At some point, it seems like every business out there realizes they could use a little extra experience and know-how to broaden their horizons, drive growth, or take on exciting new projects. Whether they're looking to craft cutting-edge products, level up their service delivery, or simply don't have enough in-house brainpower, outsourcing has become the go-to solution.
We've had these experiences, too, from both sides. We've worked in big tech companies, small start-ups and now we're proud owners of Uplift, a software development agency.
Along that journey over the past decade, we've noticed a few pesky pain points that often come up during software development. It’s likely you’ve come across some of the same problems so we created a handy checklist to help you navigate these obstacles like a pro. From fuzzy project goals and tight budgets, to scope creep and integration headaches, we'll explore them all.
1. Lack of Clear Project Goals and Communication
When project goals are unclear, delivering a successful software solution becomes challenging. Effective communication is crucial for aligning stakeholders with expectations and avoiding misunderstandings that waste time and resources. To address this, we use roadmapping sessions to establish upfront requirements, expectations, and desired outcomes. This aligns our development team with the project, leading to a smoother journey.
Regular meetings are essential for open communication, providing progress updates, addressing concerns, and answering questions promptly. Our dedicated project managers act as liaisons between our team and clients, ensuring everyone is informed of responsibilities and any project-related changes.
2. Difficulty Translating Product or Business Requirements into Software
This is, perhaps, where a software agency can help the most. While our clients are the true experts in what the goals of the business are–see point 1, above–oftentimes the hardest part is translating those goals into what the software should do. This can lead to either too many ideas of features that may not be helpful to potential users, or building in the wrong direction entirely, without addressing the biggest pain points effectively.
User testing, UX designs, and getting feedback early from potential customers help a lot in this area. At the end of the day, guessing what users want is really difficult. This is the reason that many companies pivot their business model or do away with features that are underused and costly to maintain. We’re big fans of launching with a limited scope, and iterating quickly to validate potential new features at an early stage before investing months or even years of development.
3. Limited Budget and Scope Creep
