Software Development Life Cycle: 4 Tips For a Successful SDLC

Knowing how to successfully implement a software development lifecycle (SDLC) is a critical factor in project success and future growth. In order to help you determine if your chosen team is capable to the task, we have gathered together four tips for a more successful SDLC.

Tip #1: Development from A-Z

The term software development lifecycle is most commonly used in systems engineering, information systems, and software engineering to describe a multi-step strategy for software development or implementation.

Generally speaking, the software development lifecycle has at least five steps: planning, creating, testing, quality assurance, and deploying and evaluating an information system. When you are looking for a team of software engineers to conduct new work, make sure they can take on every aspect of the project. In other words, you want to hire a team that is capable of planning the SDLC, monitoring and analyzing the testing phase, and finishing with the deployment of the new system.

Having one team that can successfully complete all phases of an SDLC will save you both time and money.

Tip #2: Eager Partnership

You may have heard that working with an offshore development team requires a bit of "hand holding." Some service providers are notorious for needing the extra guidance to only do exactly what you ask of them and nothing more. This type of management will pull you away from other projects. As a result, you will be caught up in every aspect of the SDLC, rather than simply reviewing the end-results of each phase.

To remedy the latter situation, be sure that you are working with a firm that is eager for the partnership as well as being a reputable and trusted outsourcing partner. The development team you chose should be ready, and willing, to successfully implement each phase of the SDLC, while simultaneously keeping an open line of communication, so that you can remain updated (but not overly involved) during all phases. The latter mentality will result in a smooth and effective process.

Tip #3: Industry-Leading Experience

When it comes to implementing a successful software development lifecycle, experience reigns king. You should look for an onshore outsourcing firm that is willing to staff your project with senior programmers. Generally speaking, senior programmers have the professional experience needed to provide you with high-level and high-quality products. When looking through their resumes be sure to scout for projects completed for other industry-leaders, as well as highly innovative projects that the senior programmer worked on, which led to great improvements within your specific industry. The latter types of credentials will translate to a greater understanding of your specific SDLC requirements, as well as the ability to leverage these past performances for future successes.

Tip #4: Experienced Developers are Communicative, Highly Collaborative, and Take Ownership of Projects

Experienced developers must meet the following criteria: communicative, highly collaborative, and the ability to take ownership of the project. These latter factors will go a long way towards positively influencing the outcome of your software development lifecycle. Finally, an experienced developer will more effectively work alongside of you, suggest improvements along the way, and customize or refine the project throughout all of the development phases.

The moral of the story for a successful software development lifecycle is to work with outsourced developers who are capable of development across all phases, eager participants, and have senior-level experience across multiple industry-leading projects.