More than half a century passed between the arrival of the first computers and the bloom of the IT industry. By the beginning of the XXI century, software development turned into a gigantic industry that grossed over $500 million. And nowadays, almost every product that requires electricity to work has its own software. Yet, we rarely think about how it is created, what the process looks like, and who stands behind it.
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Yes, most likely you’ve heard a thing or two about the software development companies, but have you ever wondered what they really do? Some companies are involved with custom software development, while others create software for wide distribution. And mind that there are only half a million software companies in the US alone.
But that immense number shouldn’t worry you. It doesn’t mean that each of these more than 500,000 companies has a different approach to software development. More or less, the name holds what those companies are doing – developing software. But that’s not all, as they are not limited to it. So, let’s check out what they actually do, without any further ado.
Programs Production
Any software product is either a program or a collection of programs, which comes in handy for potential customers. Thus, software development involves the production of such programs. Some companies produce multiple products that form a ‘suite’ with other products. Those programs perform complementary functions. For example, it can be an antivirus or a cleaning tool.
A cleaning tool or an antivirus can be designed in a way so that they can work with any product. They can also be custom-developed for some specific product to serve as a companion to it. For example, you cannot operate the same tools on Mac and Microsoft software.
Digital Solutions Creation
There are mammoths of the IT industry and relatively small businesses, and they do not produce similar things. There is an actual diversity of techniques and processes that are involved with the creation of the products, but there is one similar thing in all of them. After all, all the companies have the same goal – create solutions for the customers.
The software development companies provide these solutions. It can be a full-scale software for the mass market or it can be tailor-made solutions for some specific needs for particular businesses or industries. Those solutions may range from creating a website to developing security protocols for social media.
Building and Designing Systems and Websites
Speaking of websites and security protocols, businesses that are engaged in software development create apps for different operating systems and design websites. Sometimes, they craft web-based systems that help various enterprises to automate processes. Those systems increase productivity and smoothen the workflow.
For example, your company needs a specific tracking system. One that would show not only how much time your employees spent in front of the computer but also what tasks they were doing exactly. None of the existing systems on the market suits your needs. So, you hire a custom software development company that would create a tailor-made system like that for you.
Providing Technical Insight
Another thing that digital agencies deal with is providing advice to their clients. It can be software packages that come in handy in business development or customer relationship management. Certain companies even research and offer methods for business-to-business optimization.
Thus, instead of doing research on different optimization methods or conducting an end-user experience analysis, you can hire a software development agency that will do that for you. While you can do it on your own, as it is your business, after all, a digital agency with experience can do it faster and with more efficiency.
Moreover, the company can provide you with all the tools and methods on how to conduct research like that on your own. Allowing someone else to analyze your business is always a question of trust. So, you may opt to acquire the knowledge of how to conduct research on your own. Still, all in all, they make your life as a business owner easier.
Business Intelligence Supplement
Speaking of providing the insights, the majority of digital companies provide other businesses with data, dashboards, analytical reports, and other data science services. Most businesses require Online Analytical Processing solutions that software development companies can provide.
Online Analytical Processing or OLAP is an approach for answering multi-dimensional questions. So, if you want to improve your budgeting, marketing management, reporting, and forecasting, you can always hire a digital company, so they will provide you with the proper OLAP solutions.
Steps
Now you know what software companies do. The last thing to clarify is left. What are the processes involved in providing all of those solutions? Yes, when we think about Apple or Microsoft, they are producing software for the mass market. But there are smaller businesses that provide solutions for them. So, what steps are taken then?
The scheme is simple and most of the companies follow it, with a slight deviation from one another. There can be differences. Sometimes, an agency can come up with some invention that they can utilize, contrary to developing it based on the general needs. Yet, most of those involved with software creation follow the next steps.
Recognizing the Need
In case it’s a big company that has dedicated followers like Apple, again, it can identify the needs or problems of their consumers. After that, the enterprise will analyze it and come up with a solution. Also, smaller businesses can be hired by a bigger agency for creating certain solutions.
Further, the development team will take time to delve into your problem, understand your:
- budget;
- goals;
- desired results.
This will help the team to figure out what kind of software they can create to meet your needs. You will still need to work closely with the hired team, as that’s the way to make sure that both parties are winning.
Development
The next step that the company will take is developing a custom solution for you. They will present you with visualizers for you to see how the end-product will look and how it will work. If everything satisfies you, the team will start building the software with the code.
The development mustn’t be rushed, as you want the solution to work properly. Thus, you should have good communication with the team, so they won’t lag behind the schedule and will inform you of the progress. This will help you understand the end date and request certain changes if needed.
Testing and Troubleshooting
Once the product is ready it needs to be tested to check if there are any issues with it. There can be glitches, random shutdowns, or lading that would take too much time. The team must troubleshoot the software before it goes on the market to make sure that everything works smoothly.
From time to time, customers may be asked to test the program in order to make sure that everything works according to the expectations. Mind that some things may not just come out the way you planned them initially. After testing it, you make requests for certain changes or edits to the final product.
Distribution
Distribution depends pretty much on how the software was created. If it was an original development, the company can distribute itself. It can also sell its invention to a bigger business that will distribute it using its own appropriate channels. For instance, if you sell the software to Apple, most likely, it will be sold through the App Store.
If you have hired an agency to develop software for you, there are two ways the distribution will be carried out. You can either distribute it yourself or you can ask the hired company to help you with it. Moreover, you can initially agree that aside from development, they will create a marketing plan for distributing the software.
Summing Up
So, now you know how software development companies operate in detail. Their typical algorithm of work consists of clarifying the need, developing the product, conducting tests, and, finally, distributing the product. The product is never the work of one person but a team project – that’s the only way to plan the development process thoroughly and successfully. You probably didn’t give it a thought, did you?