client to be displeased with the final product.

Agile

Being one of the earliest methods of software development created in the 1970s, Agile has grown to become one of the leading software development methodologies. It has continued to stand the test of time mainly because it works.  The development and testing practices have worked flawlessly for several companies. Rigid software development practices cannot keep up with the changing priorities and requirements. This is why Agile’s manifesto declares a few things which when perfected usually gives incredible software with all the bells and whistle. Agile values:

• People and interactions over tools and processes.
• A working piece of software over exhaustive documentation.
• Collaborative efforts with the client over contract negotiation.
• Responding to what’s going on rather than following a pre-determined plan.

Why Agile?

Stakeholders Engagement

Fostering a good relationship with the client is of paramount to the success of the software under development. Agile methodology provides many opportunities for various stakeholders to give their input. By involving various stakeholders, especially the users and the client in every step of the project you ensure that the end product is something they will be happy to use.

Transparency

By engaging various stakeholders in the development process, you offer an invaluable service that allows for the growth of trust between the developers and the clients. Transparency throughout the entire software development process ensures clients are not blindsided and the software works as intended.

Predictable delivery

By using Sprints – a time span allocated to a specific phase of a project. You can deliver features quickly and as many times as possible. What’s more is that with the sprints in place, predictability is simple and highly accurate. This means if you are feeling confident enough, and with sufficient business values, you can launch a beta version to see its performance in a real-life environment.

Conclusion

All these software development methods work and produce some of the best pieces of software ever known. However, picking the best one is a bit of a tall order. Depending on the nature of the project and its requirements, the team should be able to choose one and stick to it for the entirety of the project. It is possible to take bits and pieces of the good parts of each method and create something great. But in the grand scale of things, such a piece of software would be hard to debug or even scale in future.

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