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The Great Divide: The Difference Between Planning and No Planning in Software Deployment

Would you go on a road trip without clear directions or a plan to get to your destination? Some would, and that’s OK.

The majority would have more confidence when going on a trip with a map and a plan to get to where you want to go. Without a roadmap or planned route, there is a great risk of losing time to get to your destination if you get lost, and losing money on wasted gas. 

The same idea applies to any large business investment to be made at a company. It goes unsaid that companies lose time and money when they jump into a large project, such as software investment, without a “roadmap” or plan.

According to Innotas, 55 percent of IT professionals surveyed indicated that they have experienced software project failure. Most of these failures can be traced back to a lack of proper planning.

As companies consider Digital Transformation to plan for new or better software, having a clear plan for a solution can be the difference between business growth and a business failure.

Why software projects fail and how to make them succeed

Problem: Ambiguous business objectives 

Less than 20 percent of business executives can clearly describe the requirement process of their business needs. With that statistic, if the company itself is unable to clearly define the requirements of their business needs, how can developers fully understand the specifications of the project? This ambiguity further also leaves the developers unsure of what features are essential. These expectations should be laid out from a very early stage but it is often not the case.

Solution: Engage key stakeholders early in the process

Software projects need to begin with a shared vision between executives, IT and all internal users of the software. Having a shared vision of the business objectives can mitigate confusion of the end goal. Resources like a Strategy Statement and Empathy Maps of your target audience are helpful tools to align this vision.

An Empathy Map defines your audience and helps to understand what drives user behavior
An Empathy Map defines your audience and helps to understand what drives user behavior
A Strategy Statement is used to define inputs and outputs to measure ROI.
A Strategy Statement is used to define inputs and outputs to measure ROI.

Problem: Unrealistic timelines and budget

One of the most common reasons why software projects fail is because of arbitrary deadlines and plans that are set without sufficient data. In the early phase of a project, time estimation is the best-educated guess because teams are still comprehending the project requirements. When they are not revisited regularly or resourced properly, it can be costly and time-consuming for the business.

Solution: Have a Solutions Plan

Without a clear plan, it is inevitable that developers will need to build and rebuild, which increases the project budget and extends the timeline. Before you begin any project, have a Solutions Plan that outlines the associated fixed costs and estimated timing (with buffers) to complete the project. It is not to say that when you set a timeline upfront, it will be followed to a T. You should revisit your plans and estimates frequently. During development, sprint reviews are set by the developer to review project milestones and check to see if the project is still on track.

A Solutions Plan offers a birds-eye view of the development scope.
A Solutions Plan offers a birds-eye view of the development scope.

Problem: Unclaimed accountability

When determining who is responsible for the software project, the answer should not be “all of us.” There will be many stakeholders and teams involved in the process but with too many cooks in the kitchen, there is confusion around roles and responsibilities. This confusion is often the greatest barrier and source of frustration to delivering successful software. 

Solution: Have a dedicated point of contact or team

Have a Dedicated Project Manager who is the go-to contact for the developer. It’s important to not assume that the dedicated contact needs to be in an IT role. Many organizations fall into thinking technology projects are exclusively an IT responsibility. Rather, it’s a joint responsibility between IT, business or sales team, operations and company executives. The dedicated resource manager should be the liaison between all these groups.

Once you determine a dedicated resource, it’s important to align expectations upfront with your development team so the build progresses smoothly toward your anticipated completion date. 

A dedicated resource for a development project must have a clear understanding of the business needs and goals.
A dedicated resource for a development project must have a clear understanding of the business needs and goals.

 

The software development process begins as early as the initial idea of creating a business software or mobile app. FUSION OF IDEAS’ Solution Mapping is a process to provide clear output so businesses can have a defined plan to participate in a development project or share with stakeholders. It makes for a much smoother and more effective design and evaluation process.

For more information, visit fusionofideas.com/mapping.

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Why You Need Pre-Planning for App Development (Part 2)

This is a two-part series on app development pre-planning, or mapping, as we call it. In Part 1, we shared what app development mapping is and why it’s an important part of a software deployment strategy. Here in Part 2, we will explore the steps involved in the mapping process so you can plan your next steps with confidence. 

 

Before any development or coding is done to create an application or software, there is an important process that will help minimize obstacles in the development journey. This pre-planning process, or “mapping” as we call it, can be the most vital part of a software deployment strategy.

As such, if you are considering a new business software or application, here are steps to help prepare you to launch your app effectively.

1. Define your app concept

Start by clearly laying out the concept of your app. Prepare a short description of your app so you can convey the core idea in simple terms. Broadly define the concept by answering these questions:

  • What business need or problem are you trying to solve?
  • What are your expectations for the app?
  • How will the app function?
  • How will it engage and be useful to end-users?

2. Identify target users

Have a clear understanding of the intended end-users. Additionally, invest time and effort into researching and understanding their characteristics. Create an empathy map to describe those characteristics, which will ultimately serve as a guide to how your app will be designed. 

An empathy map describes the characteristics of the software’s user(s), which will ultimately be a guide to how it will be designed.
An empathy map describes the characteristics of the software’s user(s), which will ultimately be a guide to how it will be designed.

3. Identify key project stakeholders

It’s also important to identify the roles and responsibilities of each person who will be involved with the app development strategy. These roles may include a project manager, who will communicate with external contacts, such as developers; and decision-makers who need to be involved in the approval process. It is recommended to include people from different departments in your organization in order to gain a variety of insights.

4. Consider the user experience

Using research on your end-user(s), determine what the app’s user experience will look and feel like. For example, if the end-user will be using the app on a construction field with gloves, you may want to consider screens that have minimal typing fields. Make a list of requirements for the best user experience.

5. Create the application flowchart

The creation of a flowchart allows you to translate your app idea into a visual aid illustrating the app idea, workflow and functionalities. A flowchart should represent the anatomy and high-level functionality of your app. 

The flowchart is a visual aid that represents the anatomy and high-level functionality, showing the complete flow of the application.
The flowchart is a visual aid that represents the anatomy and high-level functionality, showing the complete flow of the application.

6. Create wireframe models

Wireframes are essentially blueprints to detail each screen within your app. They are the first step toward defining the user experience of the application. Low-fidelity wireframes show basic content, while high-fidelity wireframes are more complete representations of the end product.

Low-fidelity wireframes are created as the first step toward the user experience of the application.
Low-fidelity wireframes are created as the first step toward the user experience of the application.
High-fidelity wireframes are more complete representations of the end product.
High-fidelity wireframes are more complete representations of the end product.

7. Create a prototype

A prototype is an interactive interface that mimics the actual look and functionality of the application. Typically, the prototype is created as the final stage of the design before development begins. An application prototype is powerful in two ways:

  • Having a holistic view of the design, functionality and user flow allows you to make calculated decisions prior to development, which can save money and time spent on changes further down the road.
  • The prototype can be used to showcase your app idea to potential investors if you need to gather early-stage investments.
A prototype is an interactive interface that mimics the actual look and functionality of the application.
A prototype is an interactive interface that mimics the actual look and functionality of the application.

One last step…Once your app is launched, it will eventually require updates and maintenance like bug fixes. In your deployment strategy, consider the level of support and maintenance that will be required based on your internal resources and budget.

The app development journey may seem daunting. We get it. That’s why we offer mapping services to help guide you through the pre-planning phase. 

We will also help you determine whether the best deployment strategy is to utilize existing software or build your own if you are unsure. We will guide you through the steps above and create deliverables that are yours to keep – everything from user research to wireframes and prototypes to technical scope documentation. 

By the end of the mapping process, you will be equipped with a software deployment strategy so you can plan your next steps with confidence. To explore more about FUSION OF IDEAS’ mapping process, contact our App Development Business Development team at info@fusionofideas.com. 

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Why You Need Pre-Planning for App Development (Part 1)

This is a two-part series on app development pre-planning, or mapping, as we call it. In Part 1, we begin with what app development mapping is and why it’s an important part of a software deployment strategy. In Part 2, we will explore the steps involved in the mapping process so you can plan your next steps with confidence. 

 

The app development process begins as early as the initial idea of creating a business software or mobile app. The process of pre-planning, or “app development mapping,” guides you to a deployment strategy, whether that means utilizing existing software, or building your own.  

What is app development mapping?

Mapping is the exploratory phase of your app development strategy, in which you identify and explore fundamental questions about the app. 

We call this process “mapping” because building an app is a lot like taking a road trip. It can be long and time-consuming but having a strategy to get to your destination will save you time and (gas) money. To create an effective app solution, you have to have a good plan – or road map – to know where you are going and how you’re going to get there.

The mapping process of app development is like drawing out your route on the road map in preparation for your trip. 

During the process, you clarify things like:

  • What will the app do? 
  • What business problem(s) are you trying to solve?
  • Who will be using the app?
  • How will it function? 
  • Is the best solution to buy existing software or build your own? 
  • How long will it take to deploy and how much will it cost?

Why is pre-planning important?

Investing the time upfront to identify and answer the critical questions about your business needs can help define your software deployment strategy and reduce time to market. The end result might be a technology solution that will jumpstart your new business idea, an efficient tool to help your employees’ productivity or a completely custom solution that will help your business scale and gain a competitive edge.

The benefits of pre-planning include:

  • A clear understanding of development processes, including design concepts, phases of development and expectations, and time to market
  • Early insight into design trends, functionality, and best practices 
  • Cost and time projection for development.

A lack of pre-planning could result in:

  • Lack of clarity in concept due to insufficient information
  • Time constraints or deployment delays due to considerations that were overlooked before development 
  • Extra costs due to a lack of planning, organization and communication.

At the end of the mapping process, you should have a clear understanding of the look, feel and flow of your intended software solution. You will also have expectations for budget and estimated time frames to build and deploy. 

 

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll tell you how to get there. We will take you through the steps of the mapping process to help you launch your app in a manageable way.