At the present day, technology is the backbone of virtually everything we do. From simple personal tasks to complex industrial processes, we are relying on software to get fast, accurate and reliable results. In this digital era applications are helping us manage business, socialize, communicate, automate business processes, increase productivity, enhance security and much more, and this makes technology an integral part of our lives. With the advancement of technology, the software development process has evolved as well. The world is demanding for applications that are efficient, fast, reliable and easy to use; this means that developers must focus more on strategic planning in software development so as to achieve the best results possible. Planning is a crucial phase in the development process, as it determines the level of success and reliability of an application.
Strategic planning in software development involves setting objectives, focusing on the architecture and design, deciding on the development timeline and concentrating resources and efforts. A strategic plan helps developers layout a framework that enables them to work toward achieving the goals in the most effective and efficient way. Below are some of the roles and values of strategic planning in software development.
A Well Thought Architecture
An application and its efficiency is only as good as its architecture. Developing fast, efficient and reliable applications starts with the software architecture; it is what determines its performance when in use. Strategic planning helps the developer focus on the various software architectural elements that make an app more reliable; these include security, speed, efficient memory footprint, and stability. Developing an app without a solid plan means the app might have security issues, frequent crashes and be slow during operation, whereas strategic planning helps eliminate this issues.
Improved Quality
Focus on strategic planning in app development helps the developer build excellent quality. An accurate plan helps the developer start the development with the end in mind and this way the objectives are accomplished. Every application is developed to solve a particular problem. App development with a strategic plan will solve the problem in the most efficient way, and the users will be satisfied with the results. The quality will determine its success in the market.
Timely App Development (Time Management)
Statistics show that most applications are not completed in time and this leads to inconveniences or at times renders the software useless. An app that was meant for a specific event like national elections has to be complete for testing and implementation before the elections begin. Unless the software is complete before the event, the development process will be a waste of time and resources. Planning helps the developer layout a development schedule. The schedule outlines the tasks to be completed in each phase, and by following this program, it is possible to develop and complete the project in time.
Cost Reduction
Software development is a costly process that requires both resources and time. A strategic plan helps the developer come up with a plan that describes the guidelines and specifications of how the app will be developed. With a good design and architecture, it is possible to develop the software with the allocated resources. Without a good plan developers may work for weeks or months just to realize they are heading in the wrong direction, and this leads to waste of resources, while a good plan can help reduce these costs.
