Top Tips from the Experts for Creating New Software

Ever since the first personal computer became a reality, there have been significant developments in the world of computer science. Anyone who knows a thing or two about computers can tell you that an average modern day family car has more computing power on board than the Apollo 11 spacecraft that delivered Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon.

With our own personal computers getting ever more popular, developers have always been on a quest to create new software that can exploit a computer’s potential to the fullest. After all, what is the point of spending a small fortune on very impressive hardware if the software is not up to par?

With the number of tools available to a software developer, it can be quite easy to overlook the basics. Although it is easy for software developers to find a lot of technical information and support, here are some top general tips from industry experts that are harder to come by, but just as useful.

Market and Patent Research

Not all research that goes into developing software is related to technology. However, most software developers never see beyond the technical aspects of the project. Mega software corporations have separate divisions that take care of the various research requirements, but few companies are lucky enough to afford such a luxury.

Market research is crucial is before attempting to develop any new software. Just because you can develop new software doesn’t mean that you should. Time and money spent on creating new software only makes sense if the software can do well in the marketplace; no point in spending years and millions of dollars developing something no one wants.

Similarly, one cannot put enough emphasis on the importance of looking up patents. At a time when almost every major smart phone manufacturer is trying to sue each other out of business for patent infringement, the focus of the technology industry has once again settled on the havoc that can be caused by overlooking this simple research step.

Flexibility in Development

One of the biggest mistakes made by the software industry, as per experts, is the very rigid structure followed when it comes to developing software. On-the-fly tweaks and changes have become a thing of the past as software companies become increasingly neurotic about creating the perfect software.

While it is not recommended that the blueprints be thrown out, many experts believe that this rigidity has led to a lack of innovation. As long as the testing process is carried out in a thorough and efficient manner, some flexibility in the development process will allow companies to find new and creative solutions for existing problems, without having to go back to the drawing board every single time.

Rigorous and Thorough Testing

In the end, developing software comes down to not just how viable or good the software is, but how faultless it is. You may have the best software in the world in terms of performance, but it amounts to nothing if it is technically flawed.

All software should be rigorously and thoroughly tested before release and this should include all kinds of tests, beyond just the basic technical tests. For example, if no software security testing has been performed then what you will have is some excellent software that no one will buy because it has become a prime target for hackers.

Software development is not the easiest thing in the world and it would be a real shame to see all the time and money invested go down the drain because something simple was deemed insignificant and overlooked.

Tom Rhoddings

About the Guest Author:

Tom Rhoddings is the author of this post. His advice on software technology has helped many individuals and companies create safe and user friendly software.