Easing Growing Pains for Start-ups Throughout a Project’s Lifecycle

On demand Web 2.0 project development can increase efficiency and cut costs for start-up IT companies that want to concentrate on their business and leave the technical work to us.

Web 2.0 and SaaS solutions typically follow a basic lifecycle. It’s smart business for IT start-ups to outsource their software development projects to Redwerk because it leverages our development expertise without draining in-house resources. Our team knows the ins and outs of a full start-up lifecycle from its inception and development to ongoing enhancements, support and maintenance.

The cost of developing Web 2.0 and SaaS solutions can be hefty for IT start-ups in terms of pulling resources away from the business side of the company. For several time, cost and resource-saving reasons, more and more IT start-ups find it beneficial to outsource parts of or the entire development process from A to Z. Having built and deployed more complex systems than our team can count, we’ve learned exactly what it takes to develop and launch powerful, ever-changing 2.0 solutions.

Fleshing out a concept

Perhaps out of all the development stages, the concept phase has the widest parameters. Redwerk’s developers have moved quickly into development based on a vague idea scribbled on a napkin. We’ve also brought to life multiple pages of highly specific end user objectives. Either way, our team leans toward quick prototyping, saving you time and money. However, the project’s concept must have a basic foundation on which to build: function requirements, budget and a timeline for milestones and final execution.

Functionality is key. Though it can change throughout the lifecycle and well beyond initial deployment, the basics and a map for future evolution must be established as a guideline early on. If you don’t have a clear blueprint to follow, our development experts can help you outline design preferences, wants versus needs, and the requirements for the user interface. For one of our clients, this required in-depth evaluations of existing commercial and open source Web crawling solutions. We determined that developing a crawler from the ground up was the only way our client, Linktiger, would meet their robust SaaS solution requirements and result in a very competitive, attractive product.

Staying on budget right from the start is important to companies of all sizes, especially start-ups and in this economy. Having flexible project models ranging from time & material to fixed quote and dedicated teams help you keep costs under control. Dragging out a SaaS or Web 2.0 project isn’t acceptable in a fast paced environment. From the beginning, your deadlines must be met by doing things the right way the first time, avoiding expensive delays later and ensuring your solution remains a contender in a competitive market.

Validating the project’s value

Before moving forward to the next stage of development, preliminary testing is in order. Gauging the project’s value to your company or target audience is essential. No value? No need to continue. Potential value? Return to the drawing board to rethink the blueprint or usability architecture. Assessing value in the early stages dramatically lowers your risk and confirms your investment will have an equitable return financially and competitively.

Redwerk has years of experience developing a wide range of SaaS and Web 2.0 solutions using virtually every platform out there. We confidently provide guidance on what works, what doesn’t and how to refine the project over time to ensure a successful deployment.

Sometimes, validation is complete and clients partner with Redwerk to bring the project to life. DotGov, Inc. had a vision for a 2.0 app that would change the way citizens interacted with their local governments- YouTown. Redwerk assembled a managed development team to handle the initial architecture design and develop the app from scratch. Now being adapted by several U.S. cities, our team continues to enhance the solution with additional features on the front and back ends based on feedback.

Moving into the development phase: v.1.0

This takes more than crossing your fingers and hoping it works. With the architectural design and function requirements in place, our team begins the process of designing the interfaces and detailing their functions. Basically, the design is transformed into working code- the true definition of project development.

A benefit of outsourcing solutions development to Redwerk is scalability. We assemble a team based on a project’s the requirements, complexity and deadline. Depending on the requirements, your dedicated team might include a project manager, software developer, beta testers and whoever else is needed to complete the project right, on time and on budget. For DotGov, Inc. this meant delivering a fully functional beta with a Web user interface for governments and the mobile app for end users using a wide range of platforms and technologies in just 3 months.

Test, test and test again

Testing thoroughly and frequently during the development process avoids deadline and budget-killing issues down the road. Our quality assurance (QA) engineers have come to the rescue in the 11^th hour when others have failed to heed this very simple rule: QA engineers should do the testing throughout the project’s development, not the end user post launch.

Testing early and often also mitigates expensive changes and shortens the development cycle. It allows for implementing changes based on user feedback during the early phases, moving forward with solid code rather than back tracking.

Deploy and document the original architecture

With testing complete, deployment begins. The user interface is perfected, the backend is working smoothly and the SaaS or Web 2.0 solution is ready to integrate into your current system or launch to the public/end user.

As the solution follows a natural progression of usage, it’s normal to experience a certain amount of growth or change. It’s a maturation process so to speak. Documenting the original design is absolutely critical to facilitate future maintenance and enhancements, which is difficult to do without the original blueprint, especially if your in-house team takes over from the original developers.

In the case of the YouTown app, we had to ensure the original architecture was able to handle future changing information feed formats from any number of local governments in addition to the current RSS, iCalendar and KML/KMZ formats. 2.0 solutions are very fluid so the user interface was built to easily adapt to changing user needs.

Keeping solutions relevant

Fixing issues or bugs and enhancing or expanding functionality post launch can be just as time consuming as the initial development phase. Altering, rewriting or modifying code might be necessary, which can differ from the original design blueprint.

Redwerk can provide the documentation and post-launch support for your program or application. Companies often find a long-term contract is a wise investment versus bringing on a new developer who has no experience with the solution’s original architecture and future development.

V.2 ready or not

As soon as your new SaaS/Web 2.0 solution launches, it seems there is an instant need for the next version. It’s an inherent part of the age of technology driven by changing user needs and customer requests for new features. Evolving versions have become an expectation. Start-ups today must view their solutions as an on-going lifecycle that never stops.

Of course, developers with prior experience working with the solution are going to manage and produce these next generation versions much quicker and more cost effectively. And that will positively impact your bottom line, increase satisfaction among your customers and end users and leave start-ups with the time and resources to grow their businesses.