One of the biggest mistakes that people make when creating custom software is trying to cut corners. Saving costs is possible during some parts of a project, but testing is an area we recommend never skipping. The earlier you can begin testing your custom software, the more likely you will be to avoid mistakes. Keep reading as we highlight the top reasons for testing software early and the benefits it will offer to your upcoming software development project.
Why should you start testing early during a custom software project?
When it comes to testing custom software, it’s no different to any other type of project. By ensuring that the foundations are solid, you will be able to build upon that. Before adding too many complex features to your custom software, it’s best to ensure the basic setup is functioning properly. Otherwise, you’ll invest endless resources and hours of work into a project, only to find that you need to go back to the beginning. Our team is passionate about early testing, as this helps to save everyone time in the long run. We want to check that all of the earlier code is running properly so that you’ll receive a fully functioning software solution when it comes to the end of our time working together.
Even during more basic projects, there are different stages during which we can employ testing for custom software. It’s never too early to begin testing, as this is how we stop major issues from developing. When testing is frequent, it can also save money in the long run. Instead of employing a dedicated tester at the end of the project, we will find issues as we go and resolve them straight away. We’ll also be able to update you about any potential delays. This can help with predicting the release date of your software to avoid disappointment.
Ensure you keep employees and stakeholders happy during the project
One of the biggest reasons for testing custom software throughout the project is to keep everyone up to date about the release date. If you are creating custom software for the public, this is even more important. You don’t want to promise a launch date, only for it to be constantly delayed for the next few months. This will only result in you losing customers and a lot of annoyance for your customer service team. The same is true for internal projects. You don’t want your stakeholders and employees to be disappointed about a delay in the project. They might be looking forward to the improvements the new software will offer. By delaying the project, you might find there are other delays within your business processes too.
Testing custom software to create a high-quality product
Quality is always of top concern when creating any piece of custom software. This is why our team is so passionate about testing continuously, as it helps to make the project as successful as possible. Even a few small issues can drastically impact the quality of your finished product. The more often we are able to test and find smaller issues, the better it will be for everyone involved. Although you may think that this continuous testing would delay the process, we usually find the opposite to be true. When we are testing smaller segments, it doesn’t take as much time as testing the finished product. The time it takes to fix a small issue is also much better than getting to the end of the project and having to start over.
Keep your end-user in mind at all times
When it comes to testing custom software, we always keep the end-user in mind at all times. This is critical for testing to be effective, as it will ensure that your software performs the required functions. There’s no point in testing against a set of criteria that isn’t relevant to your end-user. Instead, we need to focus on what they are hoping to achieve from using your software. Your end-user could be your employees, the general public, or another organisation. By keeping them at the forefront of our minds through regular testing, our team will be sure to fulfil their needs. Throughout our communication, we’ll ensure that we understand your expectations. We’ll keep you up to date throughout the process so that you are aware of any hiccups that may occur during the process.
Never leave testing until the end of the project
As you can see, testing custom software early is essential for any type of project. We’ve seen so many projects go wrong due to late testing, so it’s something we avoid doing at all costs. When performance testing fails at the end of the process, this is so upsetting and time-consuming. It costs companies a lot of time and energy, and it often delays other projects within the organisation. We try to avoid testing the whole application at one time, as this puts too much pressure on the team. Small and often is the best way to go with any type of project. We’ll identify any issues immediately and quickly resolve them to get back on track.
Work with us!
When working on a custom software project, regular testing is a crucial part of the process. Testing custom software as you go is what we always recommend. You won’t want to leave this part of the process until the very end. It only results in wasted time and frustration for everyone involved in the project. The earlier we can start testing, the higher the quality of the final product will be. After completing hundreds of projects over the years, BSPOKE Software knows this to be true, which is why testing custom software is something we discuss with each of our new clients. For more information about working with our team on your next custom software project, contact us today. No company is too small to benefit from custom software, and we’ll be excited to collaborate with you on your upcoming project.
If you’ve you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in finding out about white box testing and black box testing and/or acceptance criteria.
