The process of developing an app is a beautiful one. It finds solutions to unsolvable problems and makes the path to innovation accessible.
Software development in any shape or form is a highly flexible field and offers limitless ways to answer a question.
A wise software developer once said, “The reason why it’s called software development is because of the malleability and adaptability of the field.”
However, a chasm erupts when complexity, disorganization, and chaos convolute the minds of the development team.
Teams feel stuck in the mud when high-priority deadlines loom over their heads like an aimless sword.
Why Become Productive?
While companies develop mobile apps, developers explore options to improve the user experience and increase engagement. Simultaneously, businesses look for better ways to enhance time-to-market to beat the market competition.
An enterprise can conveniently enhance the app’s user experience and also its time-to-market by boosting the productivity of its team of developers. The improvement in productivity will yield a drastic increase in the company’s efficiency.
According to survey, employees who feel overworked are likely to have decreased productivity by 68%. So, what are some ways that can support your app development team and enable them to fly high?
How to Improve the Productivity of Your App Development Team?
Here are a few tips and tricks I have collected to sort out the issue for you. It’s time to get your note-taking tools out and learn a trick or two!
1. Try MVP concepts
According to Localytes, 21% of users abandon an app after a single use.
Enterprises need to find ways that retain user attention and engage them with the availability of the latest functionalities and fresh content frequently.
When an enterprise considers developing bare minimal functionality, the minimum viable product(MVP) process of app conception allows productive development and quick launches.
Since developers have to focus on the essential functionalities of the app, they can conveniently develop customized apps within short periods.
While app abandonment rates have declined in recent years, enterprises have a hard time to meet break-even points after the failure of the first product.
The company can continue with the addition of new features to the app according to real-time user feedback and statistics collected via analytics. There is still hope for progress, and your user base will see the value of your app before jumping ship.
2. Support your development team
Your team of developers is a valuable asset to your enterprise. They are more than a bunch of code writing geeks. If you don’t value your team then perhaps, changing this perspective is all that you need!
The app development team needs diversity in terms of capabilities and talents. An addition of project managers, QA team, interns, and designers make the perfect recipe for a successful mobile app.
Supporting your developing team is paramount to your success. Make things easier for them by automating minuscule yet tedious procedures. A stronger culture that encourages employees in high-pressure times is ideal for boosting the overall efficiency of the team.
3. Start using the latest programming languages
Major operating systems enable developers to write mobile apps in multiple languages. Developers are free to keep the source code precise and easy to maintain by choosing modern languages.
To illustrate the case with an example, your team of mobile app developers can write an iOS app in Objective-C and keep writing additional code or, they can write it in Swift and save their time and effort.
Switching to Kotlin from outdated languages to avail new language features. Modern programming languages let developers add functionality to the app without hassling to write long lines of code.
The code in these languages remains readable and easy to maintain as opposed to conventional styles. When shorter code is written, the developers continue focused on the task at hand hence experiencing better productivity.
4. Test the app early and consistently
Most businesses deploy expensive, professional testers for the evaluation of their mobile app.
Since developers invest a lot of their time and energy into creating an app out of the void and even longer to repair performance issues.
The reparation of defects requires extra efforts and takes a toll on the developers mentally as well. Which is why we want to bring your attention to consistently test the app for the detection of bugs and flaws during the coding process.
Enterprises can boost productivity in their developers by early and constant testing of the app. you can consider embedding trial into the SDLC (software development lifecycle) to accelerate delivery.
5. Define a process for each step
Remaining organized is the unwritten rule of thumb, followed by every successful individual, team, and company. Only the implementation of the development process is not enough, and sometimes, even active criticism fails to get the job done.
Definite methods for each step would make things a lot easier for your developing team to handle. The collection of process KPIs will help you modify the inefficient procedures. A comprehensive review of your workflow will lead to the implementation of new experiments too!
Save your employees from biting their nails off because they cannot find an email. The time lost in reorganization post-chaos could be spent on growing the audience or client engagement instead. Promote the culture of organized discipline in your app development team to save them from dull moments.
So when you analyze your team’s progress next time, remember that “A place for everything and everything is in its place,” is not just a Pinterest-mom-quote-on-the-wall. It works!
6. Remember the sunk cost fallacy
Making sure that your team of developers does not spend excessive amount of time, obsessing over a specification, will work wonders for your enterprise in terms of productivity.
If a convention, tool, process, or service fails to perform well in a set amount of time, then it’s better to move on to a better option.
Just because you decided on a plan to go a certain way does not mean that you can waste the precious resources of time and effort on redundant activities. It is okay if you misjudge a tool.
If something is not worth the time, then it’s better to forgive and forget whoever was at fault.
Remember to err is human, to forgive is divine!
7. Be flexible for your team
Giving flexible hours to your team of developers does more good for your company than following a bunch of traditional norms.
Working at their convenience would allow developers to remain happy and productive for long hours. The detrimental impact of prolonged, unsuitable hours needs to be understood by the authorities.
I want to remind you that developing software is equivalent to alchemy. It requires focus and concentration, and if I’m not wrong, then, critical thinking for 8 hours straight, every day, would take its toll on the individual at some point. When a developer works in their comfort zone, they can produce better apps.
8. Improve communications
According to Salesforce, 86% of professionals believe that poor communications play a critical role in workplace failures.
When a message is misinterpreted, or a key point is missed, then the ensuing chaos is likely to wreak havoc on the entire project. Understanding the significance of clear communications is necessary here.
Many companies hire offshore developers, and things often get messy when the time zones become villainous. If you start a team with open discussions that allow constructive criticism and encourage a team spirit, then trust me, the members of such an organization would remain productive for a lot longer.
Creating a collaborative culture would enhance the capabilities of your team. When ideas are shared collectively, then the yellow-brick-road to innovation becomes easier to follow.
9. Keep looking for better tools
While speaking of change and human nature, it is apparent that people quickly get used to their patterns. Which is why many teams find it hard to switch to a new convention.
If you promote an environment of learning and encourage your developers to continue their quest to find something new, then you save your team from becoming stagnant.
Finding your answers for age-old questions will not just solve problems but also increase the adaptability of your team for utterly unexpected scenarios.
Continuous learning keeps the employees motivated and improves their morale. The access to new ideologies will encourage your developers to think differently and have an exciting yet productive experience of developing software.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, a company can boost the productivity of its team of app developers through several ways. But productivity is not achieved by implementing a single trick.
It is a concept that needs to be endorsed through the company’s culture and ideology. Efficiency needs to be prioritized at every step of the mobile app development hierarchy.
Always remember, productive creators, produce creative products!