When managing a new project, it might seem like there are far too many balls to juggle. There are many unknowns – especially when developing new software or apps, as technology progresses very fast and you are, in effect, trying to hit a moving target.
All of this can seem overwhelming, and you could have very little confidence in bringing it in both on budget and on time.
However, although your particular project might seem unique, there should be some key areas that you can use as the foundation for what you are doing, that will be almost universal. By using these as your starting point, you can make sure that many of the basics are covered, and you can then work on the rest of the details from there.
1. Check your budget in detail
If you plan on bringing things in under budget, the best starting place is to know the budget inside-out and find out from day one just how realistic it is. This may take some research from you and your team, but it is better to find out now what is and isn’t feasible, rather than finding out halfway through.
You might already know from bitter experience that some projects are costed out using lowest priced options without taking into account delivery times or compatibility with other elements in the process. Making sure you know all of this in advance can arm you with the tools you need to take to finance if you need them to re-assess.
2. Build security into the project
Many projects are delivered without taking into account how secure they will be, and there might even be the belief that it needs to be bolted on afterward. By adopting Secure SDLC you are not only more likely to create high-quality software at low cost (and therefore stand more chance of staying within budget), but you will be building in security as you go.
This way, security is part of the infrastructure of the product and not an afterthought, leading to greater customer confidence in this and future projects, as well as creating a ‘security first’ culture in your team.
3. Outsource where necessary
While you probably have an excellent team there are no doubt going to be bottlenecks in the process or times when demand will outstrip the expertise you have available. In situations like this, you should not hesitate to get experts on board on a freelance basis to work for a few days or weeks to get you over a particular hurdle. You might even find you build a team of “go to” people who you can use for each product, although this may take time.
Final thoughts
Delivering projects on time and within budget can seem like a far-off dream but there are some steps you can take to bring it closer to reality. First of all, you need to know your budget inside out and make sure it is realistic. With that box ticked, the next step is to ensure the project is delivered with security as part of the build, and you can help to do all of this by hiring the right experts for the job, no matter where in the world they happen to be.