Communication is a key factor on the stage of discussion of the project details as well as during the actual implementation of the project.
Software development is a complicated process that hangs on the various factors. Very often, especially on the early stages, our clients wonder about the main steps we take for the successful implementation of the project. In SapientPro, backed by our experience, we follow 3 major principles:
Communication
On the first stages we find it significant to outline all project details with the customer:
- The concept and business logic of the project;
- The platform on which the application is to be developed;
- The functionality needed for the future project;
- The integration of external services.
Only after discussing and analysing of all nuts and bolts of the project, we can move on to the assessment and planning of the work.
Communication is a key factor on the stage of discussion of the project details as well as during the actual implementation of the project. We exercise textual stand-ups every day in order to hold the keys of the project. At these stand-ups each team member provides insight into what was done yesterday, what is going to be done today and what problems have arisen in the process of work.
We take pains to make the process for our clients as clear as it is possible. If the customer wants to keep their finger on the pulse, we provide them with the maximum information concerning the development process. It includes daily team stand-ups, weekly report from the project manager, the access to manager’s tools and weekly collective phone call with the team of developers
We believe communication to be of utmost importance in the development process.
Planning
The secret of the project success lies in the clear-cut planning. We find it inefficient to charge the developers with a job on the project that can take them hundreds or thousands of hours without clearly defining the stages of development. To do this, our project manager divides the project into stages, and stages into sprints that cannot be longer than 2 weeks.
For the project management, we use a variety of tools, such as Redmine, Jira and Asana. We fill tasks and sprints in them, the first are assigned for the developers. To monitor the execution of tasks in regards to planning, we use the Gantt chart.
The Gantt chart consists of sections (graphic bars) placed on a horizontal timeline. Each section corresponds to a specific task or subtask. Tasks and subtasks, components of the plan, are placed vertically. The beginning, end, and the length of the segment on the timeline correspond to the beginning, end, and duration of the task. Some Gantt charts also show the dependency relationships between activities.
The charts can be used to show current performance status: the part of the bar corresponding to the task is shaded, indicating the percentage of the task execution; and a vertical “TODAY” line is shown.
Testing and delivery
Upon completion of each sprint, we publish an updated application on the test server. If the whole feature set, as given sprint presupposed, runs like clockwork – the sprint is regarded as completed. If some bugs are discovered in the process of testing, we refine them. Sprint is considered to be closed only when client confirms it. The team won’t take over new sprint until it finishes the former one.
In such a way, by breaking down complex tasks into small, with precise planning, we develop projects no matter how complicated they are.
The project is considered to be accomplished when the entire feature set, which was laid down in the assessment, has been developed, tested and approved by the client.
In SapientPro we are keen on the growth and development of our clients’ business. The more successful our client is, the better we are. This simple and at the same time complex formula encourages us to make every possible effort to ensure the maximum quality of the project.
