How to Speed Up Software Development

Engineering teams have to optimize their workflows because faster delivery brings higher customer satisfaction and revenue. A study by the Project Management Institute (PMI) says that slow project timeline “eats” nearly $122 million per $1 billion invested. 

Since 2020, the time of publishing that study, AI technologies have made software development much nimbler: you can utilize autogenerated code and hire prompt engineers to improve any output you get from AI models. 

Yet, the expected delivery time has decreased too. If tech businesses aim to deploy to production faster than competitors, they still need old gold rapid development techniques along with AI. We are putting it all together in the 6 tips on how to speed up software development without compromising on quality.

Go Agile, Yet Respect KPIs

Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban can teach you a flexible approach to development: work in short cycles, collaborate closely, and be ready to adjust plans as needed. Teams can accelerate software development by dividing work into smaller, achievable tasks and regularly delivering improvements based on feedback from users and stakeholders.

While syncing your team is essential, it doesn’t mean that your deadlines can be easily postponed. To prevent a scope creep, track the number of completed tasks, the life cycle of each task, and deployment frequency. Thus, it’s possible to detect unnecessary or illogical steps or understand that you require more hands to improve those metrics without hampering a code’s quality.

Automate Repetitive Tasks

Automation is a must-have for fast software development. By automating repetitive tasks like testing, code deployment, and quality assurance, engineers can reduce manual effort and minimize errors. AI-powered IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) can provide intelligent auto-completion suggestions and code snippets based on context, improving overall productivity.

Know Your Focuses

You don’t know how to speed up software development if you don’t prioritize tasks based on their impact and urgency. Filter requirements and features sticking to MoSCoW scheme: Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won’t-have. By focusing on high-value deliverables first, teams can maximize productivity and deliver tangible results sooner. 

Stay Tuned

Teams with a mix of skills, like developers, designers, testers, and product managers, can work better together and make sure all angles are covered from start to finish. Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Jira help everyone communicate instantly and work together, making it easier to make decisions quickly and move forward faster. We’d also recommend you try innovative all-in-one communication platforms and game-like virtual workspaces. 

Just keep in mind that someone (typically, Project Manager) should initiate idea sharing and maintain a friendly atmosphere. 

Optimize Code Reviews

Code reviews are like having a second set of eyes on your code. However, lengthy and inefficient code review processes can become bottlenecks. How to speed up software development by making code reviews shorter and more efficient at the same time? We’d establish clear guidelines and standards, automate code analysis where possible, and leverage tools like GitHub’s pull request reviews and Bitbucket’s code insights. Encourage constructive feedback and ensure that reviews focus on critical areas while avoiding nitpicking.

Leverage Frameworks and Libraries

Leveraging frameworks and libraries can significantly accelerate software development by providing pre-built components and modules that address common functionalities and challenges. Rather than reinventing the wheel, engineers can focus on implementing business logic and customizations. 

The most popular frameworks to consider for front-end development are React, Angular, and Vue.js. And if you seek solutions for robust back end, pay attention to libraries like Spring Boot and Django.

Implement DevOps Practices

DevOps brings developers and operational teams closer together by streamlining tasks like coding, testing, and releasing software. This approach speeds up the delivery of updates while maintaining stability and reliability. Adopting Infrastructure as Code (IaC), containerization with Docker, and orchestration with Kubernetes streamlines the deployment process and enables seamless scaling and management of applications.

Opt For Cloud Computing

Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud provide a wide range of tools and services, including computing, storage, databases, and AI/ML, enabling teams to focus on building and delivering value-added features. Serverless architectures further simplify development by abstracting away infrastructure management, allowing engineers to focus solely on code development.

Hire Specialists That Accelerate Software Development

Besides 5-star project management, fast software development requires experienced pros and innovative skills. 

Full-Stack Developers can work on the entire software stack, from user interface design to server-side logic, which can streamline development processes and enhance collaboration within the team.

Hiring DevOps Engineers can help in implementing automation, continuous integration, and continuous deployment practices, leading to faster delivery of software.

A skilled Product Manager can help prioritize tasks, define project scope, and ensure that the development team is aligned with business goals. 

UX/UI Designers can create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces that enhance user satisfaction and engagement, which improves user feedback loops and reduces the need for rework.

Quality Assurance Engineers identify and fix bugs early in the development process when it’s easier to debug them.

Data Analysts can examine past data from earlier software projects. This helps in forecasting potential problems, estimating how long a project might take, and figuring out the best way to allocate resources.

Prompt Engineers and AI Developers improve AI tools which you use for streamlining workflows. They tailor AI systems to your custom goals like generating better code based on textual input, creating documentation for smooth knowledge transfer, and rapidly prototyping new features or functionalities.

Delegate Non-Core Operations

Basically, you are starting to delegate non-core ops by using cloud services, as your cloud providers take over maintaining your IT infrastructure. And opting for automation tools means you delegate routine tasks to robotic assistants. Are there any other areas of responsibility to outsource? 

Sure! A wise solution could be outsourcing certain types of testing, such as user acceptance testing (UAT) or compatibility testing, to specialized testing firms with parks of equipment. Real equipment for testing = less post-production debugging than with simulators.

Another go-to idea is to partner with an HR agency specializing in tech hiring. Besides handling all the hiring paperwork for you, they fill skill gaps 30% faster than in-house recruiters and retain developers long-term, so you can avoid investing extra time in talent search and training new team members. 

The common rule for engaging any third-party company: check their security certifications and terms of agreements thoroughly. Thus, you’ll not face such unexpected results as data leakages or additional payments. For instance, a good staffing firm is GDPR-compliant and offers a flat service fee. 

Well, it seems we’ve covered everything you need to start developing software faster. Hope you will find the right balance between the competitive speed and exceptional quality of your products and services.