Software Development Process

Thinking of building a piece of software and want to know all the ins and outs of the software development process?

 We’re sorry to brag, but this may be the single most important guide you ever read on the subject.

 We’re Daxima, a software company with over 20 years of experience building apps of all sizes across verticals as diverse as education, government, and mobile gaming.

 In this guide to the software development process, we’re going to give you a peek under the hood at our internal processes.

 You’ll learn the basics of the development process, why it’s important, which models you can choose from, and the different stages of the process.

 Ready to get started? Let’s do it.

 Key Takeaways

• The software development process is a framework that ensures projects are completed on time, on spec, and within budget.
• Without this process, you’ll experience delays, make mistakes, and spend a lot of extra money that you don’t need to spend.
• The process goes in several steps from gathering requirements to deployment.
• There are several methodologies, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The type of methodology you choose depends heavily on your project scope.
• AI is the future of the development process. Get on the trend early!

What is the Software Development Process?

The software development process is the series of steps teams follow to design, build, and deliver software.

It ensures projects are completed efficiently and meet user needs.

For example, developing an e-commerce app might involve gathering requirements (like supporting multiple payment methods), designing the interface, coding, testing, and finally deploying the app.

Key elements include:

• Planning: Define goals and set a clear direction for the project.
• Design: Map out functionality and create a blueprint for the software.
• Development: Write the code that brings the design to life.
• Testing: Ensure quality by identifying and fixing issues.
• Deployment: Launch the software and make it available to users.

Let’s move on to why all of this stuff is so important.

Why the Software Development Process is Important

The software development process is important because it brings structure and organization to an otherwise messy process. 

Developing software is complicated, and without a plan, things can quickly go off the rails.

A well-defined process helps teams stay focused, avoid common pitfalls, and deliver better results.

Here’s what can go wrong without a proper development framework:

• Missed deadlines due to poor planning.
• Features that don’t meet user needs.
• Bugs or crashes that frustrate customers.
• Communication breakdowns between teams.
• Over-budget projects caused by unclear goals.

One infamous example of an app that went over budget and missed deadlines is the HealthCare.gov launch in 2013.

The U.S. government’s healthcare marketplace was plagued with issues, including buggy features, slow loading times, and crashes that frustrated users.

The initial development cost ballooned from an estimated $93 million to over $1.7 billion, and the rollout was months behind schedule.

Here’s how we would have fixed that using a structured software development process. 

First, we’d start with clear planning to define goals and timelines, ensuring everyone was on the same page from the beginning.

During the STLC phase, thorough testing would have caught bugs early, preventing the crashes and performance issues users experienced.

This approach could have streamlined the project, saved taxpayer money, and delivered a more reliable platform on time.

Stages of the Software Development Process

The software development process is broken into several stages, each critical to delivering a functional and reliable product. 

This is the same process we use here at Daxima, by the way.

Here’s how each step works and what makes it essential:

Gather Requirements

This is the first and most important step in the software development process.

It’s all about understanding what the client or end-users need to create software that solves their problems or meets their goals.

In this step, teams gather details like:

• The software’s purpose: Is it a customer-facing app or an internal tool?
• Key features: Should it include a payment system, user profiles, or real-time notifications?
• Target audience: Who will use it—teenagers, corporate professionals, or healthcare providers?

For example, if you’re building an e-commerce app, you’d ask about inventory tracking, product filters, payment gateways, and customer feedback features.

Gathering these details upfront saves time and ensures the project heads in the right direction.

Planning and Design

Once requirements are clear, the team creates a roadmap and designs the software’s structure.

This includes deciding on tools, timelines, and how features will work together.

Pro Tip: Focus on user experience during the design phase. A clear wireframe or prototype ensures your team knows exactly what to build. 

Development (Coding)

This is when the actual coding happens.

Developers write the code that brings the design to life.

This stage often involves front-end, back-end, and database work.

This stage involves:

• Milestones: Break tasks into smaller pieces, like focusing on user authentication, password recovery, or multi-device compatibility, to stay organized and track progress.
• Version Control: Use tools like Git to manage changes, collaborate effectively, and maintain a history of updates.
• Code Reviews: Conduct peer reviews to ensure the code is efficient, clean, and follows best practices.
• Testing During Development: Implement unit tests to catch bugs early and validate that each part of the code works as intended.

Here’s some advice from the team:

Write clear, detailed documentation alongside the code to make updates and troubleshooting easier later.

And please remember to break things down into milestones like we said before.

Break tasks into smaller milestones so developers can focus on one piece at a time.

For example, coding a login feature might include user authentication, password recovery, and multi-device compatibility.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Before launch, the software goes through rigorous testing to ensure it works as expected. 

Testers look for bugs, performance issues, and usability problems to ensure the product meets user needs.

This phase often includes multiple types of testing, such as functional testing to verify features, performance testing to check speed and stability, and user acceptance testing to ensure it’s ready for real-world use.

Don’t skip edge cases.

At Daxima, we’ve found that testing unusual scenarios—like a user entering special characters in a form—can prevent real-world issues.

System Integration

In this phase, all the components of the software are brought together and tested as a whole.

It ensures the database, APIs, and other systems work seamlessly.

Pro Tip: Ensure strong communication between teams during integration. We’ve seen that early coordination between developers and testers avoids surprises during this phase.

Deployment

Deployment is the big moment when the software goes live. 

Teams usually roll it out to a smaller group first to see how it performs and catch any last-minute issues. 

This helps reduce risk and makes the full launch smoother. It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan just in case something unexpected comes up.

Speaking of that…

Always have a rollback plan in case something goes wrong. We usually test deployment in a staging environment to minimize risks before launch.

Maintenance and Support

After deployment, the software needs ongoing updates and support.

This includes fixing bugs, adding new features, or optimizing performance as user needs evolve.

Keep communication open with users and encourage clients to gather user feedback post-launch to prioritize updates and ensure the software stays relevant.

Choosing a Software Development Methodology

Choosing a software development methodology can be tricky.

Each one works great for a specific type of project, and picking the wrong approach can make everything harder than it needs to be. 

A mismatched methodology can lead to missed deadlines, unnecessary rework, and frustrated teams.

For example, Agile is perfect for projects with changing requirements, like app development with evolving features.

And Waterfall is best for well-defined projects with clear requirements, such as government or healthcare systems.

The key is to match the methodology to your project’s needs. 

At Daxima, we’ve seen how the right choice can streamline work and deliver better results, while the wrong one creates unnecessary challenges.

Take the time to understand your project and team before deciding.

Here’s a bit more about each method:

Agile

Agile is the best for flexibility and working in small chunks. 

Teams deliver pieces of the project bit by bit, which is perfect if your requirements might change or if you need lots of feedback along the way.

Think of it as a great choice for apps or websites where features evolve as you go.

Waterfall

Waterfall takes a step-by-step approach.

You finish one phase completely before moving on to the next. It’s a solid option for projects with clear requirements that aren’t likely to change—like government systems or anything with strict regulations.

DevOps

DevOps is a blend of development and operations, with a focus on automating tasks and delivering updates often.

If you’re managing a platform that needs constant tweaking, like a subscription service, this is a good fit.

Lean

Lean keeps things simple and easy.

We recommend it for startups or small teams with limited budgets. It’s all about doing more with less.

Software Development Process Best Practices

After over 20 years in software development, we’ve learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t.

Here are some of our best tips to keep your projects on track and your team working efficiently.

• Start with clear requirements: Ambiguity leads to mistakes. Make sure everyone understands the goals, features, and constraints before coding begins.

• Break work into smaller chunks: Use milestones or sprints to stay focused. This makes big projects feel manageable and helps catch issues early.

• Prioritize communication: Regular check-ins keep everyone aligned. Tools like JIRA or Slack make it easy to track progress and resolve issues quickly.

• Automate testing where possible: Automation saves time and catches bugs that manual testing might miss. For example, use Selenium to test web apps across browsers.

• Plan for change: Requirements shift—it’s part of the process. Build flexibility into your timeline to handle unexpected adjustments without stress.

At Daxima, we’ve found that a mix of careful planning and adaptability leads to the best results.

Following these practices can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration while helping you deliver quality software.

How to Determine If Your Software Development Process Was Successful

You know your software development process was successful if it delivered what you set out to achieve.

Start by asking yourself:

Did the final product meet the client’s requirements? Did it stay within budget and hit the deadline?

Other signs of success include:

• Happy users: Positive feedback or smooth adoption shows the software works well.

• Few bugs post-launch: If most issues were caught during testing, that’s a win.

• Team satisfaction: A clear process means less stress for everyone involved.

At Daxima, we recommend tracking metrics like project timelines, defect rates, and user satisfaction to measure success.

Future Trends for Software Development Processes

The software development process is constantly evolving, and staying ahead means keeping an eye on emerging trends. Here are a few to watch:

• AI Integration: AI is being used to automate coding, testing, and even predicting project risks, making processes faster and more efficient.

• Low-Code/No-Code Development: Platforms that let non-developers build applications are growing, opening up new possibilities for businesses.

• Focus on Security: With cyber threats on the rise, processes now include security at every stage, not just as an afterthought.

• Sustainability in Development: More teams are adopting green coding practices to create energy-efficient software.

Conclusion

At Daxima, we’re always exploring these trends to keep our development processes modern and effective.

Without a well-defined software development process, you risk going way over budget and creating a product full of bugs that users don’t want.

Make sure to choose the right development process for your type of project and set key milestones to make sure everything is working as planned.

If you need any help, feel free to reach out to us for your free consultation.