Any sphere sooner or later becomes an object for myths and rumors from those who have nothing to do with it. These legends cruise from one person to another and in the end take the shape of something global. It goes without saying that the software development field has not become an exclusion and also has its own top list of erroneous assertions which are often perceived as a holy truth by the audience. To help the readers to separate the wheat from the chaff, we gather the most popular myths related to software development and make arguments why they are not true.
Myth #1: Software Development is Always Expensive
Well, this myth is pretty common and maybe even not groundless. For example, let’s imagine that a big international company, say, from the manufacturing industry, needs a special full-featured scalable software that would possess great security parameters and maximally intuitive UI/UX design. Moreover, this system must be maintained properly after development, which is also a quite challenging task taking into account how complex a web application is. And that is the correlation between the complexity of the software and its cost. If you have an idea to build an application that would not be overloaded with bells and whistles, you may be surprised with its price. Also, if later you realize that you want to add more features to your app – you will be able to do that with ease, when you have funding for it. There is also a possibility to entrust the development process to the outsourcing software development company, which would make your project even more cost-effective.
Myth #2: In-House Team is More Preferable than Outsourcing Team
Another popular misconception is that it is better to have a dedicated in-house team than to cooperate with the company providing bespoke software development services. Some say that if the team is off your site, it will work less efficiently than the team you can see with your own eyes in the office. But in practical terms, this theory is not more than prejudice. The reason is that outsourcing software development companies provide you with the possibility to perform full control over the team working on your project, which makes the process maximally transparent. Another great thing about the outsourcing model is that such companies have a large pool of talents, and a customer will be able to find a team possessing all necessary skills required for software development.
Myth #3: The More Specialists in the Development Team – the Better
Some say: the more team members work on the project – the better and faster will be the result. But in the majority of cases the outcome is diametrically opposite. If there is a big number of specialists even of the high level and possessing the extensive skill set, there is a huge risk of confusion and mistakes. In the result, the solution of the issues will take much more time than if your project had been entrusted to a small team of experienced developers. Another problem is that in case you onboard the additional specialist, you have to provide training, and help your new developer to integrate into the team. This entails certain time expenditures and efforts from your existing team members, which inevitably slows down the project development process.
Myth #4: Software Developers Do Nothing But Writing Code
Apparently, the one who invented this myth has never worked as a software developer to state so. Yes, writing code is the lion’s share of the programmers’ working day. But meanwhile, none of them would be able to create a good product without good knowledge of the field the project belongs to. That is why software developers spend hours to grasp the specifics. Also, take into account the evolving nature of the development world. Some well-known technologies become obsolete while new ones constantly appear. Understanding of this fact makes programmers keep the bar high and polish the skills in non-stop mode. Therefore, the educational process of any software developer is never-ending, in addition to the necessity of daily code writing of course.
Read Also When “Softer” Means “Stronger”. The Importance of Soft Skills for Software Development Team Members
Myth #5: Usage of the Latest Tools is the Right Way to Success
Some genuinely believe that the new is always the best. It may be related to anything including software development tools. If we speak about such things as clothes, cars, mobile phones – this statement in most cases is truthful. But if the theme concerns picking up the technologies for your future project – this assertion is quite questionable. The choice of the most appropriate technical stack for your future software depends on many factors: product functionality, its scalability, performance etc. but does not depend on the popularity and newness of the technology.
Myth #6: Product Launched – Work Finished
Software development life cycle implies many steps besides the development process itself. It also includes planning activities, design, testing. In the majority of cases, those who are not well familiar with the world of technologies will not include further maintenance in this list, supposing that the work is completely done after a project goes live. However, it is a pretty common misconception. Once the application becomes available to a wide audience, there arises a necessity to monitor its performance, handle users’ feedback, and proceed with necessary changes and updates. These actions ensure the seamless functioning of the newly-developed software, which is no less important than the successful and timely launch.
Myth #7: Testing. Does Anybody Care About It?
Naturally, the sky is the limit, and making do without testing is seemingly possible as well. But it is only in theory. In reality, skipping testing activities may have a direct negative impact on the entire system in the long run. For example, the project has already been launched without proper tests conducted by the QA team. A while after the system release and its active usage, some significant problems related to the system performance were revealed, and their fixing would take a long period of time and effort, which also may affect the loyalty of your audience.
As a rule, most bugs can be detected during the testing phase of the software development life cycle. Timely bug detecting and fixing will help you to avoid such a scenario (which is not only time-consuming but also expensive) and which is even more important – ensure positive user experience to your customers.
Myth #8: Testing is Not Skipped – the System Will Be Bug-free for Sure
A quite controversial point if we take into consideration the previous one, isn’t it. Even though testing is highly recommended if you expect to gain a good product – there is no quality assurance team that would provide you with the full guarantee that the system is absolutely bug-free. Even after the rigorous testing there’s still a chance that some errors would go unnoticed. However, QA specialists will conduct all necessary tests to make sure that all serious defects are eliminated and the application will function properly.
Conclusions
One could say that myths and stereotypes are built on facts and there is no smoke without fire. However, those who are well familiar with the software development process would definitely confirm that any of the points listed above are nothing more than misconceptions and would provide a range of examples proving it.
If you currently have an ambitious idea and do not want to waste precious time trying to dispel any of the myths, please contact us, our team will help you with pleasure.