Discovery Phase in Software Development Project

Be it software development or mobile app development, the initial phase associated with the process is the Discovery phase. This phase is where the research and planning process before the project begins, during which all stakeholders determine the primary goals of the project, the scope of it, deadlines, and user expectations. 

Moreover, building an application without a discovery phase can be risky similar to an architectural plan without a discovery phase. This would result in challenges and complexities which reduces the chances of project success.

Most outsourcing companies believe the discovery phase is a mandatory thing for a project while initiation. The major goal of the discovery phase is to make a project completely corresponds to the client’s business requirements which include:

• User Experience

• Budget  

• Time to market

 

According to McKinsey, these three are the major factors required for a business. Added, 45% of the software development fails if the project is not delivered on time. User experience is also a crucial factor where a good user experience can deliver higher success. 

Here are the benefits of the software development discovery phase:

• Getting rid of risks

There is no possible benefit of getting started with a project which doesn’t have any plans. Things may go wrong if they aren’t done properly. In order to control risks, be it a business or technical, you should initially have a plan. With the discovery phase, the plan becomes the first thing.

• Managing expectations

During this phase, you will be asked to approve each detail of the project plan. With this, you can exactly what will be your end result, the total cost involved, when it will be deployed, etc. Your team will be available to make changes whenever required which meets and manages the expectation. 

• Enhanced Communication

The Discovery phase is where you’ll work on a plan and make communication to your team members who are involved in the project. Developers, QA specialists, stakeholders, and managers will be able to look at the project plan and can know what they need to do.

Undoubtedly, the discovery phase is the most important stage which every Software Development Company considers. Hence, make sure you also realize its importance and initiate your project accordingly.