The fact is that app development has hundreds of moving parts, and any of them can go wrong at any moment. It’s a constant battle of trying to plug holes and put out fires as you go along.
In this article, we’ll cover 7 of the biggest challenges in custom software development—and some ways to tackle them.
Table of Contents
Finding the right developers for the project
Developing custom software is fraught with challenges, so you need a development team capable of handling them.
Unfortunately, hiring is tricky nowadays.
According to a 2023 Infragistics survey, more than 37.5% of respondents have trouble finding the right talent for their software projects.
And the shortage isn’t just limited to the US or Europe. The whole world is feeling its effects right now, according to the ManpowerGroup:
Adding to the challenge is the fact that hiring is a long and expensive process.
Sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding an employee to be productive generally takes months. And there are also hidden costs to consider, which are often much more than their salary.
In 2013, the United States government created a website that enabled citizens to enroll in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act.
But from the beginning, users were plagued with a slow website, delayed response, and outright crashes. As a result, of the 8 million visitors during the first week, only 1% managed to enroll.
It was a monumental failure that can be attributed to a lot of things, such as an incompetent team and mismanagement. But one key reason was the wrong tech stack.
For example, the Java middleware objects used in the website could only handle 1,000 concurrent users. So when the site encountered hundreds of thousands at a time, it bucked.
Thus, picking a tech stack that fits your project’s requirements is critical. For instance, don’t use a library just because it’s the trendy thing everyone’s raving about.
But to be safe, it’s better to get the opinion of your software development team or a mobile app consultant.
Their experience across multiple projects means they’ll have a good idea of what tech stack yours should have.
Managing unclear or changing requirements
Requirements are the heart of your project and the key to its success. They help you gauge what work needs to be done, how long, and for how much.
Thus, if your requirements are unclear or even nonexistent, it makes managing a software development project much harder. In fact, 39% of projects fail because of this.
What’s worse, though, are requirements that are constantly changing.
Sometimes, this is unavoidable. Changes can happen for a variety of valid reasons, such as a shift in market demand or dynamics (a competitor released a similar app, for example).
However, if changes happen constantly or due to miscommunication or lack of planning, that’s when it becomes a problem.
So, how do you avoid this mess?
You should always agree on the project’s requirements with all stakeholders before any actual work begins. Then, record everything in a software requirements specification (SRS) document.
An SRS ensures that everyone understands what the app is all about and the steps needed to implement it.
It acts as a single source of truth that will help clear any misunderstandings with the requirements.
Most importantly, it allows everyone to work independently.
Developers will know exactly what to code, designers what to design, and the QA team what to test without waiting for everyone else. That makes managing a team much easier.
Dealing with ineffective project management
Even if you have the best development team and an amazing app idea, it will still fall short if you have ineffective project management.
After all, without someone to lead and coordinate the team, it would be difficult to get things done.
And that will lead to grave consequences, such as delays, cost overruns, or even outright failure.
Project management training firm Master of Project Academy also saw the same consequences when they asked their students:
As you can see, communication is at the top of that list, and for a good reason.
Effective and continuous communication is the foundation of any successful project. Let’s discuss that next.
Maintaining continuous communication
Communication is the most important skill for every aspect of work and life, but especially in a development team.
Creating custom software is already challenging in itself. And teams can only pass through it with strong teamwork and communication.
No wonder 86% of employees surveyed credit lack of communication as the top cause of failure. On the flip side, effective communication can increase productivity by 25%.
However, communication isn’t always easy, especially if you have to deal with cultural and linguistic differences.
Also, if you’re managing remote and in-house teams, working in different time zones can be tricky to navigate.
Left alone, such miscommunication can be detrimental to your team, as these statistics show:
It’s also important to have regular meetings among your team and with other stakeholders like clients.
Use these opportunities to catch up with the team’s progress or tackle their biggest problems.
But don’t overdo it, though, as meetings can easily turn into time and productivity sinkers if mishandled.
Effective communication is one of the most important factors in the success of any project, so it’s essential to ensure you’re implementing strategies that are the right fit for your company.
Controlling the cost of development
Estimating the cost of custom software is one of the most challenging aspects of development. At times, it even borders the impossible.
That’s because many factors impact development costs that are hard to predict. For example, even a small bug can add days to your development time, stretching your budget as a result.
The earlier you are in development, the less accurate your projections are because there are so many unknowns. This is called the cone of uncertainty.
For example, the analogous estimation method involves basing your project costs on a similar project you’ve done. It’s a quick way to get a reasonable estimate.
However, if you don’t have a previous project to base on, it won’t be of any use to you.
In the end, achieving complete accuracy in cost estimation would be impossible. Thus, it’s best to have buffer room in your budget to accommodate unseen issues or changing requirements.
An additional 30% is a good place to start.
Preserving the confidentiality of information
The biggest risk for any client is that someone from the development team will leak their idea or trade secret to a competitor.
The bigger the team, the bigger the risk of this happening.
An NDA is a legal document that prevents anyone from leaking project information to outsiders and the general public. If a person violates the NDA, the other parties can sue them.
NDAs are essential as early as the consultation stage when talking with several potential development agencies.
That way, they can’t just rip off your idea even if you don’t get their services.
You can also consider having your team sign a non-compete agreement, which bars a person from working on a similar app project for a set period.
It ensures they don’t reveal confidential information to a competitor after leaving your project.
Non-competes, however, are tricky to implement as they involve several legal loopholes.
But probably, the best way to prevent the leaking of information is to create a positive workplace environment.
Happy developers with a sense of purpose are less likely to betray their teammates and reveal confidential data.
Need help overcoming these challenges?
It’s no secret that developing apps is hard. The seven challenges we’ve outlined here are testaments to that fact.
The good news is that you can overcome them. And the best way is with the right software development team like DECODE by your side.
With experience developing over a dozen successful apps, we’ve faced these challenges multiple times—and came out on top. And we’d like to help you overcome your obstacles, too!
Interested? Contact us today, and let’s start with a free consultation.
Marko started DECODE with co-founders Peter and Mario, and a decade later, leads the company as CEO. His role is now almost entirely centred around business strategy, though his extensive background in software engineering makes sure he sees the future of the company from every angle.
A graduate of the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, he’s fascinated by the architecture of mobile apps and reactive programming, and a strong believer in life-long learning. Always ready for action. Or an impromptu skiing trip.
