{"id":365,"date":"2019-10-29T10:53:49","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T05:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.walkweltech.com\/?p=365"},"modified":"2019-12-24T15:34:59","modified_gmt":"2019-12-24T10:04:59","slug":"simplifying-the-cost-of-agile-software-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkweltech.com\/blog\/simplifying-the-cost-of-agile-software-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Simplifying the Cost of Agile Software Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This quote by Peter Drucker, the management guru whose words I still swear by, is very much true when we talk of software development in general, and Agile development in particular. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While that may sound too theoretical on the face of it, let me tell you how it manifests in real life. You want to construct a new house. You have the blueprints passed and ready to build. But when you go to the building contractor, they tell you that they will build the best ever house for you, exactly the same as you want, but don\u2019t give you a time limit or a price. How would you feel? Not confident at all. To be able to arrive at a price, the contractor will need to factor in material costs, labor costs, the days off, the time to be taken, and much more. Only then can an estimate be given. All the same, you do need a figure to start the contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same is the case with Agile development<\/a>. The biggest challenge here is that software development is not a static task, just like the house we talked about. As the project starts to develop, requirements are very likely to grow and change before a final product is arrived at. That is what makes it difficult for developers to hand out a figure right away, unlike in the Waterfall method. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we really wish to go to the root and find how to estimate the cost of Agile software development<\/a>, there are some concepts that we need to clear in our minds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. You cannot Avoid Changes in Software\nDevelopment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those developers as well as businesses,\nwho believe they have the power to predict the exact scope and time of a\ndeveloping, must know that it\u2019s only a misconception. And this very\nmisconception is what makes a lot of businesses nervous about the Agile\nprocess<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software development in itself is a highly intricate process. There are only a few constants you can control, but many variables that you do not have direct control over. As one digs deeper into the precise requirements for any software, is when one realizes that needs keep changing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agile development caters to this\nprecise challenge in development by allowing you the flexibility to adjust and\nincorporate unprecedented changes in requirements at a desired point along the\ncourse of development. The Agile process, in fact, tries to strike a fine\nbalance between the technical bent that the developer has and the business bent\nthat the customer has. It helps both the parties, at different points of time\nin the process, and land at a desirable point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. It Enables Better MVPs through Short-Term Releases<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agile follows an iterative and\nincremental approach which provides the much needed clarity on what is to be\nplanned and executed for each consecutive week in the development\nprocess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With these short-term releases, the developer can have client feedback each week instead of waiting for months at the end for the final feedback about the final product. This way the gradual progress can be shared and tested with an initial set of users including the client. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This becomes an iterative process as\nsome functionalities are presented to the client during every sprint, feedback\nis taken, and then included in further sprints until the product has all the\nplanned functionalities and can be launched as an MVP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It provides the most efficient mode of\ndirect communication between the developers and the client. This way, by\nbreaking a gargantuan task into smaller, digestible steps, the client is also\nable to see steady progress on the project, rather than getting surprised at\nthe end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Agile can Be Cost-Saving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As compared to the Waterfall method, cost estimation in an Agile framework<\/a> <\/a><\/strong>looks very difficult to the developer and rather overwhelming to the client. And that is when most clients turn towards a fixed cost project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth, however, is that since the software development requirements will change more often than not, any changes after the final delivery of the product will escalate the cost. And that escalation may happen with every iteration. If you add up all these costs. Agile development only seems like a cheaper bargain, with better and consistent results, and an MVP that has a much shorter time to market; that can be tested out in the real market. And in case the market response is damp, a business has happened to spend less on a prototype than on an entire project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agile, therefore, allows the developer as well as the client to save additional costs. It also permits one to arrive at a monthly budget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors that Affect the Cost of Agile\nDevelopment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that I\u2019ve discussed Agile\nbenefits<\/strong> at length, it is the right time to let you know about the factors\nthat affect the cost of Agile development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Size<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the most basic factors that can help you determine a part of the cost. The cost of the work is directly proportional to the number of screens\/user interfaces since that decides the magnitude of the effort (in terms of man-hours) that will have to be put in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anything from 10 to 20 screens\nqualifies as a small project; 20+ to 40 as medium; and anything above 40\nscreens is considered a big one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complexity Involved<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The complexity of the project governs\nthe cost as much as its magnitude. It will include the backend technology that\nwill be employed, the complexity of the code and testing methods required, UX\nresearch, design, functionalities, third party application or system\nintegration, etc. By complexity is also meant data migration as required by\ndifferent frameworks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Client\u2019s Budget <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is the biggest concern on the\nclient\u2019s side. 3 out of 10 clients come with a limited budget. In that case,\nthe negotiation would be about limiting the number of screens, functionalities\nand complexity. Otherwise, in case the client still needs to make more\nadditions, the budget needs to go up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The developer needs to take a call if so much as the client proposes, can be done within that budget with the required technology, frameworks, and resources, and within that timeline. Apart from that, re-iterations and additions should be taken into account before a budget can be agreed to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Go about Agile Development Cost\nEstimation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few steps you need to take\nin order to estimate the cost of Agile development<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n