4 DIY Software Development Mistakes Your Business Is Making
For businesses without an in-house software development team, taking the DIY approach can seem like a cost-effective solution — especially with the growing number of accessible development tools out there. However, you may learn the hard way that navigating the development process can be challenging, often leading to costly errors.
DIY software development mistakes can lead to problems and vulnerabilities for both your business and users and have lasting consequences for your company. Here’s what you need to know before you attempt to handle software development on your own.
DIY Software Development Mistakes to Avoid
If your company is taking the DIY route, avoid these common errors.
1. Not Gathering Input From Other Departments and End Users
When software developers overlook the feedback of end users, it can create a gap between the software’s functionality and the needs of your customers. This misalignment can lead to an unpleasant user experience and negatively affect the success and adoption of your software.
Use survey results and focus groups to gather insights from your end users. Seek feedback from other departments in your company as well, as they may have suggestions your developers didn’t think of, helping to address missing features or those that need improvement.
2. Failing to Properly Test Your Software
Assuming your software will work without a hitch is a common — and detrimental — mistake in DIY development. Without proper testing, your product will likely be riddled with bugs and glitches, impacting everything from its functionality to the user experience.
Avoid creating a product that isn’t up to par with competitors by conducting quality assurance checks throughout development to ensure its functionality. This will enable you to address problems as they arise.
3. Ignoring Security Features
The last thing any business wants to deal with is a security breach, which, on average, cost $4.45 million globally in 2023. Despite this, many companies overlook their software’s security during the development process.
Maintaining a secure platform is imperative to protecting your company’s, employees, and customers’ data — and its reputation. During software development, prioritise integrating security measures like authentication and authorisation features, and take security considerations into account when coding.
4. Overengineering Your Software
Overengineered software can be unnecessarily complicated or bloated with features the end user has no use for, leading to wasted resources, dissatisfied customers, and a subpar product. This often occurs when the developer doesn’t have a clear objective or thorough plan in place regarding what features the software must include.
Avoid this mistake by having developers collaborate to define your software’s intended purpose, project goals, and essential features before beginning development. Setting expectations upfront ensures a streamlined and customer-centric approach.
Outsource Your Software Development to the Pros at Kodeera
There are several benefits to trusting a third party with your company’s software development needs, including:
- Giving your staff back the time they need to focus on high-priority tasks and company goals.
- Lower overall cost to your business, as you won’t need to hire a full-time, in-house development team.
- Access to experienced, top-of-class development experts.
- Improved software quality.
- New scaling opportunities.
Rather than wasting time and resources trying to DIY your software, consider hiring a company like Kodeera to ensure your product is done right the first time. Outsourcing to a tech team provides the freedom and flexibility for your company to concentrate on business growth while our global software development team creates a product tailored to your company’s — and your end user’s — needs.
Ready to get started? Contact Kodeera to learn how we can help bring your software goals to life.
