Key phases of a software development workflow
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 4:46 am
Now, let us discuss the six phases of the software development workflow process.
Accomplish each one and you'll be fine-tuning your project for the right attempt. Do you rush things or skip steps? Prepare for headaches and repetition.
1. Planning and requirements gathering
This is the "let's figure out what we're actually doing" phase .
The goal is to clearly outline the software's features, functionality, and scope . You can also figure out what is realistic within the given timeline and budget.
What's going on here?
Developers hold one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, such as customers, end australia whatsapp number data users, or internal teams, to gather feedback.
They use whiteboards, sticky notes or digital tools to generate and organize ideas
2. Design and prototyping
This is where ideas start to take shape, showing exactly how the software will work and feel in the real world.
What's going on here?
UX/UI designers create wireframes to show where each element will go on the screen, no fancy colors or details, just the structure
Mockups come next. This gives you a clearer picture of what the final product will look like with colors, fonts, and branding elements.
The software team then builds an interactive prototype to see how users will interact with it. It is not fully functional, but it can detect usability issues and prevent costly modifications in later phases.
In more complex projects, systems architects map everything back to backend infrastructure , databases, and APIs.
3. Code and development
Now comes the part that developers love (and sometimes fear): building working software .
What's going on here?
Frontend software developers work on what users see , such as the website layout, navigation menu, etc.
Backend developers handle behind-the-scenes functionality such as third-party application APIs and payment gateways.
Database experts determine how data is stored , retrieved, and updated.
keeps things organized. Teams work in short cycles (Sprints) to deliver small, working pieces of software.
In the software development industry, “code elegance” (or “clean code”) is a highly valued practice. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about prioritizing readability, maintainability, and efficiency, ultimately leading to faster development cycles and fewer issues. Clean Code, by Robert C. Martin, is a seminal work on this topic.
Accomplish each one and you'll be fine-tuning your project for the right attempt. Do you rush things or skip steps? Prepare for headaches and repetition.
1. Planning and requirements gathering
This is the "let's figure out what we're actually doing" phase .
The goal is to clearly outline the software's features, functionality, and scope . You can also figure out what is realistic within the given timeline and budget.
What's going on here?
Developers hold one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, such as customers, end australia whatsapp number data users, or internal teams, to gather feedback.
They use whiteboards, sticky notes or digital tools to generate and organize ideas
2. Design and prototyping
This is where ideas start to take shape, showing exactly how the software will work and feel in the real world.
What's going on here?
UX/UI designers create wireframes to show where each element will go on the screen, no fancy colors or details, just the structure
Mockups come next. This gives you a clearer picture of what the final product will look like with colors, fonts, and branding elements.
The software team then builds an interactive prototype to see how users will interact with it. It is not fully functional, but it can detect usability issues and prevent costly modifications in later phases.
In more complex projects, systems architects map everything back to backend infrastructure , databases, and APIs.
3. Code and development
Now comes the part that developers love (and sometimes fear): building working software .
What's going on here?
Frontend software developers work on what users see , such as the website layout, navigation menu, etc.
Backend developers handle behind-the-scenes functionality such as third-party application APIs and payment gateways.
Database experts determine how data is stored , retrieved, and updated.
keeps things organized. Teams work in short cycles (Sprints) to deliver small, working pieces of software.
In the software development industry, “code elegance” (or “clean code”) is a highly valued practice. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about prioritizing readability, maintainability, and efficiency, ultimately leading to faster development cycles and fewer issues. Clean Code, by Robert C. Martin, is a seminal work on this topic.