How to Choose a Model for your Software Product Development Life Cycle

The software inventory of any company can be a major factor in deciding its organisational framework’s viability. For several brands in different industries, visit website which is quickly becoming a prized possession and this is where application development services play a vital role. The growing value of software in the business environment has resulted in a plethora of choices in the various stages of web and application development.

Today, with numerous companies offering software product development and application development services, making incisive and informative decisions about every fine detail of web and app development is more important than ever. The functionalities and features chosen, the software development life cycle (SDLC) model chosen, and the requirements for engaging in software product development services are all part of these decisions.

Making the wrong decision in any or each of these areas can result in late deliveries, displeased workers and customers, and, in the end, can result in a disaster. This article takes you through some useful tips that can help you in making the best decisions possible while choosing a model for your software product development life cycle. Before knowing how to choose a model for your SDLC, let us have a look at the at the most commonly used software development processes:

• The Waterfall Model
• The Iterative Model
• Agile

There are dozens of current SDLC models that meet the various and unique needs of product owners and development vendors, but such a wide range of options can leave anyone puzzled. Sure, a company that offers software product development and application development services may choose their own SDLC model. 

The software development life cycle, also known as the application development cycle, is made up of several stages that must be completed in order for the process to be completed. It enables software developers to effectively plan, design, and improve software. The software product development life cycle can be broken into 6 phases and once you get an understanding of what each phase means, opting for application development services and choosing a model that can be a perfect fit for your product development project will be a cakewalk.

• Ideation: When it comes to the software product development life cycle, preparation should be viewed as a severe pre-production phase that involves market research and business analysis. This is also the point at which you begin thinking about the project’s SDLC model.

• Set requests: Once the planning is done, start documenting the product’s functional requirements. List down all the features that you wish to get implemented – ensure that you list the rigid and flexible requirements separately. 

• Focus on design: During this stage, the choice of programming language, software product architecture and hardware and software platforms that are intended to be used are figured out. 

• Execution: Once the decisions have been taken during the design process, the vendor will put your specifications into actions. This stage can deliver the entire product or just a segment of it, depending on the SDLC model you choose.
• Quality check: The implementation process should always be followed by quality assurance (QA). All testing processes should be started as soon as possible after the start of production, so that errors can be caught as early as possible. This is critical in the case of large-scale projects or features.
• Assisting: Your software product or its functionality is put through its paces at this stage. Most likely, your vendor will assist you in this processes.

How to choose an SDLC model according to your requirements:

Requirements: Determine the flexibility or rigidness of the requirements for your software product.

Requirements	Models
Strict requirements- do not allow any changes	Waterfall and V-model
Rigid but offer some room for changes	RUP, Iterative, and Scrum
Flexible models	Spiral, EX, and Kanban

Product release: Consider how you want to see your product grow.

Requirements	Models
Full-fledged product after release	Waterfall or V-model
Regular releases at set intervals	Iterative, Scrum, RUP, and Kanban

Involvement: The extent to which you are involved in the project and how you collaborate with vendors are also essential factors to consider.

Requirements	Models
Detailed documentation	Spiral, V-model, and Waterfall
Balanced documentation	RUP and Iterative
Direct and frequent communication	Scrum, EX, Kanban

Know your end-users: It is important to know which model is best-suited for your software product development.

Requirements	Models
Targeting  controlled group of end-users	Waterfall
Dispersed end-users	Iteration or Agile

To conclude, the custom software product development company you choose to work with should have a track record of delivering reliable and profitable projects similar to yours. You should check their customer testimonials and see which ones is highly recommended.