Before You Build: Key Product Planning Steps
Avoid common pitfalls in your software journey
Building software is an exciting but intricate process that demands careful planning. Over the years, I've seen founders and business leaders overlook critical details, forcing them to either rebuild their systems from scratch or abandon projects entirely. Your journey can be different. Let me guide you through the key considerations every business must address before investing in software development.
Tech Stack & Skills
A tech stack is the combination of programming languages, frameworks, databases and tools used to build and run your software. Think of it as your building's foundation and framework - just as a skyscraper needs the right structural elements to stand tall, your software needs the right technological components to function effectively and grow over time.
Your tech stack shapes both your product's foundation and the talent pool available to build and maintain it. When choosing technologies, evaluate their industry trajectory carefully. Declining technologies will shrink your talent pool and increase costs due to their specialised nature.
Beware of "shiny new syndrome": adopting trendy but unproven technologies, only to discover they don't deliver on their promises. Instead, focus on a balanced approach using reliable, scalable and well-supported technologies. This foundation is essential for long-term success.
Whilst it may be tempting to cut costs by hiring less experienced developers, this strategy often backfires. Less experienced teams typically underestimate development time, take longer to complete tasks and require more revisions. The initial savings usually evaporate when you factor in these delays and additional work. Remember: choosing a development team based solely on cost, at the expense of experience and skill, rarely pays off.
Ownership & Access
Imagine investing heavily in your product, only to lose access to your codebase or platform credentials because of a mismanaged handover. I have worked with clients who faced this exact problem and sought my help. It's more common than you might expect, especially amongst non-technical founders.
Think of access as keeping a spare key to your car. Whilst others may drive it, someone in your organisation must always have the master key. Ensure you have administrative access to all systems, repositories and credentials tied to your product. This simple step could save your business from major setbacks.
Budget and Timeline
Software development costs are primarily driven by the time and effort of your development team. The equation is straightforward: the more time it takes to develop your product, the more it will cost. To ensure your budget aligns with your vision, follow this strategic approach:
Define Your Product Vision: What problem does your software solve, and for whom?
Create a Roadmap: Collaborate with your team to outline your product's development stages.
Break Down Features: Divide features into smaller, manageable tasks to estimate effort accurately.
Final Thoughts
These considerations (tech stack, ownership, team experience and budget planning) are vital for successful software development. With the right strategy, you can avoid common pitfalls that derail projects and position your business for success.