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It all starts with an understanding of your business
In today's software landscape, agile methodologies and iterative processes are key to successful software development. At Cegeka, however, we know that a strong foundation is crucial even in an agile environment. By starting with a well-defined foundation, we ensure that each iteration is based on a clear understanding of your business needs, which allows us to implement adjustments and developments smoothly depending on the software development phase. This process, in which we gain an in-depth understanding of your business, is what we call the foundation phase.
Understanding business value: the key to successful software
Every foundation phase begins with a thorough introduction to your business, in which we delve into your organisation and industry.
One crucial element in this phase is what we call the Golden Triangle, or the relationship between people, processes and technology. All too often, companies invest in technologies and attempt to force their employees to adapt to them. But this is backward thinking. The key is to find a balance between these three elements and ensure they work together harmoniously.
The first thing we do is ask questions to gain an understanding of your high-level business drivers - the ultimate goals of the software project. Questions such as: Why do you need new software? Who will use the software? What processes will the software affect? What value will the software create for your business and customers?
These discussions help us map out your business's workings and your customers' journeys. This is how we ensure that the software we develop delivers an exceptional user experience at every stage.
Scope and requirements: dotting the i’s
Once we have a clear picture of your business drivers, we define the scope of the software project. We translate your needs into a set of functional and non-functional requirements. Functional requirements concern what the software will do. Its features. Non-functional requirements focus on software performance in terms of speed, security, scalability and other quality attributes.
A delicate matter, as non-functional requirements are often overlooked. Many clients assume that factors such as performance and security are standard. However, at Cegeka, we know that you, the client, should carefully consider these attributes too. If the non-functional requirements are too loosely defined, you risk lowering the software quality. If over specified, on the other hand, they can lead to unnecessary costs. Finding the right balance is crucial.
At the end of this phase we have a clear, visualised picture of the project's scope and ensure that everything is aligned with your business objectives.
Budget and roadmap: the quickest route to success
Once the project requirements have been defined, we move on to budgeting. We divide the software into subtasks and estimate the time and resources required for each. We also allocate a budget for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise during the software development. Why? Let's be honest, a software project rarely goes without encountering challenges along the way.
Finally, we create a project roadmap for the software development. This detailed document outlines the timeline, release schedule and staffing requirements. And not just those for the software's developers, but also those for experts in areas such as security and user experience. The roadmap keeps everyone on track with regular milestones and checkpoints. And it ensures a smooth project flow.
The secret ingredient of strong collaboration
Only when all the above requirements have been listed will we create the project budget. Together with software developers, we divide the software into subtasks and associate a number of man days with each of them. Our final cost estimate combines that budget with a contingency budget to cover unexpected events that could come up during development.
Step 4: Drawing up the roadmap
At the end of the foundation phase, we draft a concrete project roadmap that specifies the timeline, releases, the number of software developers needed, the need for other personnel like security or UI experts, etc.
In close cooperation
The foundation phase requires teamwork and, ideally, marks the beginning of a successful, long-term partnership with you. To fully understand your needs and wants, a cross-functional Cegeka team – made up of a project manager, domain experts, developers, etc. – listens and talks to your business as well as IT people. Of course, we keep up this dialogue throughout the software development project to ensure the resulting software exceeds your expectations.
Successful software development begins with a solid foundation phase where your business needs take centre stage.
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