How to avoid software projects from failing

"There are no secrets on an successful software project. Both good and bad news must be able to move up and down the ptoject hierarchy without restriction."

Steve McConnell

1. What is software failure

  a software failure that happens when the user notices that the program is no longer producing the desired outcome for the specified input values. Depending on how a failure would affect the systems, the user may need to categorize it as catastrophic, critical, major, or minor.
  Companies who aren't in the top 25% of technology manufacturers see an average of three out of ten IT initiatives fail. More than half of successful initiatives end up costing about 200% more than originally projected. Even though the IT industry is expanding and there are numerous projects in this field, up to one-third of them are abandoned before they are ever finished.

So let's look at how we can prevent these mistakes and make our project successful.

2. Define Success Clearly

  As was already said, there are several criteria for determining a project's and a product's success. Not all projects result in new products, and a good project does not always translate into a successful product. It is crucial to have precise metrics for determining if a project is successful or unsuccessful.

3. Exact Roles and Responsibilities (before the First Iteration)

  Everyone's job and duties must be clearly defined in order to realize the vision after it has been established. Everyone will work toward the same objective if the leadership team is firmly united in defining the purpose, value, and logic. In this case, it's vital to fill each position with the proper candidates who possess the necessary skill set. For instance, the project manager or product owner has to have the necessary management and leadership abilities. Take an expanded team strategy whenever you don't have the required knowledge on staff to keep the project moving forward.


4. Estimate appropriate time and financial budgets

  By doing this, you will avoid having to chase after them over the allotted time. Avoid working with suppliers who frequently adjust timetables since this suggests that they did not evaluate the project holistically. Check to see whether you understand the projected project costs in a similar manner. Make sure that the project's complexity and nature, not merely your assumptions, are the only determinants of the costs. In the event that you are collaborating with a third party or software outsourcing company, be extremely explicit when drafting terms on future cost increases, etc.


5. Specify goals and requirements clearly.

  When working on a project, you should have defined project management procedures and comprehensive project requirements (i.e. Agile, Waterfall, etc.).The project has to have a clear scope and breakdown. This will provide a more accurate estimation. We advise include developers in the project timetable planning process.

6. Use Wireframes to Help Your Product Come to Life

  Good software is more than just well-written code; it also has outstanding communication. Although you must express your project requirements in writing, it is preferable to illustrate them in a wireframe.
  These straightforward static illustrations help develop the concept and give it a bit more life. Additionally, this method aids in bridging the knowledge gap between business people and technical software engineers.Prototypes and wireframes are also essential to winning over all stakeholders to the project. It's an effective means of communication that promotes more project ownership.

7. Work with a Team that Has the Right Skills

  Most vendors and project managers willfully hire the same development team for every stage of the SDLC, frequently oblivious to the unique talents and expertise that your project may need at certain points along the way to be successfully completed. In an effort to cut expenses, people occasionally make the error of relying solely on one or a small number of talented developers and placing less qualified developers beneath them. This results in the failure of software projects. Before hiring these young engineers to work on your project, if at all feasible, do interviews with them.


  So finally software is used in every aspect of our life, even the smallest tasks. Thus, the outcomes of software development initiatives have a lasting impact. The outcomes might include significant time, money, or resource loss, or in the worst-case scenarios, all of them. Failure of a project hurts an organization's potential. The whole future of the organization might be destroyed if the failure is severe enough; a government software failure, for instance, could endanger national security. Failures in IT can also hinder societal progress and quality of life.