Is investing in a tech startup right for you?

These days, when someone mentions innovation, progress or inventions, they’re usually talking about the world of technology. And what makes technology investing so appealing is that anyone can get involved, not just the extremely wealthy and influential. There are various opportunities available, both big and small, and securing one is relatively simple. The main consideration is whether the risk is justified by the reward.

Investing in a technological startup

The tech industry’s vibrant startup culture is one of its many strengths. Technology startups represent significant growth opportunities for forward-thinking investors.

The size of technology startups varies considerably, from just-launched private companies to newly listed public companies. As the “startup” name implies, these are small-scale businesses that are typically in the development or early implementation stages and are looking for funding from venture capitalists and angel investors to commercialise their products.

Thanks to the help of clever investors, a number of innovative technology startups have evolved into some of the world’s most recognisable technology companies, including Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Snap, Snowflake, and DoorDash.

While the tech sector is extremely volatile, and investing in startups can be risky, early-stage investing can be financially rewarding if you pick the right company.

For example, someone who invested US$10,013 in 589 shares of Snap — Snapchat’s parent company — during the company’s March 2017 initial public offering (IPO), would have paid US$17 per share. By March 2021, that investment would have been worth an impressive US$36,924 — representing a 38.5% compound annual growth rate.

There are numerous tech startups to choose from in every sector of the technology market, making it difficult to determine which businesses are worth the risk. In this article, we’ll explain how to invest in technology startups and why it might be a good fit for you.

What to look for when selecting a tech startup

The harsh reality of venture capital investment in any industry is that 90% of startups fail within a decade. However, investors can mitigate this inherent risk by conducting thorough due diligence. Investors should look for companies that have a strong sense of identity, the potential to dominate a specific market niche, and a strong management team, among other things.

Due to the rapid pace of change in the technology industry, it is critical for businesses to articulate a clear vision of who they are, who they want to support, and who they intend to target as competitors. Technology is a tightly knit ecosystem, with numerous companies collaborating to create incredible end products. Without a clearly defined identity, businesses risk causing disruption — and not in a positive way.

However, tech startups require more than a strong sense of identity. They also need to have a bold vision of the impact they want to have on their target market. This potential for market leadership is critical to consider when investing in technology startups. The first and best company in a particular niche enjoys a clear competitive advantage, making it an attractive investment opportunity.

Businesses with an innovative value proposition that addresses a new market segment or an unmet need within an existing sector, have the potential to become future market leaders.

Investors should also conduct due diligence on the management team. Is the team distinguished by a breadth and depth of expertise that gives the company a competitive edge in the sector it’s pursuing? Look for management teams that comprise individuals with a track record of building successful businesses and who could apply models they’ve successfully used before within their current company. Additionally, a well-rounded team will include professionals in finance, marketing, and operations.

Grow your industry knowledge

To determine whether a startup is truly filling a valuable yet under-served niche in the sector, investors should first aim to understand the technology market.

The technology sector is focused on electronics manufacturing, mobile app development, software development, computer hardware, and products and services relating to information technology. It includes business-to-consumer (B2C) goods such as personal computers, mobile devices, wearable technology, home appliances, and TVs. Additionally, it covers business-to-business (B2B) products and services such as enterprise software, logistics system management, and the collection, protection, and analysis of critical data.

All of these B2C and B2B goods and services are important to the global economy, which explains why the technology sector is one of the most attractive investment .

Social media, blockchain, cloud computing, fintech, mobile apps, the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), medical devices, gaming, and cybersecurity have been the leading growth segments for the technology industry in recent years.

In the coming years, the cloud-based everything-as-a-service segment of the market is expected to perform particularly well. According to Deloitte’s 2021 outlook report, “global as-a-service revenue will reach US$355 billion over the next few years, fuelled by emerging business models such as content-as-a-service, artificial intelligence-as-a-service, and Internet of Things-as-a-service.”

Meanwhile, revenues in the technology industry’s AI segment are expected to reach US$100 billion by 2025, “driven by machine learning, deep learning, and conversational AI applications. Healthcare, remote work, and education may see some of the highest levels of AI adoption.”

Another multibillion-dollar market is financial technology. According to Research and Markets, this segment of the technology market will be worth approximately US$305 billion by 2025.

Additionally, autonomous vehicles, natural language processing, bioinformatics, and 3D printing are among the top emerging technologies to monitor in the near future, according to Lux Research’s Foresight 2021 report.

Why should you invest in a technology startup?

Large private equity firms and savvy investors seize the opportunity to invest in a technology startup for the following reasons;

Great ROI

Investors can sell their shares at an exponential rate of return once the technology company goes public. For example, venture capitalists can anticipate a modest 10x return on investment within 4-5 years.

Additionally, investors accrue passive income over time via dividends. Most investors can live with a modest expectation of over 15x ROI growth.

Avoid volatile stock prices

Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic could have a significant impact on the economy, driving down the stock prices of publicly traded companies.

Due to the fact that technology investments are not yet publicly traded, they are less likely to be impacted by societal events that cause market fluctuations.

For example, while the stock market suffered a general decline as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, technology startups such as Netflix and Amazon continued to grow at a rapid pace.

Capitalisation

To launch a technology startup, small amounts of money are typically required. Therefore investing in them early on can result in significant future profits should they succeed. Compared to investing in large technology companies alongside hundreds of other investors, being one of a few shareholders in a startup for the same amount of money is a much better deal. 

Diversifying your holdings

If you’re a seasoned investor, you’re already aware of what this means. It’s beneficial to have a diverse portfolio that includes both large corporations and startups. This method will assist you in balancing the risks and rewards associated with all transactions.

Rapid growth

By and large, technology startups are extremely progressive and innovative. They take advantage of technology and trends, which enable them to grow and adapt quickly to changing conditions. If everything goes according to plan, your investments can yield significant returns relatively quickly.

Tax reduction

Certain governments actively support early-stage investors by offering tax breaks, rebates, and deductions. The Australian government is offering 45% cost rebates for apps that aim to improve our economy. Investing in these kinds of apps can be described as a mutually beneficial arrangement with the state, as the technology sector contributes to economic growth, and you earn profits from your startup investment and pay lower taxes as a result.

A track record of success

When it comes to stock market growth, tech startups have a track record of success. Within the last decade, technology stocks have seen an average annual dividend growth of about 25%.

Having said that, it is necessary to recognise that financial risks are inherent in investment practices.

Pre-IPO investing, in particular, exposes investors to the risk of losing money if the company is valued too low when it goes public. According to Goldman Sachs, only 24% of initial public offerings were profitable in their first year of trading in 2019.

Additionally, private companies and startups may postpone going public due to corporate governance concerns or stock market apprehension.

Wrapping up

Investing in technology startups has the potential to be highly financially lucrative.

And while investing in technology startups involves some risk (as, indeed, does investing in the stock market) the demonstrated benefits often outweigh the potential costs.

Follow our tips and consider your options carefully to identify the best technology startup to invest in, but remember that getting involved in the industry that dominates the business world could be a fruitful and potentially life-changing financial move.

7 easy ways to visualise your app idea with UI/UX tools

The use of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) tools significantly simplifies the process of developing a website or mobile application. Entrepreneurs and startups who use UI/UX technologies to rapidly validate and iterate their ideas create better human-centered design solutions. But it’s important to remember that developing a quality product requires labor, time, and money.

The most beneficial technologies help clients and designers communicate more effectively by enabling a shared context rather than divergent perspectives. The primary benefit of incorporating these technologies into the design process is that “the sooner we fail, the faster we learn.”

Use of UI/UX tools

UI design tools equip designers with the tools necessary to create precise, high-fidelity wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, as well as minimum viable products. They communicate the functionality of a design by representing the nuts and bolts.

UX design tools are centred on the user and their interaction with the product. These tools can assist in structuring the information architecture as well as the flow of an experience. Due to the more conceptual nature of this, UX tools are intended to assist designers in painting a fuller picture of how content and structure will affect the user experience.

We’re going to help you familiarise yourself with some UI and UX technologies that every entrepreneur may find useful during the design process.

Top 7 UI/UX design tools

1. InVision 

InVision’s comprehensive suite of applications provides designers with all the UI design tools necessary to create fully developed and functioning prototypes complete with dynamic features and animations.

Along with these simple-to-use UI design tools, it facilitates communication by allowing developers to share their work in progress, receive feedback, and make recorded adjustments at each stage. Another significant feature of InVision is the digital whiteboard, which enables team members to communicate their ideas, collaborate, and obtain that all-important sign-off before proceeding.

Key benefits of InVision include:

• Supports cross-platform development experience.
• Allows for easy control and status setting of projects, facilitating effective project management.
• Enables size and resolution customisation based on the device’s design. This is a helpful feature for responsive design and mobile adaptations.
• Allows entrepreneurs to save the history of design versions, which can be referred to and compared as needed.

InVision runs on:

• Web browser
• Mac OS X
• Windows

2. Axure

Axure assists with prototyping and workflow management. It has a simple interface that allows you to document as you go. This tool is driven by high fidelity, resulting in detailed prototypes.

Axure also has plenty of other features seen in popular prototype and user interface design tools. It enables functional testing and compiles all necessary information for an easy developer handoff. This, paired with an emphasis on communication, ensures that everyone involved in a project is kept informed of progress and changes in real time, making Axure an excellent choice for user interface design.

Key Axure benefits include:

• In terms of widgets and design, Axure includes fundamental geometric shapes, headers, text, and form elements.
• It is one of the best rapid prototyping tools since it enables entrepreneurs to quickly construct prototypes without having to write code.
• This tool provides basic geometric shapes, headers, texts, and form elements in terms of widgets and design.

Axure runs on:

• Mac OS X
• Windows

3. Sketch

If you’ve had any experience with user interface design, you’ve probably heard of Sketch. And there are a number of reasons why it’s one of the most revered design tools.

The ability to make universal modifications — whether through its symbol library, layer styles, or text styles, or through its fluid resizing and aligning features — saves designers time and enables them to generate consistent prototypes. It eliminates excess effort and allows designers to jump in and create. And with a variety of third-party plugins that connect seamlessly, there’s no shortage of tools available for enhancing Sketch.

Key benefits of Sketch include:

• Sketch enables users to quickly switch between design screens and all screen sizes (artboards), add animations, and create working prototypes.
• The cloud-based interface of Sketch enables users to effortlessly share prototypes and receive immediate feedback.

Sketch runs on:

• Mac OS X

4. Marvel

Marvel is an app prototyping tool that can assist both beginner and professional web and mobile app designers. Its integration with Photoshop and Sketch enables simple screen import. With the ability to build both low-fidelity and high-fidelity wireframes, interactive prototypes, and user testing, it provides everything a UI designer needs, all wrapped up in an intuitive interface.

Key Marvel benefits:

• Allows for easy uploading of picture files via third-party services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Sketch. Additionally, it supports a variety of image formats, including PSD, JPG, and GIF.
• With Marvel, you can modify images in a variety of ways, including changing the background colour and scaling them.
• Includes a tool called Handoff, which provides developers with all the HTML code and CSS styles needed to begin building.

5. Balsamiq 

Balsamiq’s user-friendly interface makes it simple for enterpreurs to produce low-fidelity wireframes. Even those having no prior knowledge with wireframing can create ones that appear professional. With functionality that is similar to sketching on a notepad or whiteboard, it’s a tool that is accessible to anyone, regardless of their skill level.

Key benefits of Balsamiq:

• Balsamiq enables users to sketch ideas on a notepad or whiteboard, providing a unique creative experience for designers or beginners.
• Hundreds of pre-built hand-written UI components allow users to concentrate on the structure and macro-level of website/app design, minimising time wasted on insignificant details.
• The Balsamiq prototyping tool enables designers to share and present their work in PNG or PDF formats.

Balsamiq runs on:

• Mac OS X
• Windows

6. FlowMapp

When creating a user experience plan, designers must pay close attention to structure, flow, and associated sitemaps.

While many programs attempt to integrate UI and UX into a single platform, FlowMapp focuses only on UX design. Creating user flows and visual sitemaps are critical components of UX design, and these are the pillars of FlowMapp’s UX design app.

Key FlowMapp benefits include:

• Facilitates collaborative work in planning UX strategy and design
• Exports in a variety of formats for online and offline use.
• Activity centre for tracking project developments over time. Maintaining engagement and communication with all stakeholders

FlowMapp runs on:

• Web browser

7. VisualSitemap

VisualSitemap generates sitemaps — the list of pages that exist within a website. It’s convenient to have a tool dedicated to this task. This application is completely automated, capable of crawling password-protected websites that have not yet gone live and exporting to Sketch. VisualSitemaps accelerates the process of developing visual sitemaps for UX designers, developers, and anybody else involved in the process.

VisualSitemap key benefits:

• Annotate any pages quickly and easily to solicit input from your team and clients.
• 100% cloud automated.
• Automatically monitor the visual changes to any website. Maintain consistency in your design from release to release.

Where to from here?

We’ve come a long way from the days when clients were shown paper mockups of mobile apps. Today, we have access to a wide range of excellent prototyping options.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all tool that we can label as a ‘winner’ among the options listed, it’s a good idea to have a look at all of them and see which feel right for you and your specific needs. As an entrepreneur, you may always feel that something is missing, but you’ll enjoy the qualities of each tool.

If you need help with prototyping your app or SaaS idea, get in touch with us at Appomate and we’ll be happy to help.

Why great UI/UX is a must for every startup and why great apps with an average look and feel can fail

In today’s information-heavy world, users want to engage with excellent technology that doesn’t increase the cognitive load of their already overworked brains. 

The same is true of websites and mobile applications; the faster and more efficient a website or mobile application is, the more successful it is in the market. That’s why so many startups and big business owners are now investing heavily in user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design.

UI and UX are the two most critical components of your mobile application’s success. If you’ve developed a poorly performing app, you should consider redesigning its UI and UX. And the first step towards doing that, is understanding the fundamentals of UI/UX.

The value of mobile application UI and UX design can be quantified by the number of programs that are uninstalled on a daily basis. Let’s face it, we’ve all removed numerous mobile applications because they were unappealing, lacked the appearance and feel of a superior user experience, or performed exceptionally poorly.

Many startups and entrepreneurs are unaware of what UI/UX design is or how critical it is to the mobile app development process. Although UI design is the most fundamental step in the development of a mobile app, its success is totally dependent on the UX and UI. 

In this blog, you’ll learn the importance of UI/UX designs and how it determines the success of your mobile app in detail.

UI: It’s all about the looks

What exactly is user interface design? UI is the process of enhancing the presentation and interactivity of a mobile application. Its focus is on appearance and how users interact with the app. Every screen, page, button or other visual element constitutes the application’s UI.

UX: Building intuitive experiences

So what is user experience design? UX is the process of enhancing the experience users have when they engage with a mobile application. Its aim is to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction. It keeps the client in mind and establishes the foundation for any application. It’s primarily concerned with wireframing an application and arranging all of its components in a way that produces the desired user flow.

Why is UI/UX design important: increased user experience and ROI

There’s no doubt that beautiful design and fantastic content motivates users to adopt your software. When your mobile or desktop app’s design is easy to understand, users are better able to navigate its functions. This results in a satisfied user, and a satisfied user will bring more users to your app. This is how an efficient UX can increase your number of users, thereby boosting your ROI.

Know your audience

Before beginning with mobile app development and UI/UX design, it’s critical to understand your clients and their pain points. This will help you work out what they need, which in turn enables you to design an app that adds value to your users’ lives. This is also how you create an app that will attract the customers you’ve prioritised. Once you have a firm grasp of your audience, it’s significantly easier to turn them into devoted consumers.

Build brand awareness

When people activate a service or make an online purchase, they’re often motivated by their trust for a particular brand. Investing in good UI/UX design naturally increases users’ engagement with your mobile application and builds their trust in the service or product you’re selling. For a start-up, entrepreneur or small business, UI and UX design is even more critical as first impressions last, and how good your app’s UI and UX design are can build or break brand awareness.

Save time and money

When you invest in a good UI/UX design, your clients will have no reason to complain about anything in your app. When you develop a strong program, you also eliminate the need for frequent upgrades and maintenance. Maintenance and improvements are costly, but with  well designed UI/UX, you save money.

Why UI/UX is critical to the success of your app

While stating that strong UI/UX design is critical to a mobile app’s success may seem self-evident, it helps to understand why. The field of mobile application development is quite competitive. The following data indicate users’ lack of tolerance for less-than-ideal experiences and their high regard for great ones.

• 95% of mobile applications are abandoned within a month.
• 79% of consumers prioritise an app’s usability.
• Within the first three days of download, the average app loses 77% of its daily active users.
• 75% of programs are downloaded once and then never used again.
• 23% of users who had a great experience with an app recommend it to ten or more people.

Even the big players fail due to poor UI/UX

Achieving high-quality UI/UX design takes time and commitment, and nobody is immune to making mistakes.

Netflix was criticised recently for its auto-play feature. Users expressed frustration with the fact that if they hovered over a movie or show on the homepage for an extended period, it would begin playing. As a result of the backlash, it’s now possible to disable the feature, but not before a new Twitter account called @stopautopreview was created.

Google is also not immune to falling short of the mark when it comes to user experience. 

Are you familiar with Google Wave, the company’s collaboration and real-time communication application? Most likely not, and there’s a reason for it. 

While many believe Google simply didn’t advertise it well, some believe it failed due to poor user experience. It was inaccessible, had a strange layout, and was difficult to operate.

The list of well known organisations that have failed miserably at UI/UX design is long. While this demonstrates that no one is immune to user experience errors, these errors may be avoided by approaching UI/UX design with the appropriate information and tools.

Apps with great UI/UX design

Everyone appreciates apps that are convenient to use, add value to their lives, and have an incredible look and feel. Take Instagram, which has consistently provided its users with wonderful features that are both interesting and attractive.

Another example is Spotify; it is simple to navigate and visually beautiful, which attracts a large number of people. Virtually every successful app is simple to use and has attractive interface design.

What UI and UX factors do you need to consider when designing a mobile application?

There are some critical components of UI/UX design that you should consider before beginning to develop your app.

• Your software should run well across all relevant platforms; consistency improves comprehension.
• Keep your design simple and uncluttered with limited input, as cluttered mobile apps are difficult to navigate.
• Maintain bug-free applications that load quickly so users don’t have to wait for the program to load.
• Keep your app’s fundamental features interactive, such as the colour palette, buttons, and icons. Work with a graphic designer to make your app more minimalistic, as the more minimalistic the design, the better.
• If you want to improve mobile app involvement, utilise high-resolution images.
• Experiment with repetitive UI designs are they’re quite engaging.
• Create a wireframe for your mobile application so that you can visualise the end product.

Why UI/UX design is important to a startups growth

Now, we’re going to discuss business.

Because UI and UX development are primarily concerned with the satisfaction and pleasure of users, they are vital to a startup’s success. 

From a business perspective, it’s important to satisfy your customers in order to build the brand’s value and reputation. 

With information technology being a competitive area, the requirement for UI/UX design services to capture consumers’ attention and generate income from the company’s products is crucial. 

If people are browsing your websites or interacting with your applications, it is your obligation and that of your UI /UX developers to efficiently navigate them to their desired destination. 

As a result, UI and UX development has become a critical component of modern web and mobile development.

Final thoughts

To create a successful mobile application, you must have a well thought out UI/UX design plan. 

Your project must begin with a firm grasp of what you’re creating and who you’re creating it for. While feedback from your end users is key, you must ensure that you’re requesting the correct information at the right time and in the appropriate setting. 

Fortunately, there are numerous tools available to assist you with everything from graphic design to wireframes and evaluation. With these resources at your disposal, you can design the next great mobile app that is visually appealing, functional and ultimately successful.

Are you in need of assistance with user experience and design? Appomate can assist you in developing a mobile app that is both visually appealing and intuitive to use. To learn more about our services and how we can assist you, contact us today.

How Agile methodology can help startups and entrepreneurs speed up their mobile app development projects.

Constant changes and quick delivery are two of the primary challenges that startups or entrepreneur’s  face today. 

The Agile Software Development Lifecycle model (SDLC) enables a more adaptive approach to software development in a fast-paced environment with constantly changing customer requirements.

The primary benefit of implementing an Agile software development life cycle is self-evident. 

The Agile methodology considers the constant changes that occur during software development processes. Teams can produce functional software more quickly and update it more frequently. There appears to be no reason not to adopt an Agile SDLC.

In this article, we’ll discuss the Agile SDLC model, how it compares to traditional SDLC models, and how to implement the best Agile practises.

How is Agile methodology defined?

The Agile methodology is a development and testing method that emphasizes continuous iteration throughout the software development lifecycle of a project. Unlike the Waterfall model, the Agile model allows for concurrent development and testing activities.

Agile software development: What is it?

Agile software development is one of the most straightforward and effective processes for translating a business vision into software solutions. Agile is a term that refers to approaches to software development that emphasise continuous planning, learning, improvement, collaboration, evolutionary development, and early delivery. It promotes adaptability to change.

The following are five advantages of Agile methodology:

• High-quality products
• Increased client satisfaction
• Increased project management control
• Reduced threats
• Increased return on investment

In traditional software development, the project manager is responsible for creating a detailed overview of anticipated requirements and adhering to them throughout the development process. It adds time to the traditional development process. 

By contrast, the Agile model requires regular check-ups throughout the cycle, meaning the project’s owner can make changes as necessary. The development process is iterative, with frequent checkpoints. If any problems arise, team members can experiment and resolve them. 

Significantly, they must complete each phase before proceeding to the next. This is the primary distinction between Agile and traditional SDLCs. 

Throughout the software development life cycle, users can monitor the status of their projects. It’s all about iterative planning, which makes it extremely easy to adapt to changing requirements.

Delivering business value early in the process also mitigates development risks. Numerous Agile SDLC approaches exist, including Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban. All of these are directed towards a single objective – continuous improvement, adaptability, team input, and the delivery of high-quality results.

The difference between Agile & traditional models

Agile methodologies are typically less detailed than traditional methodologies. This is consistent with the Agile manifesto’s emphasis on “individuals and interaction over processes and tools.” While the Agile approach contains general guidelines, it lacks the details provided by a traditional approach. The Agile methodology will use fewer templates and less specific procedural steps.

Agile principles place a premium on delivering a working product over documentation. As a result, Agile approaches prioritise execution and spend less time on planning. Complex project management plans, detailed requirements documents, or role and responsibility documentation, all of which are critical planning documents in a traditional methodology, are omitted. 

Adaptability is a critical aspect of Agile approaches. Not only does the team examine the product as it is developed and makes feature changes, but they also examine the process. The team conducts a “lessons learned” session at the conclusion of each iteration, which is frequently referred to as a retrospective. 

The session’s objective is to conduct a review of both the product and the process. The team discusses how the project is progressing and what procedures could be improved to improve performance. For instance, the team may decide to alter the testing process or the meeting format.

Conducting lessons learned is a required step in a traditional project-closing process. As in Agile methods, one topic is a review of project management activities. However, any process changes recommended will affect future projects rather than current ones.

Even if lessons learned are conducted at the conclusion of each phase, because that phase will not be repeated for the duration of the project, the recommendations will have no effect on subsequent projects.

However, there are several widely held misconceptions about Agile project management. One myth is that an Agile approach is devoid of planning. In Agile, planning does occur, but like the development itself, it’s an iterative process.

Initially, teams develop high-level features. Each iteration begins with the creation of a more detailed plan for that iteration. While detailed plans are not developed at the start of an Agile project due to the unknowns, planning is an integral part of the process.

Similarly, to how no detailed planning documents are developed at the start of the project, no detailed requirements documents are developed. The project team collaborates closely with the customer to define the end product’s features. Only high-level information about each feature is documented during this phase; details are determined during the iteration in which the feature is developed. 

A second myth is that Agile projects are self-managing. In reality, the project manager’s role is distinct because it places a lesser emphasis on management activities such as planning or budgeting and a greater emphasis on team leadership. 

In an Agile environment, project managers are responsible for communicating the project’s vision, assisting the team, and removing impediments to progress.

What are the steps in Agile methodology?

Agile SDLC, like any other SDLC methodology, is comprised of numerous steps. Each step is designed to move the team closer to the final product and to release new software as quickly as possible.

A typical agile workflow would include:

Concept: During the first stage of the Agile SDLC, the team evaluates the overall project, providing business analysis services. This is the stage at which the team establishes or rejects a hypothesis about business benefit, estimates the duration of the project, and identifies any additional resources that may be required later in development.

Inception: After the concept stage, the inception stage occurs, during which a financial foundation is laid, and the primary team members are identified.

Iteration/Construction: This phase focuses on delivering functional software. It is developed and improved iteratively in response to iteration requirements and feedback. This phase is divided into several time periods (sprints).

Release: This process entails quality assurance testing, user testing, documentation creation, and the market release of an iteration.

Production: The ongoing maintenance of software.

Retirement: This is the final, self-explanatory phase of the agile SDLC. Here, the development team discontinues support for previously released software and notifies customers. 

Which SDLC method is more successful: traditional or Agile?

When compared with traditional software development life cycles like Waterfall, Agile frameworks emphasise collaboration and cross-functional approaches to planning, analysis, design, and delivery. This requires the cooperation of the entire team.

According to the Standish Group’s CHAOS report, Agile projects are more successful than Waterfall projects because they face fewer obstacles and experience fewer failures.

Source: Standish Group’s CHAOS report

How startups can implement an Agile SDLC to accelerate project progress

It’s not as straightforward as simply selecting the Agile SDLC model, but that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. Constant collaboration and feedback sharing are the primary keys to making Agile SDLC work for you.

Here are eight Agile practices to incorporate into your software development lifecycle:

1. Collaborate with your stakeholders on an ongoing basis.
2. Establish daily meetings to monitor the progress of iterations, determine what needs to be changed, and assist in moving the process forward.
3. Choose the appropriate Agile framework for your business.
4. Create a list of possible features and user stories for your product.
5. Plan the sprint after determining which components of the upcoming project should be prioritised.
6. Procure and share feedback. Share the collected feedback with the entire team prior to the next iteration stage to provide an overview of the project’s direction. Keep team members informed about customer and product-owner feedback.
7. Accept changes regardless of the stage of the project.
8. Examine your sprint, noting what worked and what did not.

Get started with Agile SDLC

The Agile software development lifecycle is designed to maximise productivity and meet the needs of customers. As a result, Agile SDLC is a viable option for start-ups because it allows for this degree of flexibility. 

However, in order for agile SDLC to work effectively, you must select the appropriate dedicated development team.

At Appomate, we use practices and techniques that allow us to take our solutions to the next level and deliver successfully.

Our team’s expertise enables us to define and recommend the optimal use of Agile practises and when to incorporate them into the lifecycle of your mobile application or testing process. 

If you have any questions, contact us via

Appomate’s website: www.appomate.com.au

Mail: info@appomate.com.au

Phone: (+61) 433 722 293

Agile teams are built to be adaptable. However, even the most seasoned Agile teams found it difficult to adapt to the changes brought about by COVID-19.

In this article, we look at how the Appomate Agile team responded without missing a beat and without losing its sense of synergy during the abrupt transition to remote work.

If you’re looking for tips on how to keep your Agile software teams productive and motivated while working remotely, read ahead.

Creating pairing rooms

Typically, virtual pairs use the latest online meeting technology and resolve connectivity issues after “stand-up”. 

This works well when all you have to focus on is your partner and your tasks, but the team connection will deteriorate over time if the entire team is working remotely. 

By creating static pairing rooms with persistent URLs, we made virtual spaces that anyone could find, similar to a traditional office huddle room.

In the office, if someone needs to ask a question of a teammate paired in a huddle room, they can drop in and have a quick conversation. The static pairing rooms allow people to quickly catch up in the same way.

Approach in brief iterations or sprints

In our team, we break down large projects into smaller tasks, which enables us to more easily notice any quick changes.

This also works for project management.

For instance, we have a daily morning “stand-up” meeting that ideally takes no more than 15 minutes.

The stand-up is our opportunity to decide which tasks to tackle that day, or to ask for assistance from our colleagues.

Working remotely enables us to quickly identify and resolve issues and avoid potential bottlenecks.

Creating a team room

It was also important to us to instil a sense of consistency and concreteness to our ceremonies.

Agile teams value their ceremonies and introducing ephemeral meetings into what should be the most predictable time of the week adds friction. 

We addressed this by creating a team room with a static URL. 

Every ceremony, from stand-up to retro, was held in the team room. 

Additionally, similar to the team’s office arrangement, the product manager worked primarily in the team room to be available for questions.

Equip your team with the right tools.

As with any new process or system, if you want your remote team to succeed with this new way of working and collaborating, you have to arm them with the necessary tools.

All remote teams at Appomate use a few fundamental tools: group chat, video, and some sort of task management system.

Because we’re working remotely, it’s also critical to invest in tools that enable collaboration among our team members — regardless of their location.

At Appomate we discovered how to utilise breakout rooms, acquired knowledge of how to use whiteboards, and learnt to draw and design collaboratively online.

Discord

As a starting point, every mobile development team should have a team chat application. They are invaluable for businesses of all sizes.

Whether you’re hosting a meeting or simply having an informal chat, Discord enables you to create multiple channels to keep things focused.

We use Discord to collaborate, ask questions, exchange files, compare notes on new releases, and much more.

It’s also a place where we can discuss anything, or simply have a vent, even about things that aren’t work-related.

Zoom

Zoom includes a plethora of useful features that make it simple for remote businesses to create and record meetings, and screen share. Plus, the audio and video quality are consistently excellent. 

Video calls can also include ‘Zoom rooms’ with up to 1,000 video participants.

At Appomate, we use Zoom to conduct video conferences with both current and prospective customers, often across different time zones. Zoom also enables us to schedule upcoming meetings and appointments.

Jira

Jira enables us to plan ahead, track progress, and manage the complexities of Agile project management quickly and easily.

For instance, each team member has access to visualised real-time data, which includes lanes marked as “in progress,” “to do,” and “completed.”

Once a task has been marked as “complete,” it can be revisited and reviewed at any time to ensure its quality.

But that’s not all Jira offers us.

We also use Jira’s “time tracker” to stay on track, accurately estimate delivery dates, and deliver software on time.

The result is improved team coordination, faster development times, and higher-quality code.

Facilitation techniques

It’s critical to employ structural approaches to communication and collaboration. At Appomate, we use techniques such as liberating structures (which promote a balance of tightly structured and looser brainstorming sessions) to help teams bring everyone into the conversation, including team members who are hesitant to participate in conference calls.

Make time for fun.

Constant video conferencing, tight deadlines, and the inconvenience of external distractions can create a stressful work environment. When working in a co-located team, you rely on others for assistance, but it’s much more difficult to receive assistance or even relax with teammates in a distributed team environment.

That’s why we make it a priority to incorporate social activities, such as virtual happy hours or team-building exercises, to reduce anxiety and provide an outlet for communication without the constraints of meeting agendas and defined outcomes.

Agile tips for remote work by role: Leaders, teams, and individuals

While distributed teams are now the norm in many organisations, they can be difficult to manage. The following are some tactical actions that leaders, teams, and individuals can take to improve their performance.

Source: smartsheet.com

These are Agile project management secrets that enable us to build a connected remote team.

We hope you’re establishing a routine for your daily work, as people worldwide adjust to these new circumstances.