Are Project Management Skills Key to the Success of Software Development?
Are you on the hunt for a vendor to develop software that effectively caters to your business needs? Remember that Software development and project management go hand in hand. Learn more about how project management skills can help your business get the most from the newly developed software.
Why do we need Project Management during Software Development?
Businesses thrive in a volatile market that is continuously evolving to meet the needs of the consumers. Hence, it is a matter of survival for businesses to also adapt to the changing environment. In these days of modernization and automation, you are required to keep your business up to date by adopting the latest technology. This requires you to be prepared to have specialized software to help conduct your business efficiently.
So, what does it take to get the right software for your business? Finding the right software development company or vendor is a key to help you get the customized software you are looking for. However, we think that good project management skills are vital for developing and maintaining the software that meets your business’s needs.
This article will tell you how having a project manager is critical to the successful app development and integration into your business.
What is the role of a Project Manager in the Software development process?
A project manager is one that makes sure that a business delivers its projects as per the schedule and within the given budget. He should also be able to ensure routine managerial tasks, monitor the flow of the deliverables, and explain each team member’s role in the project.
The project manager will be involved in software development at all stages. We will discuss further on the key responsibilities of the project manager at each stage of software development. Even before we delve into these details, let’s take you through the various stages of app development at GroupBWT, so we know the areas where project management skills are crucial.
What are the Various Stages of App Development at GroupBWT?
Having been in the app development scenario from 2008, we have managed to develop our own method of managing our app development process. Our many years of experience, combined with the industry’s most recent development practices, have brought forth the unique Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) at GroupBWT. This is the framework that defines and distributes the various app development tasks. A quick briefing about the different stages of SDLC is as follows:
- Negotiation – This is the primary stage of the development process where we engage with you for the first time to understand your business, the goals you intend to achieve by having the software, your expectations, and limitations. This will help us formulate the SDLC accordingly. We will also inquire about your in-house development team and give you a rough estimate of the project.
- Discovery – During this stage, we prepare a detailed business analysis, research on the UI/UX and develop the architecture, design a roadmap, create product development backlog, and initiate the preliminary communication and development processes. At this stage, we should provide you with a detailed estimate for the entire app development process.
- Development – This is when we start giving life to all the planning that happened in the previous stages. Here we will begin with implementing the architecture and design plans we prepared in the previous stages. We will be testing every piece of the coding we have put together for the software. During this stage of app development, we focus on delivering the software iteratively by keeping in mind the original plan and also take into account the regular feedback on the conduct of the development process.
- Release or Testing – This is when we will be testing the software by deploying it. We will create backups of the stable version of the software and ensure that all servers are functioning correctly.
- Post- Release Support – This is a crucial stage in software development as we need to make sure the whole product transitions properly into your business. You might also need a helping hand to improve or stabilize the application once it goes live. Clients who already have the app in function will need help in improvising it as per the business’s changing requirements.
These are the various stages of app development we follow at GroupBWT. We also allow client interaction at any stage we deem appropriate to streamline the product as per your requirements.
What is the role of a Project Manager at each stage of App Development?
Now that you know the different stages, we follow at GroupBWT in app development. Let’s understand how project management is integrated into the development process to make the process more efficient.
The Negotiation Stage – Do you think you may not need a project manager’s involvement at this stage? Well, you might be wrong. We have strong reasons for why you will need an efficient project manager at the initial stages of the app development.
The project manager is one who will weigh your goals in terms of achievability and feasibility, formulate a budget, schedule deadlines, and design a plan to achieve the goals.
Be it choosing a particular SDLC model to come up with a technical solution for the business or formulate a detailed budget for the project; a project manager should give you the right SDLC selection to make the project visible and predictable. What if you wanted to add some premium features to your existing app? The project manager should advise you on the ideal one by keeping in mind your budget and the timeline.
The Discovery Stage – During the crucial stage of conducting in-depth business analysis, a project manager will develop a detailed plan on how the project has to be conducted, decompose the tasks, and split the development process into sprints to ensure the final product is highly customized to cater to your business needs.
The whole planning process is done, keeping in mind your budget and the deadlines so that it creates maximum value for your business.
The project manager draws up an elaborate project plan which includes the following aspects
- Project Charter
- RACI Matrix
- Quality Management Plan
- Communication Management Plan
- Risk Log
- Change Log
- Project WBS (Scope Baseline) & Earned Value Management
- Budget and Milestone List (Budget Baseline)
- Project Performance Chart
- Resource Calendar
- Schedule (Schedule Baseline)
- Sprint Calendar
Apart from the rigorous task of developing a detailed plan, a project manager is also responsible for setting up the work processes, identifying and selecting the best communication tools, and assessing any risks that may occur during app development.
Due to the breaking down of the process, you should get a detailed breakup of the budget and get access to the roadmap, so you know exactly when your next payment is due. The project manager also lays special emphasis on making sure the plan is transparent and flexible to accommodate any changes required in due course.
Development Stage – At this point, the project manager works with the team, continuously coaching and guiding the members throughout the process. He is the one on the forefront to organize meetings, picture the scope, address any changes, and monitor the deliverables’ progress. He should also be able to solve disputes and settle misunderstandings in the team efficiently.
He/she keeps track of all the documentation on the project status and should provide you with the evaluation reports and defect reports, either on-demand or regular intervals. The project manager should be the one to update the backlogs and communicate any changes requested by the clients. He/she has to go about project management’s routine tasks and act as a problem solver.
Release Stage – At this stage, the project manager will monitor each of the deployments to ensure it works for what it was designed. It would be best if you were getting a final project report, the environment specifications, a complete list of the app’s features, and a stable product backup. A project manager will also include a list of recommendations required for the app support and the ideas required for improving the app’s features in future upgrades.
Post Release Stage – This stage also requires significant contributions from the project manager as he is the one who will ensure the successful on boarding of the software. They can also suggest possible growth hacking techniques that will help boost your business performance. At this point, your project manager is more likely to transform or double up as your business partner.
Suppose you are looking for a project manager for the app that is already in place or needs project management services for developing suitable software for your business. In that case, our dedicated team at GroupBWT is just a call away.
