How We Approach the Software Development Cycle
Most software projects follow the same five phases: ideation, prototype, minimum viable product (MVP), launch, and iteration.
At TLM, we see it differently. Not every project needs to run on the same timeline. Many of our clients are tech startups. They often need guidance, they have to make every dollar count, and they have no shortage of ambition.
Over the years, we’ve built a more flexible development process around that reality.
Technically, we’re consultants. In practice, we work as an extension of our clients’ teams, and our business model is built for exactly that. Think of it as adding our developers to your team. They become active members of it, sometimes for years, while working from TLM’s offices or remotely.
Analysis comes first
Our business model shapes how we approach the development cycle. For us, the key to a successful project is analysis. It’s not glamorous, and it’s not what sells. But it’s the most important step in building software.
Before we lock in the MVP feature set, we dig into the data. We want to know who the future users are, how the product will serve them, and what actually matters to them.
Analysis gives us a timeline and a budget. It also tells us which features belong in the MVP. We prioritize them with the client, and sometimes we have to make tough calls to keep the MVP viable, on budget, and on schedule.
Working in agile also means adapting as the project moves forward. When new information comes in, we’re willing to change course. Every decision serves one goal: making life easier for the user. Users stay at the center of development, from user experience (UX) to interface design (UI).
The MVP is live. Now what?
Revenue from the MVP often funds the next phase of development. That money takes the product to its next version, which combines the MVP’s features with the ones identified during analysis and the ones that came up once real users got their hands on it.
In most projects, a few months pass between the two versions. During that gap, it’s usually best to pause development, or at least slow it down. We recommend that founders focus on selling the MVP and gathering more user feedback. Meanwhile, our developers can move to other projects, which saves the client a significant amount of money.
Once the client has their MVP results and their funding in place, development picks back up with the same team, still in agile. We demo each new feature to the client, adjust it based on their feedback, and repeat.
Software is never really finished. A product has to evolve with user feedback, which means being open to reworking its architecture and components, and adding features as user needs change. That’s how a product stands the test of time.
After launch, we keep monitoring performance and make sure the architecture can scale as the product grows. Our developers provide ongoing support to fix issues and keep improving the product.
As you can see, there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. Every project is different, and the process has to adapt to it.
Want to learn more about how we work? Book a call and tell us about your idea. We’ll bring the coffee.