As experienced software engineers, we know the challenges you may face when developing a new app or program. Unfortunately, statistics show that more software projects fail than succeed. Data based on the 2020 Chaos Report by Standish Group indicates that only 31% of them reach their goals.
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re unsatisfied with the state of your software project. If so, what can you do? You should first locate the root cause of the problem. For example, what you might perceive as a software shortcoming can in fact be a communication issue.
But there are times when you’re unsure what failed exactly or how to fix it. Or, if you’ve fallen out with your developers, it’s sometimes virtually impossible to find common ground. That’s when you should consider hiring a company that professionally rescues software projects.
What exactly is software project rescue? It’s a process during which we review your project, find its shortcomings and issues, propose solutions and implement them. Let’s look at situations where you can benefit from a professional software project rescue service.
Proper planning is key to success
Whenever you’re developing software, it’s crucial to have a good plan. Unfortunately, some IT companies fail to predict the challenges a project will face and therefore set unrealistic deadlines. This way, it’s easy to fall behind schedule.
Consulting the project plan with the technical team is essential too. If not done, you may end up with a design the production team can’t deliver in the specified time and budget. This, in turn, causes the project to run late, become more expensive than planned or impossible to even complete.
Lousy planning also means possible shortcomings, which might result in the need for a software project rescue mission. For example, if we don’t plan the future updates of an app, the software may lack scalability, or scaling might be slow and labor-intensive. Even though the application runs properly and has all the necessary functionalities.
How we carry out the planning
To avoid issues caused by poor planning, we’ve developed a detailed assessment and scheduling procedure to ensure planning is done correctly. The same methodology works when we rescue software projects.
- We first meet with the client and discuss their requirements, expectations and budget.
- Then we consult the ideas with our production team and project managers to make sure that the discussed project scope is possible with the budget and timeframe the client has.
- After we have an idea of how the concept can be implemented, we check with the client if they agree with the details.
- We come up with a final proposal and project timeline.
- Finally, we start development!
We’re transparent and always inform about possible challenges and improvements, what can and what cannot be done and the time we realistically need. What’s more, we have an R&D department available. So even if the project is very innovative and complex or has technical barriers, we can research and develop ways to overcome them.
Good execution of the plan comes next
Once you come up with a good plan, you need excellent execution. Some development teams may have trouble with proper coding and implementation, even if the project is technically possible. Poor code quality is usually caused by a lack of skill or experience.
Another vital part of a successful project is QA testing. If the QA team cuts corners to save time, the software may end up with bugs and issues that prevent it from working properly. What’s more, many issues may not appear at first but ruin the project in the long run. Major security flaws are an example.
Finally, if your developers use outdated tools, methods or environments, your project may not reach its full potential. This will be especially apparent in performance issues: lags, crashes and long loading times. If these errors can’t be fixed by your developers, you might want to look for a company that can rescue software projects.
How we avoid poor execution
When it comes to 4Experience, we strongly emphasize constant development. It’s even one of our core values. This means we continuously research the best tools and methods on the market. All of our team members are self-driven professionals who strive for perfection and constantly expand their knowledge in their field.
Our team is versatile, incorporating researchers, software engineers, talented graphic designers and business analysts. Experience and dozens of different projects completed help too. We also keep in touch with the client to instantly fix any discrepancies in our visions.
Transparency is important, as there will always be small things to improve. The key is to locate and fix them as soon as possible.
Communication and understanding the client’s needs
Sometimes, a software project may have issues despite a good plan and execution. This means there might’ve been a communication error. If the development team misunderstood the requirements or objectives of the client, they might have created something that works, but not in the way the client intended.
For example, the UI may prove to be unintuitive for the end-user, although it’s fully functional. Additionally, some software houses are great technically but lack a deep understanding of a company on a business level.
Ways to avoid miscommunication
What do we do to avoid any software shortcomings? First, we have a business approach to software development. We know that our products not only have to be functional but also work on a business level. Our business development department cooperates with the production team, sharing their perspective and knowledge.
We communicate regularly and are always open to talking. We make sure we fully understand what our clients need. What’s more, we want our clients to succeed. After all, it’s in our best interest.
Reviving an abandoned project
Software project rescue also applies to reviving abandoned projects. There are situations where the completion of a program or app has to be postponed or discontinued. For example, the financial situation might change or the software may no longer be needed.
By an abandoned software project, we also understand a complete software that was created for old hardware, an OS that is no longer used or within an outdated programming environment. Transferring it to a new platform is tricky and fits under the definition of a software project rescue.
Why is rescuing an abandoned software project a challenge? Often there is no proper documentation, or it was lost. Moreover, the team has to understand both the old tech stack and the target platform. Many functionalities are challenging to move to new programming environments.
Nevertheless, our can-do attitude, entrepreneurship and extensive technical knowledge allow us to perform a software project rescue mission anytime.
How we rescue software projects
Having completed more than 200 projects from all industries, we know how to interpret, rebuild and rewrite faulty code. Our developers are experienced in expanding applications by adding new features and improving existing ones. The QA team is proficient in tweaking performance, while our artists have hundreds of creative ideas to improve the design and looks of your app.
We value transparency and clear communication and always adjust our workflow to the needs of a specific project. We truly care about the success of our clients – it’s one of our main driving factors. Here’s how we rescue software projects, step-by-step.
What our clients say
4Experience’s solution and development process continue to meet and exceed the client’s expectations. The team is utilizing various messaging applications for their communication and weekly conference. They are efficient, enjoyable to work with, and positive throughout the collaboration.
Keith Hurley
Lead Stargazer, Strange Stars Entertainment (USA)
4Experience helped plan the app, an employee training tools for banks and developed multiple demos. Their level of knowledge and responsiveness, as well as excellent price / quality ratio, was key. They`re also very responsive to inquires and turn around budgets for us very quickly. We can clearly rely on them.
Martin De Santos
CEO, Tipi Tap (USA)
Would you like us to rescue your software project? Do you need help in finding its shortcomings? Or are you thinking about bringing an abandoned project back to life? Whatever the case, drop us a line. Together we’ll find a solution!
