The writing of source code in software development doesn't always follow proper process procedures, which often leads to risks and delays that could have been mitigated through planning and process management.
This is the view of Malcolm Rabson, MD of local software architecture developer, Dariel Solutions. Dariel has recently been accredited with Personal Software Process / Team Software Process, an internationally recognised certification which aims to provide a higher rate of quality control methods with the development of software. The goal is to change the ratio of development, reducing the number of errors in written code.
Focus on standards
In partnership with the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE), Dariel Solutions believes there should be a standardisation and measurement of the development standards based on the processes used.
“When we look at other successful fields we see there are specific organisations that regulate those fields. There is a requirement to perform your articles in the law and financial fields, with software development being excluded,” says Rabson.
“This lowers the playing field because 'hobbyist' programmers are able to enter the market without having the necessary skills,” he adds. Rabson says this further outlines the proliferation of express editions of popular integrated development environments, easing access to hobbyist programmers.
Outsourcing solutions
According to Rabson, part of the benefit of outsourcing development is that companies have to undergo the process of technical testing to recruit. This means a candidate has to undergo technical testing to determine their ability, to ensure they can actually perform in the desired role.
With the outsourcing of the development team, the company retains its technologists who perform the management aspect of the projects, notes Radson.
He says one of the problems companies face is sticking to a solution once the decision to implement it has been made. All too often people revert to their old mindset when something doesn't go the way it was meant to.
“Outsourcing has been previously plagued with issues,” says Rabson, “but this is often caused because people don't sit down and plan the project scope in its entirety. The process should drive the team and be its quality control mechanism.
“There need to be clearly defined service level agreements that need to be established per project and need to define the scope of the project in its entirety, including provision for maintenance planning and a pre-defined development timeline,” he adds.
“Rather have a slice of the watermelon than own the whole grape.” The idea behind his statement is that by co-opting services, a business owner gains leverage with their partners, usually resulting in larger revenue shares.
“There needs to be a focus on driving the business in their core business area, that when a business starts focusing outside of its niche market, they increase the risks associated with those markets,” he concludes.
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