What’s the most common problem teams face in product development? They predominantly struggle to guarantee software delivery that is both timely and of high enough quality. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Today, we’ll show you how to beat any deadline without cutting corners or compromising your vision.
This problem is particularly pressing when you consider the cost of failure. In the US market alone, faulty software resulted in $2.41 trillion in costs. Seems like bad company to be in, right? That’s why we’ll share Integrio’s project management tactics, offer ideas on structuring collaboration, and explain how to use tools to maximum effect.
Ready to learn? Without any further ado, let’s dive into our primer on on-time delivery.
What is Software Delivery? Simple Explanation
Though the name might make it sound like the act of pushing code into production, software delivery is a whole suite of operations. It includes everything related to software development in a product’s lifecycle:
Design;
Development;
Testing;
Deployment;
Launch.
Each of these steps is integral to delivery and works as part of a chain. First, you plan out and design the product, then deliver an MVP, and so on. As a result, well-structured delivery flows from one step directly into another. However, we’re not here just to discuss the steps. We aim to guarantee timely software delivery, so let’s talk about managing these processes.
Project Management Strategies
The importance of a project manager’s role in this process cannot be overstated. It’s up to them to lead the team, set clear milestones, and predict potential issues. In this section, we’ll highlight the core methods that make project management easier and guarantee timely delivery.
Clear Scope Definition
Your project scope is basically a checklist of promises. You set tasks, assign them to specific teams and people, and give deadlines for each. Seems easy enough, right? Well, the tricky part is managing everyone’s expectations. The team doesn’t want to feel overworked, while the stakeholders request speedy delivery.
Striking the right balance between an ambitious yet doable scope and fulfilling what’s asked of you isn’t always easy. Take the time to assess your team’s capabilities with a variety of scenarios and calculate what you can achieve. It might even be wise to underpromise so that you’re not judged overly harshly. Be realistic and remember - don’t chase perfect conditions, just do good work.
Whatever your approach ends up being, it’s vital to define the boundaries of your project decisively. Otherwise, you risk scope creep, where extra work trickles in and pushes the realistic deadline further and further. This is, of course, unacceptable if you want to guarantee software delivery. Communicate your limits and stick to them.
Agile Methodologies
There are two core methodologies that everyone associates with running a professional DevOps team :
Kanban;
Scrum;
Both help speed up your delivery by clearly showing your progress and using minor tweaks to optimize the process. For example, Kanban is all about the visuals - your team uses a board to see what needs to be done and who can do it. This removes the downtime where a team member might finish one task and not pick another one for a while.
The advantage of Kanban is that it literally shows your problem areas. You understand what takes too long and adjust accordingly, changing up the workflow on the fly. With this approach, you stay ahead of the curve and on track for on-time delivery.
Meanwhile, Scrum is about moving fast but doing so in increments - sprints. Daily stand-ups help track progress down to the macro level and gain insight into each delivery stage. These two practices help the team learn the project in detail and keep working with little downtime. The beauty of Scrum is how easy it is to pivot, as you can switch gears between sprints.
Risk Management
One key aspect of assessing risk and dealing with it is proactivity. As the saying goes, “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.” You must account for all variables that a project can have. Using that data, simply ensure you have backup plans and communicate potential deviations to the client.
You must also assemble your team and set goals based on what you glean. Having extra people on standby or including bonus time in your project schedule curbs risks substantially.
If your company needs reliable team members to guarantee the success of your project, you can turn to Integrio for dedicated developers .
Team Collaboration and Communication
Another equally important aspect of efficient project management is working with the team. On-time delivery can only be achieved when everyone is aware of their priorities and tasks, as well as the collaboration structure.
Effective Communication Channels
Keeping your team members aware of all relevant updates and relaying workflow changes is practically half of successful communication. To ensure nothing is lost in transition, it’s easiest to use popular software, such as Slack or Teams.
A manager’s task is to structure any discussions productively and only loop in the right people. This isn’t just because of confidentiality clauses but also because excess channels filled with information that isn’t strictly relevant will harm productivity. Instead, keep group chats sparse and on topic. This is where Slack’s separation of channels comes in very handy.
On the other hand, client communication doesn’t have a singular right approach. Some will want multiple updates per day. Others will request a simple written report a couple of times a week. The manager has to get a feel for what’s best in each particular scenario and adapt their reporting to that.
Resource Allocation
When it comes to project delivery, everything’s a resource:
Staff;
Equipment;
Budget;
Therefore, allocation will also involve assigning people to tasks and shuffling available hours to accommodate all departments. As with communication, specialized solutions are a manager’s best friend here. Keeping a list of all resources and their availability in Jira or Liquid Planner paints a clearer picture and gives the project direction.
Technology and Tools
A good manager uses every tool at their disposal to achieve maximum efficiency and keep the workflow in check. In addition to collaborative tools, it’s crucial to use two other types of software: automation and monitoring.
Automation Tools for Guaranteed Software Delivery
First and foremost, automation can streamline delivery and deployment with continuous methodologies. The team constantly iterates on their work with automated testing flows, resulting in faster bug detection and fixing.
These methodologies can work through special tools, such as Jenkins or Travis. They offer instant notifications whenever something noteworthy happens. Plus, such tools make it easier to convert to CI methodology. Besides, the software can detect stoppages and compile reports diagnosing the issue.
Real-Time Monitoring and Analytics
Services like ClickUp or Asana help visualize and track resources and workflow. Managers can create a separate space for each project and lay out its details. This is then used to analyze the project’s trajectory and gather data on potential issues. Such tools work both for performance analytics and as actual error prevention.
The tools also include essential security measures, such as two-factor authentication and tiered access to information. These help ensure on-time delivery while protecting confidentiality and ensuring all information is secure.
Customer’s Involvement
Although the work rests on the dev team’s shoulders, a good manager keeps the client involved. It is important to ensure everything is approved and the client’s vision is fully there. For that, it’s vital to have regular updates as often as the client feels necessary.
One key mistake that inexperienced teams make is muddying their reports. If there is a roadblock in delivery, it doesn’t help anyone to ignore it or try to minimize its impact. Being transparent about the work lets the client understand the situation. That, in turn, keeps their expectation realistic and doesn’t cause unnecessary conflict.
The team should be able to source feedback during development as a way of measuring their success. This is where a manager needs to present the work, explain the ethos behind it, and gauge the client’s impressions. The same goes for the post-launch period. Verifying the client’s satisfaction is essential and the final puzzle piece for open communication.
The Role of Delivery Manager
You can think of a delivery manager as the glue that holds the whole team together. They handle communications both in the team and, if needed, with the client. It’s also up to them to set deliverables, schedule deadlines, and more. Any adjustments in scope or unforeseen incidents are up to them.
As a result, this person should be chosen really carefully. Experience with projects of a similar scope is a must and so is familiarity with the team. A manager who hasn’t worked with web development will not be able to run a major web project right away. Verify experience before assigning the work.
Conclusion
Ensuring on-time delivery is a tricky business, requiring the right approach to project management, team collaboration, and the choice of technology and tools. We hope that our guide acquainted you with the best practices to achieve this. During 20+ years in the software development business, our team has accumulated extensive experience implementing them. Contact Integrio today for your outsourcing needs, and rest assured of timely software delivery.
FAQ
In practice, you can simply look at measurable metrics. Is the project delivered on time and within budget? That’s already a sign of success. How does the software’s performance and feature set match up against the initial plans? If it matches them, you’ve done everything right.
It’s vital for the client to communicate their wishes clearly, as well as keep tabs on the progress. However, timely delivery mostly lies on the shoulders of the project manager and the dev team. The most important part is giving concrete info on what you need and setting hard deadlines. Uncertainty doesn’t help anyone when it comes to development.
As always, communication and analysis is key. Firstly, the project must be assessed and understood to determine the point of failure. Readjust your workflow to make sure it’s no longer a factor. Then, communicate to the client the delay and how you’re dealing with this roadblock. Finally, try to tighten the processes and ensure the whole team uses their full potential.
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