Andrei Kasyanau, cofounder and CEO at Glorium Technologies. Startup advisor and an expert in health and real estate tech.
As entrepreneurs, we know that time is money. Wasting it on endless software development can be frustrating and costly.
As the CEO of Glorium, I’ve helped make numerous software projects happen. Based on my insights from these experiences, let’s look at how long developing a product should take and what factors can influence software development time.
Factors That Influence Software Development Time Estimation
How long can it take to develop your software? Well, it depends on several factors. The project’s complexity, the team’s size and the development process are just a few variables that affect the time estimation in software engineering.
Project Scope: The bigger the project, the longer it takes. Break down the task into smaller milestones and prioritize them based on importance.
Team Size And Experience: The more developers on the team, the faster they can complete the project. Yet, a team size increase doesn’t lead to a directly proportional time decrease. The more people in the team, the more there’s management complexity, resulting in losses of team efficiency. Look for developers and project managers with experience in a particular domain to minimize delays.
Technical Requirements: The more complex the technical requirements, the more time it will take to develop. Make sure to clarify technical specifications before development begins.
Testing And Bug Fixing: These are crucial steps in software development that can take time. Take your time with these steps; otherwise, it can lead to a product full of bugs and malfunctions.
Changes And Iterations: Changes in the project scope or design can add time to the development process. Communicate changes at once to avoid wasting time.
Techniques For The Software Development Time Estimation
When it comes to software development time estimation, there are several techniques that you can use.
One of the standard time estimation techniques in software development is calculating the time required for each task and adding them up to get the total time needed for the project.
Another technique is to use historical data from previous projects to estimate the development time required for the current project. Yet, keep in mind that all projects are different.
There is also a software development time estimation formula to estimate the time required for a project based on specific variables. It is as follows.
A project’s duration = overall task time estimation (E) + E*risk buffer + E*time eaters
The risk buffer should be 5% to 25% based on the number of uncommon tasks, involvement of the new unpredictable technologies and so on. The time-eaters coefficient is 20% for processes such as team meetings, miscommunications and redos.
Also, keep these best practices in mind when estimating software development time.
DO:
• Break down the project into smaller milestones and estimate the time needed for each.
• Communicate effectively with the development team to ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Clarify technical specifications before development begins to avoid misunderstandings and delays.
• Allow for buffer time in case of unexpected delays or issues.
DON’T:
• Rush the development process to save time. It can lead to a product full of errors and malfunctions.
• Assume that everything will go as planned. Unexpected issues can (and will) arise.
• Micromanage the development team. Trust them to do their job and communicate effectively instead.
Tips For The Efficient Software Development Time Planning
Each project you’ve completed will give you a better understanding of the execution phases and proper time planning. My company has delivered over a hundred projects successfully, so I can share these tips on how to save time during software development.
1. Use Agile methodology.
Agile methodology is an approach based on iterative development and flexibility. By breaking the project into smaller, manageable chunks, the team can work on specific features or modules simultaneously, reducing the development time.
2. Use pre-built solutions.
Using pre-built solutions or frameworks can save much time in the development process. Instead of building everything from scratch, the team can use pre-built components or modules already developed and tested.
3. Prioritize features.
Prioritizing features can help the team focus on the most critical components of the project, which can reduce the development time. By developing and delivering the most crucial elements first, the team can ensure that the essential functionalities of the software get completed early on.
4. Use automated testing tools.
Automated tools can quickly execute predefined tests and check the results against expected outcomes. Automated testing helps identify errors and bugs early in the development cycle. It reduces the need for manual testing and ultimately saves time.
5. Benefit from the outsourced expertise.
When you want to shorten the time needed to make your software, a good solution would be to outsource your project, fully or partially. If you pick an outsourcing vendor of a decent size, you will immediately get access to many developers of different stacks and specializations. It means you will have more hands on deck, and it also means you will get experienced pros in the fields that require close attention and expert knowledge, such as compliance, architecture and project management.
How Long Should Software Development Process Take
With these factors in mind, here are two common time frames to prepare for:
MVP: To develop a minimum viable product from scratch, allocate a timeframe of at least three to nine months or more. If anybody proposes less than that, there is a risk of skipping essential phases. Namely, unscrupulous developers often sacrifice the research and testing phases.
Web/Mobile App: For a functional web or mobile product with 10-plus features and a requirement for proper legal and safety measures in place (think healthcare, fintech and any other industry that handles personal data), the app development time estimation should start at the six-to-18 months range.
Conclusion
Software development time estimation has many moving parts, but you can save time and resources with the right approach. Break down the project into smaller milestones, clarify technical specifications and communicate effectively with the development team. And remember, trust the process.
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