Successful Software Projects aren’t a Myth

Mention software projects and lots of people cringe.  Why? Software projects have a bad reputation for being over budget, notoriously late, and a huge disruption to your business – and sometimes the reputation is deserved.   During our 30 years in business, DragonPoint Software has worked to overcome that bad reputation by creating a repeatable process for successful software projects.

Successful Teams

One key to our success is our team: we don’t expect project managers to write code, testers to gather requirements, or programmers to meet with clients. Each person on our team is working in the area in which they excel, which makes the whole project work.

In short: don’t expect 1 person to wear multiple hats.

A software development project requires a wide variety of skillsets. Just as you can’t hire a plumber to design and build your house, you can’t hire a programmer to define, design, manage, code, and deliver your software system.

An innovative software developer who thrives on figuring out new technologies may not have the strong people skills necessary to be a good project manager.

A requirements analyst who excels at working with subject matter experts and translating business needs into software specifications may not have the technical skills necessary to write code.  

A thorough tester who presses every button and follows every possible path through the system may not have the communication skills vital to an effective trainer.

One person can’t wear all the hats required for a successful software project.

What are the other keys to Successful Software Projects?

1. Clear requirements that define the work to be completed in a way that makes sense to the business and technical teams.
2. Creating a strong system architecture.
3. Experienced programmers with a proven track record of success.
4. Testing and re-testing to ensure the system works as expected.
5. Deploying the software using a repeatable and reliable process.
6. Training people who will use the software, focusing on the functionality of the system and how the application meets the company’s business requirements.
7. User Acceptance testing, which provides the people who will use the system with the opportunity to confirm it meets their needs.
8. Documentation, primarily on-page help, that explains how each feature works.
9. Go live and ongoing support and enhancements of the system.

Here are two more articles about how to have a successful software project:

1. Building Software the Right Way: From Requirements to Programming
2. Ensuring Success with Testing, Deployment, and User Acceptance

Learn more about how DragonPoint can ensure your next software project is a success.