The term “software delivery” refers to the full cycle of bringing a software product to market, beginning with the idea and ending with the client purchasing and installing the program. In other words, it’s the first step in a sequence taken by several departments inside an organization to get the software ready for delivery to a client. Sometimes this phrase is used to describe how a client acquires the goods. In this post, you will learn six vital aspects related to delivering a product that you and your team can stand behind, and that delivers the desired outcome for your customers.
Make Use Of “Containers” To Speed Up Development
So-called “containers” have become an absolute game changer in the software development industry for a variety of reasons. At its core, a container is a virtual environment containing many components that an application might need, such as the code itself, plus specific libraries required to complete various functions. For those who have not encountered this new technology before, here’s a step-by-step explanation to help you grasp this concept. Once it’s implemented in your workflow, you’ll soon be amazed at the extent to which it accelerates the process while still ensuring that the software remains reliable.
Utilize A Structured Process For Testing And Debugging
When it comes to making sure your product is ready to be shipped to customers, debugging is one of the most important steps you can take. While all developers will know the importance of this task, not all companies have systemized processes in place to catch bugs before the product is shipped. As such, it is vital to implement a strategy that includes:
- Creating test cases: Test cases involve developing scenarios in which you envision your software being used. This affords you the opportunity to foresee potential problems associated with its intended use by simulating that use in an a priori setting.
- Executing tests: Once you have created several scenarios, you can begin executing the tests you come up with to see how your software responds.
- Logging and tracking issues: In order to solve problems, you need to utilize all the data you receive from such tests. Therefore, it is essential that you get into the habit of keeping detailed logs that you can refer back to later.
- Verifying fixes: You can never be 100% certain that a fix has made a difference until you verify it.
Implement A Systematic Quality Assurance Process
All good software you love and use today will have undergone a rigorous quality assurance (QA) process to ensure it’s devoid of bugs and other issues that could render it useless (or worse, harmful to your computing device). This mirrors the previous step in some ways but also includes additional points such as UX and ease of use. If you are serious about delivering a product that your users will love and that enables you to maintain your precaution as a quality software developer, you need to include a QA process as part of your workflow. Moreover, aside from the apparent advantages that shipping a quality final product can bring, it also helps you reduce costs by avoiding costly recalls and fixes when users inevitably discover errors.
Get Feedback From Customers To Improve The Product
Software is no different from any other product in that in order to achieve lasting success, you must make a concerted effort to speak with your customers and consistently look for ways to improve it. Incorporating feedback has two potential benefits:
- You can improve your product come the next update cycle
- You can utilize their suggestions in the development of new software
Make Use Of Automated Testing Tools To Improve the Accuracy And Speed Of Testing
If your product is particularly sophisticated, or you are working on numerous solutions simultaneously, it could be a wise move to set up automated tools to speed up testing. These automated tools free up your time to work on other things and develop solutions to the issues they bring up. For instance, you can run a test with only incremental alterations, which will run concurrently and help you discover problems before they turn into a headache!
Maintain Clear And Concise Documentation To Guide Users And Developers
Software that doesn’t have documentation is essentially dead in the water. Not only will you alienate your target audience, but those who spend money on your product will lament that they cannot use it as effectively as they should. So you should do yourself a favor and invest time in creating documentation that helps your end user understand the product and make full use of it. Moreover, you should make an effort to keep it updated as new updates are rolled out.
Designing and developing software can be a lesson in futility if you don’t have the right processes in place. Hopefully, by using the suggestions in this spot, you will be better able to build something reliable that your customers will love.