1. Planning and analysis

This is the initial stage of our software development process. We collaborate with clients to define precise functional and technical requirements needed to develop the software.  Essentially, we ask, “What problem will this software solve?” and “What value will it offer to the end user?” We define the problem and scope of any existing systems, as well as determine the objectives for their new systems.

A feasibility study also takes place during this Planning phase. Developers and product teams evaluate technical and financial challenges that might affect the software’s development or success. This also includes all the specifications for software, hardware, and network requirements for the system we plan to build.

2. Design

The Design phase is all about building the framework. Our Developers will first outline the details for the overall application, alongside specific aspects, such as its:

• User interfaces
• System interfaces
• Network and network requirements
• Databases

The Software Requirement Specifications (SRS) document created is transformed into a more logical structure that can later be implemented in a programming language

3. Implementation/Coding

The Coding phase in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is when we get down to business and start converting the software design into tangible code. This is the most crucial stage and needs a lot of time with a peaceful and sober mind. We use an appropriate programming language to write the code based on the project specifications and requirements.

4. Integration and Testing

In case there is any integration needed we do the integration alongside with a test. Some of the integrations commonly include the SMS and Payments i.e B2C MPESA APIs or any other third party API. Good test plans and various expert skills are needed to conduct different levels of testing. The input to test plans is usually the requirement specification and design deliverables, to keep it independent of the coding perspective. Errors found are documented and sent back to developers, designers, or requirement teams to fix, depending upon where the origin of the error may be found. Updated software is re-tested and test reports prepared.

5. Deployment

Once the system is found free of errors, it is ready to be migrated to the customer site. This may require customer acceptance testing before actual deployment can begin. User documentation is a crucial deliverable for this phase. Training the users and IT personnel may be a part of this stage too. The software may be rolled out in a systematic way, adding sites incrementally. The process of changeover from the old system to a new one that is operating smoothly marks the end of this stage.

6. Maintenance

Once a system has been deployed, it’s not the end of it all, software maintenance is essential. Maintenance tasks encompass frequent software updates, implementing patches, and fixing bugs. User support is also a crucial component, offering help and guidance to users facing difficulties with the software.

We the developers are responsible for implementing any changes that the software might need after deployment. This shall ensure smooth working in the real-time environment. Any errors found during the functioning of the software must be fixed. Any future enhancement and additional features need to be developed during this phase.

 It is of paramount importance that any changes made to a running system do not impact the performance of the system.