You must be wondering why everyone is rushing around trying to build their own software development team. What exactly does it bring to the table? Anyone who is unaware of the term might consider this some kind of black magic, consisting of a plethora of strange words and terminologies. In fact, there are often several non-techies who sink in the midst of the software development sea, especially while conducting their first project.
With the world evangelizing about which are the best apps, businesses are compelled to jump onto the development bandwagon – and their competitors are surely doing the same thing. Here’s the thing: once you start understanding what software development is all about, the next challenge is deciding how to structure a software development team. Most people find themselves in a dilemma at this point. The following post focuses on how to carry out this venture so that it catapults your business to success.
Software Development Life Cycle
A software development life cycle is based on flexibility, transparency, and high-end productivity.
Why choose a software development approach? When you are bound to receive a plethora of advantages such as high-end quality, lower risks, cost-effective solutions, faster delivery, and competitive edge, why not? Surviving in the present changeable market has become next to impossible. It’s more like solving a jenga puzzle: one wrong move can destroy the entire build-up.
Before we move onto how to structure a software development team, let us explore the different types of software development teams you must consider. Now many of you may wonder why not consider an individual programmer or a freelancer instead of hiring or building an entire software development team. One of the obvious reasons is that one person cannot perform all the tasks that an entire team can accomplish in much less time.
Apart from that, every individual has some limitations or saturation points, which might sooner or later become a huge bottleneck for your upcoming projects. On the other hand, if you have a team, every individual can motivate the others so they can push themselves together.
Lastly, it is not necessary that every member of your software development team is equally experienced, but that’s the beauty of it. Each team member has a unique set of skills and experience that eventually enables them to become a great team of problem solvers when working together.
Types of Software Development Teams
Let us dig into the details, starting with the types of software development teams.
#1 Generalists – You must have heard of someone being a jack of all trades. This kind of software development team is the same: they know something about everything. And it’s not just limited to knowledge. They do carry experience up to a certain point. As the name implies, such teams are usually asked to handle basic projects, which also means they tend to lack the skills needed in areas requiring a high level of expertise.
#2 Specialists – The next option we have is the specialists. As the name suggests, specialists know a particular field inside out. They are extremely knowledgeable and experienced in specific areas, although the team members may lack the overall general understanding and skills required for different roles and responsibilities.
#3 Hybrid – This type of team is a mix of the aforementioned ones. The hybrid approach kills two birds with one arrow, as it includes both specialists and generalists. While the specialists can focus on their own particular forte, the generalists are responsible for everything else. If you are hoping to create a dream team, look no further than this option.
How to Structure a Software Development Team
By now, you must be convinced of the importance of building a software development team. You can hire several experts on an individual basis who aren’t just skilled but are also experienced, and you can consider all the latest trends, but all this is pure waste if there’s no structure to your team.
Key Roles in a Software Development Team
#1 Product Owner – As the name implies, the product owner is the one who supervises everything from start to finish. The product owner works internally as well as externally.
#2 Business Analysts – A business analyst compiles a list of needs and requirements and conveys them to the team members. Every piece of information – small or large – is shared in regards to what features and functionality the software product must include.
#3 Project Manager – Another leadership role in your software development team is the project manager. The product manager plans, monitors, and delivers the project on time. They determine the overall goals for the team and ensure everyone has the required administrative and technical support to do their job efficiently.
#4 Technical Architect – Another professional is the technical architect. They design the entire system, including workflow and database diagrams. Here, the professional draws up a system blueprint and assesses the interaction of different modules. This expert also chooses the technology stack to suit the technical and non-technical requirements of the software and provides guidance on complex issues.
#5 Software Developer – We all know what a software developer is. These professionals are skilled in programming languages, frameworks, databases, APIs, and so much more.
#6 UI/UX Designer – UI and UX designers are responsible for making the software visually attractive and intuitive to use.
#7 QA – Of course, any software development project contains bugs and errors. They are inevitable, no matter how hard you try to avoid them. So here you need a QA analyst who considers performance-related issues and gives feedback to the developers.
How to Successfully Manage a Software Development Team
Below are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when managing a software development team.
#1 Define Expectations
It is very important to map out all your needs and requirements before structuring a software development team. So even once you have structured a development team, it is still crucial to define the scope of the development team to deliver high-end software.
Capturing requirements precisely right from the beginning and documenting them can ensure the software developers, project manager, UI/UX designer, and the entire team remain on the same page and know exactly what to work on.
#2 Optimize Communication
Today, outsourcing and offshore software development have become pretty much in vogue, all thanks to the neverending COVID-19 pandemic. Now when working with an offshore development company – or even if you have built your own offshore development team – communication issues are inevitable. So make sure you have that rapport, as effective communication is very important. Fortunately, there are a plethora of communication tools available, such as Skype, FaceTime, and emails.
#3 Deadlines Must Be Predetermined
This is pretty obvious, but businesses often ignore such factors, especially when working with a software development team. When things don’t work according to the predefined deadlines, you may end up with additional costs. Also, missed deadlines often put you and your teammates at unseen and unavoidable risk. Put simply, it is crucial to set manageable deadlines at the beginning and ensure that your software development team sticks to them.
Fortunately, now we have so many tools and technologies available, different tasks can be easily prioritized. Unlike previously, businesses can now keep seamless track of different projects simultaneously.
#4 Always Focus on Long-Term Goals
There are times when your software development team might slow down or become stagnant. When productivity gets low, you don’t have to barge in and hammer on their hands. Sometimes it’s better if you take a setback. All you have to do is focus on the long-term goals, instead of day-to-day tasks.
Developers often get stuck on a problem and can waste time pondering over it. Having multiple tasks in the pipeline can help them focus on the next one and come back to the issue another time.
#5 Decision Making
Try creating a software development team that can make decisions as quickly and as precisely as possible. Managers often lose out in providing value when they are involved in every decision-making process. Also, developers often lose productivity when they have to keep seeking permission from their seniors. How nice would it be if they could make a call on their own? So try this: trust your team, and encourage them to take the call and make responsible decisions independently.
The more decisions your team makes on its own, the fewer choices you need to make. In this way, freeing up your time also gives your team autonomy. Things will happen faster, which is better for everyone.
Conclusion
All in all, it’s about making the right choice and creating a software development team in the best possible way. Creating a software development team doesn’t mean you are done with things, though. This is just the beginning! After this, it’s your duty to balance roles and responsibilities precisely. For example, only listening to the product owner can cost you a lot, as the software developed might not be able to win the hearts of potential users.
A project manager may, for instance, overlook the need for a DevOps engineer, thus preventing themselves from tapping into numerous benefits. Overall, to ensure the right proportion of expertise and new perspectives, you can always seek assistance from a reliable development company.
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CactusSoft LLC Belarus with registered offices at Kommunisticheskaya str. 17, 220002 Minsk, Belarus (hereinafter – “Company”, “CactusSoft”, “we”) is a company, which specializes in providing custom software development services (hereinafter – principal activity).
The core activities of the Company don’t consist of processing operations which, by virtue of their nature, their scope and/or their purposes, require regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects, including who are in the European Union (EU) (hereinafter- personal data).
When exercising a principal activity, the CactusSoft on behalf of the central-office company of CactusSoft Group of the companies – LitusSoft Belgium, Putstraat 32, 9051 Gent, Belgium (acting as a Controller) under and in accordance with EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (hereinafter – GDPR) may process Personal Data of data subjects who are in EU (hereinafter- Personal Data), acting as a Processor.
The purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data are determined by Controller under and in accordance with GDPR and this Privacy policy.
1. Collection and use of personal data
CactusSoft may (be required to) process certain Personal Data of data subjects (hereinafter – User (“User”, “you” or “your”) on the occurrence of any of the following:
1.1. Use/visiting of the website
https://cactussoft.biz
(including its mobile version (collectively, the “website”):
When using the website for informational purposes only, i.e. if a User doesn’t provide CactusSoft with information (e.g. via contact forms), we may only collect data that User’s browser transmits to CactusSoft’s server (so-called “server log files”). When User visites the website, the following User’s Personal data may be processed:
date and time at the moment of access
amount of data sent in bytes
source/reference from which the user came to the website
browser used
operating system used
configuration and settings
IP (Internet Protocol) address used (if applicable: in anonymized form)
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The legal base for Personal Data processing:
Article 6 (1) point (a) GDPR where the data subject “has given consent to the processing of his or her Personal Data for one or more specific purposes”;
and/or
Article 6 (1) point (f) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests”).
and/or
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In particularly, the User is suggested to fill the the contact form in the section “Contacts” of the website and click the button “Send a message”. Also, a User may send a request to CactusSoft via e-mail info@cactussoft.biz.
In this case the following personal data of User may be provided to CactusSoft:
user’s name
company name (optionally) – in case if User makes this Personal Data available to CactusSoft via contact form;
e-mail address
telephone number, job title, address (optionally) – in case if User makes this Personal Data available to CactusSoft via message wording send through contact form of the website or by e-mail info@cactussoft.biz).
the purpose of Personal Data processing: exclusively for the purpose of responding to User’s request and (or) for establishing a business contact and (or) lead generation.
the legal base for Personal Data processing:
Article 6 (1) point (f) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimArticle 6 (1) point (a) GDPR where the data subject “has given consent to the processing of his or her Personal Data for one or more specific purposes”;
and/or
Article 6 (1) point (f) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests”).
and/or
Article 6 (1) point (b) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party“ or “in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract”);
The Processing of this Personal Data is an absolute requirement. User not allowing CactusSoft to process (all or some of) this Personal Data may mean that CactusSoft will not be able to respond to /user’s request (an) or establish a business contact.
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the purpose of Personal Data processing: exclusively for the purpose of delivering to User news about new and updated articles on Blog, some promotional or informational e-mails.
The User may stop the subscription to the Blog by following an active link “Unsubscribe” which is contained in each message send via Blog.
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the legal base for Personal Data processing:
Article 6 (1) point (a) GDPR where the data subject “has given consent to the processing of his or her Personal Data for one or more specific purposes”;
and/or
Article 6 (1) point (f) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests”).
1.4. Job applications
(required to) processed. In particularly the User is suggested to fill the contact form “Join the team” in the section “Careers” of the website, attach a CV and click the button “Send”. In this case the following personal data of User will be provided to CactusSoft:
user’s name
e-mail address
address, e-mail address, telephone number, CV, or professional details and/or related information (optionally) – in case if User makes this Personal Data available to CactusSoft via message wording send through contact form of the website or by e-mail info@cactussoft.biz.
the purpose of Personal Data processing: exclusively for the purpose of processing User’s job application; and/or get in contact with User regarding his/her job application
For EEA data subjects, processing of Personal Data for this Purpose is based on section:
Article 6 (1) point (a) GDPR where the data subject “has given consent to the processing of his or her Personal Data for one or more specific purposes”;
Article 6 (1) point (b) GDPR (“processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party“ or “in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract”);essary for the purposes of the legitimate interests”).
and/or
Article 6 (1) point (f) GDPR (“processing is necessary for t
The Processing of this Personal Data is an absolute requirement. User not allowing CactusSoft to process (all or some of) this Personal Data may mean that CS will not be able to process the User’s job application, respond on it or verify User’s claimed capabilities.
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The employees of CactusSoft, the Controller and (or) its affiliates and who are in contact with User, only, may access the User’s Personal Data.
CactusSoft uses the Personal data on behalf of the Controller as per this Privacy Policy and instructions of Controller formalized under and in accordance with GDPR.
CactusSoft, the Controller and (or) its affiliates don’t sell, trade or otherwise commercialise User’s Personal Data, provide the collected personal data to third parties, unless we explicitly state that this is required for a specific action, or unless we are required by law to provide said data, e.g. at the request of the competent legal authorities in the framework of a judicial inquiry or legal proceedings.
4. Protection of personal data
According to the Controller’s instructions CactusSoft implements corresponding technical and organizational measures to protect the Personal Data provided by Users against unauthorized access, unauthorized use, theft or loss.
5. User’s rights in relation to personal data
A User whose Personal Data is being processed has the right to:
obtain access to Personal Data processed by CactusSoft,
request rectification, erasure (“right to be forgotten”) or restriction of processing of Personal Data;
object to the processing of Personal Data
data portability. The User is entitled to receive the data provided to CactusSoft in a generally readable file format.
withdraw a consent for processing of Personal Data at any time (if Personal Data is processed based on the legal ground of “consent”).
The User shall have to provide a proof of his/her identity to the satisfaction of Controller by providing an official document (e.g. ID Card, driver’s license, etc.) in order to safeguard the fact that the right person is exercising such right.
CactusSoft shall promptly notify the Controller about any User’s request for exercising of data subject rights received directly from the User without responding to that request, unless it has been otherwise authorized to do so by the Controller.
If CactusSoft is authorized by the Controller, then CactusSoft, only, under the Controller’s instruction, must exercise any of the requested User’s rights listed above.
6. Duration of retention of personal data
Unless otherwise specified by Controller, CactusSoft retains User’s Personal Data (i) as long as Personal Data is relevant for the purpose, (ii) for the duration of any retention period that is required by law; or (iii) the end of the period in which litigation or investigations might arise. After such period, according to Controller’s instructions CactusSoft either deletes or anonymizes the Personal Data.
7. How to contact us
If you have any questions regarding our Privacy and Cookies Policy, please send us the direct message at info@cactussoft.biz or through the contact form on this website.