Risks in Software Development: There are many problems in the software development process: technical, organizational, and, of course, the human factor. In this article, we will discuss the six main risks that can arise on a project and how clients and developers can deal with them.

It is the process of developing, identifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and fixing bugs associated with the creation and maintenance of applications, frameworks, and other software components.

How to reduce risks in software development?

The main way to minimize risks in software development is by a reliable company. That is why you better choose outsource software development services by Peiko.

Any mobile application development project is associated with certain risks. Risks can vary from project to project and should always be considered during development, but in general, they can be divided into six main ones.

Top 6 Software Development Risks and How to Minimize Them

1. Misjudgment

When a project estimate is made, it happens that it does not live up to expectations. The team can choose the duration of the project iteration, the technology stack, and other factors. Disagreements often arise between the client and the team, which leads to an increase in the duration of the task, costs, due to which the client runs out of money and cannot complete the project.

How to minimize this risks in software development:

·        Do only the most important tasks;

·        Add time for developers to explore and mitigate risks in parts of the new project;

·        Add an estimated period for the development team within a week for a task that is outside the scope of the project;

·        In project management, the cone of uncertainty describes the evolution of uncertainty at best during a project. At the beginning of projects, little is known about the product or results of the work, so the estimates are subject to great uncertainty.

2. Changes

Changes occur if the iteration scale changes after the deadline have been approved. Clients often want to change the scope of a project and this creates a big risk, preventing developers from following the original TOR and schedule.

How to minimize this risks in software development:

·        Small, easy-to-manage Agile iterations allow you to analyze and resize a project;

·        When evaluating a project, take a few extra weeks for “contingencies”.

3. User engagement

You should consider user reviews. These strategies simplify implementation through agile development.

How to minimize this risk in software development:

·        User testing and feedback;

·        Focus groups;

·        Frequent releases;

·        Beta testing.

4. Low-quality code.

Poor code quality is one of the most common problems in development and one of the biggest problems for the client. Most often, the customer does not understand the code and cannot determine its quality. By the end of development, it may turn out that the application has poorly developed code, problems in operation, and a lack of competent testing.

How to minimize this risks in software development:

It is important for developers to follow the developed code standards.

·        The client can hire a project manager or technical director who can check the quality of the code and supervise the development team;

·        Compliance with the system of Code Quality Standards (Clear Coding Standards and Guidelines);

·        Testing after each iteration of the code;

·        Before starting work with a development company, the client can request a similar project and familiarize himself with the company’s code standards.

5. Low customer interaction

In order for the development team to complete the project on time, it is necessary to communicate with the client or project manager quite often to clarify the details of the project. If this is not done, then there is a risk of misunderstanding on both sides and an increase in the duration of iterations.

How to minimize this risks in software development:

·        It is necessary to clearly agree on when the client and customer will be able to conduct User Acceptance Testing;

·        It is important to stipulate an acceptable response time if either party has a problem or question about the project;

A clear choice of goals and priorities for the project.

6. Not enough people

For various reasons, team members have to leave the project. Because of this, work is suspended until a new team member is found, which increases the project timeline.

How to minimize this risk:

Documentation of the entire development process;

A good internal personnel system that allows, in the event of such a situation, to quickly replace a team member;

The project manager must frequently monitor their team’s workload schedule to respond quickly to changes.