How to plan a software development project?

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In many cases, software projects do not go as they should because they have made bad forecasts or bad execution of the development. Because their functionalities have been defined in an inappropriate way. So, Yapiko.com brings together a team of great software architects.

If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t get anywhere. The first thing is to have a purpose and, the next, to mark a roadmap to reach it. Proper planning is essential if we want the best ending for our project.

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The benefits of drawing up a Good Plan for a software development project

No one can predict the future and it is possible that some of the parameters on which the project is based may change. But ultimately, planning consists of organizing and documenting what we want to do to add the maximum value to our project.

Stabilize project requirements
Realistically follow their status in each phase.
Avoid unnecessary work and costs.
Measure the impact of changes
Obtain software developed and tested with absolute traceability and endowed with independence from the developer.

A good Software Architect plans in detail

A good software architect defines a system structure taking into account the requirements of the project and its limitations or restrictions without leaving anything to chance, accompanied by a good team of developers. Planning is the central axis of the success of a custom software development project.

Getting to a successful conclusion and with certain guarantees requires dividing the project into different phases, assigning those responsible for executing the tasks, evaluating each stage individually, and documenting it:

Project Initiation Phase

Prepare a Project Plan that includes all the essential points to achieve the objectives set. The Project Plan is a document that must provide a high-level summary, which allows monitoring the progress and fulfillment of the project’s objectives, being a reference from the beginning to the end of the project.

User Requirements Phase

Obtain a well-defined catalog of the project’s functional requirements that will be agreed upon and approved by the user so as not to leave room for improvisation.

Information System Analysis Phase

Documentation of all system requirements to start programming in an organized and calculated way.

Construction and Testing Phase

Development of the application and, in parallel, tests to detect and correct possible errors. The objective of this phase is to obtain a software product agreed upon and approved by the user.

Implementation and Support Phase

The developed system must be active and fully operational in the customer’s environment, facilitating a period of support and maintenance to correct hidden defects not previously detected. This is a phase in which the guarantee of the software is demonstrated with support and consultation on the application.

Likewise, all documentation, both internal and external, must be subject to defined quality standards and procedures, using quality records encompassing the Project Plan (established in the initial phase) and communications with the client. It is a Configuration Management Plan, where the control of the elements arising in the project is programmed:

Configuration: Of elements, folder structure, and associated libraries; types of access and association of the same to the elements and finally guide to use the previously defined configuration.

Backup copies: Definition of the necessary backup copies. Types of copies must also be specified (of each member of the work team, the set of elements already generated or in development, external backup copies for storage in a place other than the development one, etc…).

Control of revisions and versions: Define the criteria to identify and define revisions and versions of the elements. It is also defined which elements must have revisions or versions.

Change control: Specifies how to identify changes to products, storage location and address these changes. In all approved change resolutions, an analysis of the affected elements is carried out to ensure the changes to be made are executed in all the necessary elements.