Codepoet's Software Development Life Cycle—Scrum, Agile, and SDLC Best Practices

In today's fast-paced business world, a company's livelihood demands streamlined, ultra-organized processes. A matter of hours or a few hundred dollars can make—or break—the success of a small business. So, when selecting a software development company, it is essential that business owners properly vet their potential partners to ensure adherence to the Software Development Life Cycle. By doing so, they guarantee the chances of receiving the highest-quality software while maximizing both time and resources.  

In this post, we will demystify the Software Development Life Cycle. We'll pull back the curtain to reveal how the expert engineers at Codepoet utilize the proper methodologies to provide exceptional deliverables that stay within budget and meet even the most strict deadlines. 

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Definition

Poor project management, disorganization, and overlooked errors are costly mistakes that can lead to exceeded budget estimates, missed deadlines, and user dissatisfaction. The Software Development Life Cycle, or SDLC, is a set of defined methodologies that streamline the development process and ensure high-quality software that aptly meets a client's needs. 

The SDLC delineates the development process into systematic, goal-oriented steps. Teams that implement these tried-and-true methods of standardization stay organized, prioritize security, remain on budget, and deliver projects according to schedule. The stages of the SDLC ensure that every detail of an application is considered with appropriate regard, not spending unnecessary time on trivial matters while not overlooking any substantial items either. 

Why the Software Development Life Cycle is Essential to Small Business Owners

The benefits of streamlined software development according to SDLC standards help small business owners attain their goals in many ways, including the following: 

Establishes Objectives—By specifying goals and intended results upfront, all parties involved come to an agreement and set the proper expectations. 

Improves Quality—Following a methodology for development and testing ensures that critical industry standards are met or exceeded. Standardized procedures don't allow for any "cut corners" that could impact the quality of a final product.  

Lowers Cost—Maintaining a set pace for each project step keeps the entire team on schedule to meet clients' timelines. Also, fulfilling requirements and delivering high-quality results the first time around eliminates the need for costly fixes or adjustments. 

Fulfills Requirements—Planning for the result while architecting a project ensures that each goal is met. It prevents the accidental overlooking of an important feature or detail that may be difficult to force into a framework that's already mostly completed. 

Reduces Bugs—Careful planning, a specified build plan, and an entire stage devoted to testing can virtually eliminate bugs and errors from seeping into production. 

Mitigates Threats—The SDLC addresses security during each process step (rather than "shoehorning" it in at the end), fortifying an app or site against even the most detrimental security threats. 

Software Development Life Cycle Best Practices

The Software Development Life Cycle generally follows six main steps. Let's define these primary stages and explore the best practices a development team should implement during each phase. 

• Diagnose 
• Define  
• Design 
• Develop 
• Do Tests 
• Deploy 

1. Diagnose—Identify and Analyze Goals

The initial step in the SDLC is to examine the client's primary goals. Scrutinize analytics, market research, surveys, and complaints to identify strengths and weaknesses of current systems. Anyone involved, including stakeholders, department employees, and customers, should be considered.

A project manager may ask the client questions such as:

• "What are your current pain points?"
• "What are your employees' pain points?"
• "Where do you find users/customers are most likely to bounce/convert/reach out for support?"

2. Define—Project Planning

Once general objectives are set, focused project planning can begin. In this phase, the team will define specific requirements to facilitate reaching previously outlined goals. While the preceding stage identifies broader issues, this planning phase narrows those goals into solution-oriented steps by conducting a rigorous analysis of the project requirements.

3. Design—Architecture Specification

Next up: design specification. The developers will analyze the project plan and determine the most suitable, economical, and effective ways to achieve it. They may work with a designer to create a mock-up or document detailing which technologies will be needed and explaining their benefits or potential drawbacks.

Stakeholders will have the opportunity to evaluate provided options and supply feedback. This effective planning prevents unforeseen issues from arising after the team has begun developing.

4. Develop—Build the Software

Once the client approves an architecture, the software engineering team starts developing the code to build the product. Generally, development teams follow sub-phases during this process to further streamline development and adhere to SDLC best practices.

Process standardization by means of SDLC also eliminates unnecessary friction between team members and reduces excessive back-and-forth requests.

5. Do Tests—Verify the Code Functions Properly

Testing is crucial before delivering an app or website. A quality assurance (QA) team will complete rigorous testing to ensure that the code is free from defects—including bugs, errors, security vulnerabilities, or areas that may lead to user dissatisfaction later on.

Like the developers, QA teams adhere to sub-phases during testing to guarantee that no issue is overlooked. If a problem arises, the project will go back to the developers to address the issue swiftly.

6. Deploy—Launch the Software

Once thorough testing is complete, and any bugs are eliminated, the project is deployed—or launched—into an environment previously agreed upon.

Some clients prefer to jump straight into production and allow users to begin operating the software. However, other business owners choose to first view the software in a testing (or staging) environment so that only those with special access can view it until it is officially released into production.

Software and App Development Lifecycle Examples

Since SDLC is simply a framework of steps that ensures quality work, different versions of the methodology exist, each with differing versions of stages and focuses. Here are some of the more well-known SDLCs: 

• Agile
• Waterfall
• Iterative
• V-Shaped
• Big Bang
• Spiral

Agile is the most prolific Software Development Life Cycle in the industry right now. According to Statista, 82% of development teams adopted the Agile development methodology in 2015. By 2018, that percentage had risen to 91%.

Why Codepoet Chooses Agile SDLC

At Codepoet, we've balanced the pros and cons of each model to choose the most efficient and most effective Software Development Life Cycle method. Agile SDLC allows us to provide clients with swift project completion while prioritizing quality—including unrivaled UI/UX, industry-leading mobile responsiveness, top-notch security, and more.

Aptly named, the Agile model was designed with agility in mind, allowing rapid responses and transformations. Prioritizing both swiftness and straightforwardness, the Agile model enables teams to pivot quickly and easily to accommodate changes or updates. 

The Agile model helps narrow the field of focus to the most crucial elements, trimming out unnecessary, time-wasting actions. It maximizes a client's time and resources while maintaining the adaptability that modern business technology requires. 

Agile vs. Scrum—The Scrum Methodology Demystified

Scrum is a subset of Agile SDLC that establishes the framework needed to address complex projects and facilitate their timely completion.

As an Agile methodology, Scrum follows the same six steps mentioned in the preceding section but breaks down the project into shorter iterations, or sprints, to keep deliverables organized and on track. Sprints are weekly or bi-weekly schedules that roll over until a project reaches completion. They simplify complex projects by breaking tasks into attainable steps, allowing teams to work more quickly and deliver solutions more effectively.

The Scrum methodology is designed to boost collaboration between team members, elevating the quality of a project's results. Each team member has a role, knows their role, and works together to provide the client with a product that exceeds expectations and delivers a strong ROI.

Software and App Development Life Cycle Examples

Codepoet has many years of experience effectively navigating Software Development Life Cycles. So, we know what works. Here's how we've utilized Agile and Scrum methodologies to the benefit of our customers:

Case Study #1: Blue Hawaiian Helicopters

Our relationship with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is built on a solid foundation of prompt and knowledgeable support. Agile and Scrum allow our team to efficiently solve problems and address day-to-day tech questions with the swiftness required from a high-paced, service-based business.

Learn more about how Codepoet helped Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in the full case study.

Case Study #2: Parks Coffee

Parks Coffee started as a small family business. The Agile Software Development Life Cycle framework enabled our team to help this growing company quickly scale and adapt with agility.  

Parks Coffee now has over 400 team members and handles nearly a thousand daily orders. As the company—and the force of tech—grew, we helped facilitate the metamorphosis by providing industry-leading features, including updated website abilities, eCommerce capabilities, email, spam gateway, and more.

Read more about Codepoet's fast service in the face of a significant emergency.

Case Study #3: Rug Doctor

Unfortunately, as is true with many businesses these days, Rug Doctor was disappointed in its technology partners, who promised the world but couldn't deliver. Thanks to our development team and the effective use of the Agile SDLC and Scrum, we have delivered projects on time and under budget. Our contacts at Rug Doctor appreciate the collaborative process, innovative solutions, and fast, effective service that keeps up with the needs of modern technology.

Continue reading to learn how we helped Rug Doctor slash equipment costs by $2,500 per user.

SDLC and Codepoet—The Solution to All of Your Business Needs

By adhering closely to the Software Development Life Cycle, Codepoet provides clients with expectation-exceeding technology at a fraction of the cost and time that other web development companies can offer. We establish tangible goals, create detailed plans for implementation, and maintain an efficient workflow to ensure that not one detail is missing from the final result.

If you're ready to make your tech dreams come true, reach out today—we can't wait to help you turn your business dreams into a legacy.