Why do you need to start your project with the discovery phase?

Custom software solutions can provide an incredibly powerful tool for you and your company. The software development process gives organizations a chance to create a solution to meet their specifications and needs. Unfortunately, one of the most important steps in software development is often glanced over or skipped altogether, this step is the discovery phase. A report published by McKinsey” found that on average, large IT projects run over budget by 45%. Whether your company is a startup or well established in its field, this kind of poor planning can have serious consequences. That’s where the discovery phase comes into play.

What is the discovery phase?

The discovery phase is the initial step of a project that establishes a framework going forward. During this phase, management teams work together to flesh out any details of the project, establish key requirements, estimate costs, lay out a timeline. Without this phase, goals can lack detail and design, which can cause significant issues down the road. Discovery phases play a key part in ensuring your job:

• Stays on budget

• Incorporates all key features and requirements

• Has a realistic timeline to follow

• General requirements and expectations

Software is a powerful thing that can be shaped and molded to fit unique situations. However, without a proper layout, a list of features, and a blueprint of sorts, a software project can miss the mark. The goal of a discovery phase is to come up with a clearly defined scope, and this requires involving a number of different parties.

Who is a part of the discovery phase?

The discovery phase of any project needs to be a thorough and detailed process. This means that a number of parties need to be involved to ensure that all the proper information is collected and built into a blueprint/plan.

Designer

Designers are responsible for taking the details of a project and constructing a design of the overall process. A skilled designer can listen to the needs, requirements and construct a general idea of the product much like an architect or an engineer lays out a blueprint prior to building.

Business Analyst

A business analyst is another important member of the team. He can provide insight into many aspects of the business and how certain tools might integrate and improve processes. The business analyst is there to clarify business requirements and provide an in-depth look at how the project will affect the company. Business analysts offer a unique advantage within software development, take a look at what a good business analyst should bring to the table.

Software Architect

The inclusion of a software architect is pretty obvious, as they are the ones responsible for building and testing the software. Having a software architect involved allows them to get on the front end so that they can better understand the intent and thought behind the project. They can also provide valuable insight into how the software can potentially work.

Project Manager

Project managers play an important role in just about any business, and software development is no different. While different industries may have a variety of definitions and responsibilities for a project manager, their primary concern is the management and completion of assigned tasks. They should be the go-to resource for anything related to ongoing tasks and should facilitate communication and resources as needed.

What if we skip the discovery phase in software development?

The discovery phase serves as an initial testing ground for thoughts and ideas before getting fully invested in a master plan. It allows you to establish realistic expectations based on your budget and timeline. But what happens if a discovery phase is skipped?

• There is a high level of uncertainty due to a lack of detail and information.
• Team members can struggle to understand the full scope. This can lead to misunderstandings and wasted resources and money.
• Enforced customizations during the launched project workflow
• The final product does not meet expectations or live up to standards. Without the initial discussion, key features can be completely missing or omitted from the final product.

Benefits of the discovery phase

The discovery phase entails quite a lot of work and coordination, but it’s a vital part of putting together a successful plan. With so many moving parts and pieces, it’s extremely important to establish expectations ahead of time before jumping straight in. But what other benefits does the project discovery phase offer?

• Establishes a much more accurate estimate based on your budget.

• Optimizes cost development.

• Provides a comprehensive and clear vision of your end goal.

• Minimizes risk by going through issues and details beforehand.

• Establishes and maintains a great relationship with vendors and clients throughout the entire process.

How long does the discovery phase in software development take?

The timeline of a discovery phase really depends on the scope and the extent of the job in question. This can range from a week up to a month in time as jobs become more complex and intricate. But investing time upfront can help save months during the development and implemented phases later on.

If you want to know what’s included in the discovery phase, click and read full original article here https://inventorsoft.co/blog/why-do-you-need-to-start-your-project-with-the-discovery-phase