Tag: Software & App Development

Regarding programming for the JVM and Android, Kotlin is superior to Java in many aspects, yet usable in the same projects as Java. But what is Kotlin other than a Java replacement?

This blog will discuss why Kotlin has grown in popularity, its advantages, and what tasks users typically use it for. We hope that by the end, our readers will understand better what the language is all about.

Why is Kotlin so popular?

Kotlin was the fastest-growing language on GitHub in 2018, with 2.6 times as many developers as in 2017. According to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, it is the fourth most popular programming language.

Because of its better syntax and safety features, Kotlin is a more productive alternative than Java, and its interoperability with Java allows developers to reuse existing Java code and libraries. Furthermore, Google has declared that Kotlin is the recommended language for developing Android apps.

8 powerful Kotlin features

Most people believe Kotlin is a viable Java alternative because it can run on open-source platforms. With Java code, we can assemble it, Javascript code, and Java libraries. Kotlin also has its libraries, which can be accessed via the Application programming interface.

A lot of the same tasks are done over and over again in Java, which makes the code lengthy. In contrast, Kotlin is more streamlined and up-to-date. As a result, it is simple enough for beginners to grasp. It reduces functional code and eliminates code that performs the same functions. Null point exceptions are no longer necessary in Kotlin, and semicolons (;), which are required in Java but not in Kotlin, are optional. There is also no issue if the user’s default app is being used.

Kotlin is an easy-to-learn programming language. It also comes pre-installed with a variety of helpful programs. Kotlin allows you to write concise versions of Java applications that would otherwise be too long to write in Java. It indicates that it accomplishes the same task with less code yet achieves the same outcomes. The less time spent writing a shortcode, the more money saved.

Here are some advantages of Kotlin to make you better understand its strengths:

1. Object-Oriented Programming (OOPs)

Even though it supports top-level functions, the fact that Kotlin’s also a functional programming language is simply the beginning of the narrative. Higher-order functions, anonymous functions, lambdas, inline functions, closures, tail recursion, and generics are some of the language’s additional characteristics. Kotlin, in other words, is a functional language in every meaning of the term. It has all of the characteristics and advantages of an OOPs language.

2. Security

To avoid common blunders, Kotlin was created to eliminate the risk that references to null pointers posed and to make dealing with null data easier. It accomplishes this by making the value “null” prohibited for standard types, creating types that can accept “null” as a value, and using shorthand notations to deal with “null” tests.

3. Java interoperability

One of the crucial aspects of Kotlin is that it is entirely compatible with Java syntax. If a code base is written in Java, it may be compatible with Kotlin and vice versa.

4. Simple Learning Curve

Because the syntax is simple, learning it is quick, simple, and natural. It makes an excellent choice for anyone learning their first programming language.

5. Routines

Threads that don’t accomplish multiple works are referred to as “coroutines” in the Kotlin programming language. When they are inside a CoroutineScope, you start them with the launch coroutine builder. RunBlocking is one of the greatest coroutine scopes since it impacts the code block that the coroutine executes. Coroutines, in general, improve the efficiency of asynchronous programming. They accomplish this by making time-consuming processes like network calls and database access faster and easier. They also eliminate the necessity for follow-up calls.

6. Cross-Platform Development

Every type of programming can be done by Kotlin, from server-side to client-side web development to Android and iOS development. Because the language runs on the JVM, the same code can be used on a variety of systems.

7. Adaptability

Kotlin allows developers to choose whatever programming style works best for them. As a result, it is a flexible language containing portions that are both functional and object-oriented. All of this contributes to a more enjoyable programming experience.

8. Support

Kotlin comes with support for a wide variety of Android tools. This includes Android Studio, Android KTX, and Android SDK, which make it easier to make apps for Android. It also has a group of developers who are always working to improve the language and make documentation for it.

Where is Kotlin used?

Kotlin was created to improve daily app development, particularly on the server side or client side for sophisticated Android programming. This is what inspired the development of the Kotlin programming language. On the other hand, it may be utilized for any type of development and has several applications.

This is a programming language used by developers to create apps for mobile devices as well as servers. Kotlin leverages JavaFX, JavaScript, and other related technologies in addition to constructing the backend. Kotlin is a programming language that is native to any desktop or mobile environment. Some Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets works well with it as well.

Let’s look at the fields where it is useful.

Web Development on the Back End

Programmers frequently use Kotlin and the JVM for back-end web development. It is because, even when the code is the same, they require less code to be written than Java.

With this, most Java-specific terms can be omitted or considerably reduced. For example, code written in Kotlin is frequently shorter and easier to understand than code written in Java.

It is an excellent language for working on large projects with several teams. When developers from different modules collaborate to create the back end by sharing code, they might boost their productivity.

Complete Web Development

When developing websites with a server-side component, it makes perfect sense to use it. After all, people have been using Java since its inception. However, integrating it with JS and using the Kotlin/JS combo is also useful for front-end development.

Developers may access robust APIs for browsers and the web while keeping their code tidy using Kotlin/JS. Full-Stack All developers need to know is how to utilize it. They can write front-end code in the same language used for the back-end. To run the code in the browser it converts it to JavaScript.

Server-Side Programming

This programming language, when paired with JS, is not only useful for back-end web development but also for server-side web development.

Kotlin/JS not only allows you to leverage powerful browser and web APIs, but it also ensures that your code is always type-safe.

Android App Development

Kotlin is one of the best languages for developing Android apps because it allows developers to write quick, clear, and secure codes. Android Studio is the official integrated development environment (IDE) for developing Android applications. It completely supports Kotlin. It means that you may utilize the same code completion and type-checking tools in Kotlin as in Java.

Because most consumers now use their mobile phones to connect to the internet, most businesses must have a mobile presence. Even if Kotlin were exclusively utilized to create Android apps, there would still be a high need for Kotlin developers because Android accounts for more than 70% of the mobile phone market. Nonetheless, it can be utilized for a variety of additional purposes.

Click here if you need help choosing the best App Development company!

Data Science

Data scientists have long used Java to process large amounts of data, search for patterns, and generate hypotheses. It is natural to believe that Kotlin will be employed in this industry as well.

Data scientists can build their own Kotlin code, but they can still use all of the Java libraries they’ve previously used for Java projects. It is supported by Jupyter and Zeppelin. These are two tools that many data scientists use regularly to view data and conduct exploratory research.

Mobile Cross-Platform Development

In contrast to other cross-platform app development tools, Kotlin’s Multiplatform Mobile (KMM) allows you to access iOS and Android-only capabilities.

The best part about KMM is that it eliminates the need to add new programming languages to a codebase to create cross-platform software. As a result, Android and iOS users will enjoy the experience they desire as it simplifies the app development process for mobile devices.

Final Thoughts

Kotlin is a modern programming language that is simpler to write than Java yet performs the same functions. Compared to Java, the language makes it quicker and faster to create Android apps and apps that run on many platforms using the JVM.

Before deciding between the two, determine which one will best meet your needs and goals. It is simple to use, works well, is secure, and many developers globally trust it & recommend it for Android app development.

Today’s web development scene is fast-paced and diverse. Web developers around the world deploy a combination of tools and technologies to facilitate a faster and more effective web development process. With the creation of new programming languages by the day, it is a rapidly unfolding arena, so much so, that for a layman or a technologically challenged person it is astoundingly confusing to grasp things and navigate in a variety of frameworks and technologies. In the end, choosing the technology that suits specific needs in an optimal way becomes a huge challenge.

In this post, we will try to shed some light on today’s most talked-about web development technology: MEAN stack development. What is it? And why should you consider hiring a MEAN stack development company for your web project?

Why Mean Stack? See Infographic for a Quick Answer

 

Okay so first things first, MEAN stack is essentially a combination of JavaScript-based web development technologies that encompasses MongoDB, ExpressJS, AngularJS, and NodeJS. More on the most sought after AngularJS frameworks here. These four components are used by a MEAN stack development company in a stack together to develop a web application (hence the name). Surprisingly, each of these technologies was developed at different times. But they bundle together to form the MEAN stack and achieve something tremendous: JavaScript utilization.

It is JavaScript that binds MEAN together. JavaScript being a dynamic programming language works for both client-side and server-side web application development in this particular arrangement thus bringing invaluable efficiency to MEAN stack development services. The infographic below quickly shows the value that MEAN stack development brings. Feel free to embed it in your own site/blog if it’s relevant:

Why MEAN.JS?

 

Read on for a more detailed explanation on the ‘whys’ below. Here, we are going to list down 7 features of MEAN stack development services to summarize their potential as ideal solutions for cloud-based applications and also to help you understand why you should be using these on your next development project.

1. JavaScript All-Around

 

The primary reason for favoring MEAN stack by development companies over alternatives is because of the utilization of a common language for both front end and back end development. Since all 4 technologies in MEAN are written in JavaScript, your web development process becomes elegant and clean. Using the Node.js platform brings JavaScript implementation on the backend and with Angular.js, using JavaScript on the frontend, it becomes more accessible and efficient to reuse code from the back-end to the front-end.

Summary: Java-based technologies at both the front end and back end create an efficient and harmonious web solution.

2. MEAN Stack is Cost-Efficient

 

It is advantageous for business owners to work with MEAN stack since they do not need to hire different programmers to work on a single project. MEAN stack has essentially introduced a new coding profile, which is a full-stack JavaScript developer. It is also super convenient to have several JavaScript programmers in a team from the point of view of mutual collaboration and team management, pertaining to their similar technical backgrounds. Additionally, all the technologies bundled in the MEAN stack are free to use and open-source in nature. Hence, you can benefit from future developments or version upgrades in the way of contributions done by a vast community of developers.

Summary: Being open-source, MEAN stack requires fewer resources to develop and its highly coherent development philosophy allows for excellent coordination in a team.

3. Node.js Offers Superb Compatibility

 

Node.js is a runtime environment for JavaScript and provides way more functionality than a traditional web server. Using MEAN stack development services, a web server is included in your application and the implementation becomes a whole lot easier. Moreover, Node.js also runs on all three major OS i.e LINUX, Windows and OS X, hence bringing operating system independence.

Having Node.js on your technology stack is a great plus point in itself. Node.js functions on a single thread for handling inbound HTTP requests. It employs non-blocking I/O (input-output) calls to handle multiple new inbound requests effectively. Contrary to other web servers like Apache, Node.js is remarkably agile and scalable, enabling and supporting thousands of concurrent connections.

Moreover, Node.js uses web sockets to facilitate sending data to the client without having the client initiate the request. Hence, it is a flawless choice for developing real-time web apps like in-app chatting applications.

Summary: Node.js is agile, scalable and grants seamless compatibility with all major platforms, hence enables ultimate OS independence.

4. JSON Makes Data Interchange Efficient

 

MEAN stack operates with JSON as the default format for data-interchange between all the layers. So, there is no requirement to use libraries for converting data during frontend and backend interaction. Moreover, JSON also makes it possible to work with external APIs (application programming interfaces) easily. The time saved in an average data interaction is such a huge factor over time that even for someone fairly new to the application development, this reason alone is enough to consider MEAN stack development services for a web app project.

Summary: JSON brings time-saving and cost-effectiveness to data interchange between the front end and the back end by eliminating the need for third-party libraries and streamlining the whole process.

5. Mongo DB and its Versatility

 

Mongo DB is a rational choice for a database system when handling large tables with virtually tons of data. Unlike any other database, adding a field to Mongo DB is more simplistic as it does not require refreshing the entire table. Moreover, it is a NoSQL and a document model database, which is remarkably flexible to use in a plethora of applications. In Mongo DB, documents relate to objects in an object-oriented programming language. A document can be queried on any field and data access is greatly simplified. The flexibility allows the developer to effortlessly manage the semi and unstructured data generated by modern mobile, web, and IoT applications and is perfect for using in MEAN stack development services for its efficiency.

Summary: The main incentive of MongoDB is that it provides high performance, high availability, and automatic scaling. What’s more? It is magically simple to install and implement.

6. Angular.js Makes the Whole Process Harmonious

 

AngularJS is a JavaScript-based framework for developing single-page applications. It allows an elegant and clean way of adding interactive features and AJAX-driven rich elements on the client-side. Like we have discussed above, the Node.JS provides a server-side solution; in the same way, there is JavaScript implementation on the front end in the form of Angular.JS, providing a unifying client and server-side JavaScript implementation. This makes MEAN stack programming applications highly effective.

Summary: AngularJS is a highly promising JavaScript framework to build elegant, quick, and feature-rich web pages for front-end application development.

 

MEAN stack development services offer a streamlined approach to web development allowing seamless Javascript implementation. MEAN stack is rapidly developing, easy to use and is convenient to combine around. A given technology available in MEAN stack can be integrated easily with another, depending on the requirement. MEAN stack development services deploy new leading-edge technology and innovation that will rule the market in the coming time.

Are you looking for expert MEAN Stack development services? We’ve delivered some great projects for our clients built on the Stack. Get in touch with us today for MEAN stack development.

As a PHP developer or a company looking for a PHP backend solution for their IT project, one may often come across debates about the ultimate utility of PHP application development. There are so many conflicting statements going around about the feasibility of custom PHP development and its frameworks that someone with even a small technical background may start pondering if PHP is suitable for your project.

Why PHP? (Infographic)

So, what’s the truth? Why are 81% of web services around the globe still being implemented in PHP? And why is it the choice of big-league companies such as Facebook as their backend framework?

Well, first things first, PHP is open source and has an exceptional dynamic online community. With the constant ongoing contribution, PHP is consistently being upgraded. With each new version-release and code revision, the update of its frameworks instills enhancement and robustness in its performance.

From small businesses to large e-commerce solutions to social media giants, PHP is undividedly the programming language of choice for any custom PHP development company for a number of reasons. We’ve summed up these reasons in the infographic below. You can read more, detailed points below the infographic.

Feel free to save and share the infographic in your social networks or on your own blog as a quick reference and reminder of the power of PHP.

1. PHP is open-source, hence easy on budgets

The most agreeable thing that wins both developers’ and IT business owners’ loyalty is that PHP is freely available. It requires virtually no patents or licensing fees whatsoever as it is open-source and is categorized under the General Public License.

Like I have mentioned above, it also has a considerable, dynamic community around the globe resulting in perpetual enhancements in its functionality and in the already remarkable pool of resources and facilities. There are literally hundreds of PHP-based framework solutions whose practicability has already been proven, so you absolutely do not need to spend precious resources in reinventing the wheel when working on a PHP application development project with different requirements.

Summary: PHP being an open-source language offers the perfect backend solution with constant enhancements in functionality over time at virtually zero cost.

2. Development in PHP takes way less time than alternatives

PHP is a partly object-oriented expression language, and this feature makes code reusability viable. Reusable code is a piece of code that you write once and later can summon using function calls instead of rewriting it. It saves valuable time and effort in the process of development. There are a plethora of PHP frameworks, like Laravel, CodeIgniter, Symfony, Joomla, WordPress, Yiiframework, etc. Each of them exhibits its own functionality and offers speedy and reliable development in their respective fields along being independently optimized for building PHP development services quickly.

Summary: PHP improves efficiency by allowing the reusability of code, while decreasing the potential time and effort required on a project.

3. PHP code is responsive and compatible

PHP has an upper hand with its versatility and flexibility. From the time of inception to its implementation, a project normally goes through functionality changes at some point in time. PHP with its dynamic nature makes it possible to implement changes irrespective of the stage of development.

All major platforms, from Windows to Unix, and Linux to macOS including most of the servers (Apache, Microsoft IIS, Netscape, iPlanet, Caudium, Xitami, Tornado, etc.) and more than 20 databases (MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and others) are compatible with PHP code. This is the main reason why PHP is often chosen for building custom/cross-platform applications by a PHP development company: it allows businesses to utilize the existing infrastructure with minimal new expenditures. That’s not all. Since PHP is an embedded language, it offers effortless integration with JavaScript, WML, XML, and other programming languages.

Summary: Having compatibility with all the major technologies, PHP offers an extremely versatile solution where it needs to be embedded with existing infrastructure.

4. PHP-based services are easily scaled

When it comes to ROI, businesses often have the upper hand when their IT solution is built in iterations. It allows building various modules of the software progressively and making necessary alterations possible in the course of development. PHP allows to develop and support scalable PHP development services along with the ever-changing development plan.

Summary: PHP offers a solution to be built in iterations, allowing it to be compatible with ongoing changes.

5. PHP code is easily maintained and handed over

PHP code is known for its transparent and excellent documentation. So, it takes almost no time to understand in detail what is going on in the code—obviously, when it is well-written. Nonetheless, You can safely compartmentalize project development with minimal risks of foot-dragging if you need to reassign the programmer or the whole team.

Due to easily readable syntax, PHP code can be modified freely. Also, with the open-source community contribution, newer functionality meeting the emerging requirements of businesses turns up periodically and costs virtually nothing.

Summary: Due to its ability to having transparent documentation, The project compartmentalization and addition of new features for existing codebase become effortless in PHP.

6. Good PHP web app performance helps engage customers

The average human attention span is 8-9 seconds, hence a fast website loading speed is crucial for retaining your audience. If the website is slow or unresponsive, the customer quickly leaves it for better alternatives and ultimately, never returns. PHP is super responsive and ensures instantaneous turnaround time due to its high-speed data processing features, excellent customization capabilities, and seamless integration with numerous custom management systems.

PHP, when initially created was used for the generation of dynamic web pages, Hence, its scripts solve this task much faster than other programming languages. PHP code can easily be embedded into HTML, and developers can transform existing static website code into dynamic just by adding the PHP code into HTML. Truly, this is “The Language” for the creation of dynamic websites on the base of HTML standards.

Summary: Near-instant responsiveness and high speed data processing allows PHP to be much faster than the alternatives.

Summing it all up

The growth of PHP development services and its frameworks in the past decade has been extraordinary, and its reputation in the industry is still thriving. The business merits of PHP embrace cost-efficiency, compatibility, scalability, and user-friendliness singularly or (more often) in combination with other technologies,

Though, to be fair, an adverse effect should be mentioned also. This main advantage of PHP can oftentimes become a disadvantage to the project. Comparative ease and availability greatly lower the threshold for skills, which in some rare cases leads to lowered end-product quality. So, the choice of a PHP development company with proven expertise HAS to be the first priority. In the hands of a good developer, PHP is suitable for almost any IT project: from basic websites to social media giants and from CRMs to large marketplaces.

When I ask a close friend of mine (who is a senior software developer) about the most optimal front end framework for web-app development, he laughs, and has a quick reply, “I think you know what my answer would be.”

Indeed, as I guessed, being at the forefront of tech-buzz for the last five years, his answer was obvious. AngularJS has evolved to be one of the unsurprisingly ideal frameworks available to web developers. And there is all the evidence in the world to prove it.

Gone are the days of cluttered UI, broken links and inert websites. It is time to acknowledge the truth of modern web development. Sure, there are a lot of varying factors that make a website efficient; however, the ways in which a website fetches and displays data is of uttermost significance. This is where JavaScript steps in.

What makes AngularJS indispensable?

 

AngularJS is a state-of-the-art framework offered by Google. All the effort behind conceptualizing, designing and building it was for one reason only: To make the front-end web application development process streamlined.

AngularJS does just that by being one of the best available technologies for frontend web application development. The JavaScript framework surpasses the inadequacy of HTML to declare dynamic views in web applications. Allowing developers to extend the HTML syntax with new attributes, AngularJS makes it effortless to create scalable and robust single page applications. I have made a list of some of the most sought-after AngularJS frameworks to kick-start a web-based application with.

Considering outsourcing to a development team? Get a quote for AngularJS development.

1. Ionic Framework

 

Ionic is one of the most proficient and sturdy front-end AngularJS frameworks there is. It is also the preferred choice of web developers to build responsive apps within a decent budget. Not only does it enable seamless integration with mobile UI by enhancing the experience of the end-users, but It also stretches its support to HTML5 and CSS3 based mobile applications and framework optimization. Ionic is powered by the Software Development Kit (SDK) and a library of UI components for building hybrid apps.

2. AngularUI Bootstrap

 

AngularUI Bootstrap, as the name indicates, is created on top of one of the most popular front-end frameworks: Bootstrap. AngularUI Bootstrap is truly the best of both worlds for an AngularJS development company, It contains a set of Bootstrap components such as Carousel, Alert, and Collapse along with some additions, like Rating and TimePicker. It also contains Bootstrap components that are written in AngularJS, by the Angular UI team. Angular JS developers can use the repository of components with dependencies such as AngularJS, Angular-animate, Angular-touch, and Bootstrap CSS.

3. Angular UI Grid

 

UI Grid is the best way to implement a grid or table with Angular. It has rich features to display both small as well as large and complex datasets on a grid. UI Grid is designed to perform complex features only when needed, thus keeping the core power efficient. UI Grid enables the developer to bind cells to complex attributes/functions, execute column sorting and filtering, editing data in place and so much more. Additionally, Angular UI Tree is a separate AngularJS UI component that enables developers to sort nested lists, provides drag & drop support and all this, without dependency on jQuery. It uses native AngularJS scope for data binding and prevents elements from accepting child nodes.

Which AngularJS framework works best for your web app project?

 

With the option to choose from a wide range of open-source UI frameworks available readily, AngularJS development companies can keep up with the fast pace in the web app development landscape. However, with all frameworks and libraries differing in the feature set, it really is essential to recognize your project requirements to choose the right framework for your next project.

At some point in our lives, every one of us has faced an ethical dilemma, whether the tradeoff between cost and the “ultimate value” is a fair one when it comes to the pricing of a product. To make it simple to understand, here’s a quick analogy: would you rather get a sandwich chef to make you the best, albeit expensive gourmet sandwich with all your favorite ingredients—versus something she’s bulk-made for the masses? While her pre-made offering might be quite good, getting her to build your own super-sandwich is going to really hit the spot.

While real life is not entirely about sandwiches, gourmet or otherwise, the metaphor works exceptionally well to showcase the point I am trying to make. Succumbing to the immense pressure (read convenience) to take their services online, small and medium businesses face a similar dilemma when deciding between custom application development services and off-the-shelf solutions.

Bulk-made sandwiches are the commercial-off-the-shelf software (COTS) of the business world. They might be rather good, but they’re made for the masses, not directly tailored to your (business’s) tastes, unlike software offered exclusively by custom application development.

There is no question that an application developed by a proficient custom software development company should be able to accommodate your specific business processes in a precise manner—after all, it was built from the ground up while keeping you in mind. But does that make it a better choice? Let’s start with a quick look at this infographic…

 

 

We created the infographic above for a quick reference on what makes custom software/application development better than off-the-shelf software solutions. You are welcome to share it in your networks or embed it in your own blog as a handy reference for your audience. Read on for a detailed look at each point…

Cost-effective in the long run

Software designers and developers don’t exactly come with a bargain. The custom application is going to cost significantly more than off-the-shelf software. But it’s like getting a custom suit made: it’s going to be rather expensive upfront, but it will reasonably last you a lot longer and get you a lot more wear—and feel uniquely yours, rather than be slightly off in some certain spots. Custom software is built specifically for your business, it is a long-term solution that won’t have to be replaced in a few years.

Easy to Build on Later

If you have custom software, you own the software and code, so if you need to expand functionality in the future, modify it, or extract data, you can easily do so by building onto the existing codebase. Out-of-shelf software, on the other hand, wasn’t built for your business specifications. So there may be missing features that you need to build out to make it work for your processes. Assuming that the software has a workable API to build out, feature building will also require getting software developers to do the job!

Competitive Advantage

 

Custom software applications furthermore allow a competing advantage over your competitors. It’s something that they don’t have and they can’t have—and as long as it’s well-designed you should soon see yourself getting ahead of your competition. There is no competitive advantage to be gained from off-the-shelf products, which means that your competitors within the same market sector have access to the same software.

Performance and Scalability

Custom software development services are developed strictly keeping in mind the company’s specifications. This allows the company to eliminate any redundant features and keep only the most productive functions within the software. Off-the-shelf software comes loaded with pre-enabled features that cannot be removed if unnecessary. Also, custom software is way more scalable compared to off-the-shelf software, as the former can be integrated more easily with every activity within the business.

Win-Win for All

Going for a customized software/app development not only helps you, but also developers who are building your software because both of you know just what is required and it’s so much quicker and easier to get there, using less man-hours while keeping each other in business!

In a nutshell, there is a great difference between custom and off-the-shelf software. You need much more time and money for custom application development, but you invest in the future of your company in the long term. The choice should be made with the pervasive long-term implications in mind. Short-term pain will often lead to long-term gain, while the unpleasant opposite can also be true.

Ok, so you have just hired a great dev/design team and are thrilled with the anticipation of seeing your app/product in action. The programmers you hired are raring to go and the design team is cracking its knuckles, itching to throw in some amazing designs. But wait! What about project and delivery management? Quite often the case, design/dev agencies including clients are found rushing into getting things “done” instead of thinking them through before a project begins, invariably in the name of Agile (just one of the things that brings Agile a bad rep).

While we love Agile too and diligently follow it at KISWorks, here’s a word of caution before one goes religious with the Agile manifesto of “Deliver small, deliver often”:

“No matter how fast your developers churn out the code and deliver the MVP, if the foundation of your delivery management isn’t solid, chances are ‘rework’ is on the cards. “

So we have put together a quick checklist aka “Questions to ask” your (offshore/onshore) design/dev team before they start with your project.

Questions to ask your design/dev teams before onboarding

1. Has a project work-plan/delivery-plan for the entire project been created?
2. What project management procedures will the dev/design company use to control the project?
3. Who will be the key members from the dev/UI/UX company in the project and what will be their roles and responsibilities?
4. Is the dev/design company clear on what resources they need from us and when they will be needed?
5. What in your opinion are the key risk factors that need to be mitigated or taken into account before the project begins and how will you mitigate/address those as the project kicks off?
6. How do you quality benchmark the deliverables before they are sent to us for User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?
7. How do you tackle new change requests or change in expectations mid-way the project?
8. What is the procedure/process through which you intake, assess, evaluate and incorporate feedback into your deliverables?
9. What are your procedures to ensure that the project does not trip into a direction it isn’t intended to? What is your Plan-B if it is discovered that it accidentally has.

Next, is the list of Questions you may wish to ask your software development team and UI/UX design team at the end of every iteration/deliverable.

Questions to ask for every iteration or deliverable

1. Have the deliverables specified in the project definition been completed up to this point?
2. Which are the key items completed, pending and under-progress at this point that will be included in the next iteration and which will be deferred to the future?
3. Have the appropriate deliverables been agreed to and approved by us?
4. Can the product owner from the dev/design team clearly explain where the project is vs. where it should be at this time?
5. Is the last deliverable market-ready?
6. What can I expect to see in the next deliverable or at the end of the next iteration?
7. Are issues being resolved in a timely manner?
8. Are scope-change requests being managed, and are we formally approving changes?
9. Are risks being identified and managed successfully?
10. Should the contract or project definition be updated to reflect any major changes to the project?

Once these checklists are in place, it is not only going to be tremendously easy for you to oversee the project as a client but also extremely beneficial for your dev/design team as has been experienced by us, the team@KIS ever since we helped our clients bring these checklists into their project management protocol for our own good.

If you have questions, suggestions or wish to know more about the Agile delivery management practices we follow at KIS, please feel free to contact us.