Development process design and implementation

It has taken a long time, but the software industry has finally accepted that traditional “waterfall”-style processes are much too risky for today’s fast-changing environment, and are only suitable in very special cases.

But what should you do instead? Your developers are clamouring for the apparent freedom of eXtreme Programming. Powerful tools companies want to sell you heavyweight processes supported by expensive tools, and then charge you to tailor things to fit. The press is full of stories about "agile methods". Selecting the right process for your project requires special skills.

"We don't need a process"

Every software development follows a process, whether or not you care to write it down. Two experienced developers working together can often be highly productive even though they aren’t following an obvious formula. But unfortunately that doesn’t scale. Every project of any size needs at least some simple guidelines that allows managers to manage and developers to get direction.

Proven practices

Every project needs its own process, but this doesn't mean that every project should reinvent the wheel. These are some of the process elements from which we have seen a wide range of projects benefit.

The light touch

Syntropy Limited consultants have worked on a wide range of projects, with sizes from two to over a hundred people. We've laboured under the millstone of burdensome documentation standards and irrelevant reporting. We've seen firsthand the inefficiency of lax process. We are acknowledged leaders in addressing the problems of dispersed development, where the team is spread across two or more locations.
>> more on dispersed development...

Whatever the nature of your project, we can design and implement a development process that won't get in the way, and will give you the best chance of success.

Of course, any process you establish now can be applied to all your future projects, so the cost is spread.

Assessing your needs and designing or adapting a process typically takes between two and four weeks. Implementing the process takes a few weeks initially, then requires regular follow-up and monitoring. The total cost to you is likely to be between £20k and £60k + expenses + VAT. Call us today to arrange a visit by one of our consultants.