How to make your development project fail (and how to avoid a disaster)

Have you had an unsuccessful development project that cost you a lot of nerves and did not result in the desired outcome? Or are you planning to outsource software development for your business and want to avoid repeating the mistakes others have made?

We should be honest from the very beginning: not all software projects are successful. Failure usually results from a lack of precise requirements and communication breakdowns, but the list of elements to watch out for may be longer. Thus, we have prepared an (anti)guide – a set of situations you should avoid to ensure your software project has a happy end.

Top 12 reasons development projects fail and how to avoid them

Software projects often fail due to one or more irregularities that were not eliminated during the development process. What should you do to decrease the risk of unsuccessful product development? Below, you will find the most common reasons software projects fail.

1. Unclear vision and expectations

A software project launched with an inadequate vision is likely to fail. Miscommunication arises from a lack of clarity in objectives and intentions. This wastes time and resources and ultimately leads to an output that does not meet expectations.

Good practice: Start with a collaborative workshop with your software development partner. Establish a clear vision and define your expectations: What problem are you trying to solve with this software? Who is your target audience? How will the users interact with the software? What functionalities are essential? The more insights you provide, the easier it is to match the product to users' needs.

2. Unrealistic deadlines

One of the common challenges in software development projects is unachievable deadlines. Imposing tight timelines can lead to hasty work, which enhances the risks of errors and delays.

Good practice: If time is limited, define the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with your software development partner. This will allow you to release your basic product, generate early revenue, and gather helpful feedback for future improvements.

3. Poor planning

An unclear project plan is one of the main reasons software projects may fail. Poor planning is also inflexible and doesn’t allow room for changes.

Good practice: Choose a software development partner that embraces agile methodologies and breaks the project into smaller, manageable iterations, with regular check-ins and reviews at each stage. This way, developers understand each step, allocate appropriate time to each task, and adapt well to changes, ensuring that the project remains aligned with its goals.

4. Unrealistic budget expectations

The project budget determines its scope. However, unrealistic expectations may disrupt the correct operational mix, as vital features will be lacking in the software or become unusable after all the money has been spent. Besides, surprises are bound to come up during development, for example, when testing software for bugs or adapting existing solutions to a changing market.

Good practice: Plan an additional 10-20% to your software product budget at the beginning. If necessary, you will be able to finance extra work on the project without any problems.

5. Ignoring technology trends

Selecting outdated technology can lead to compatibility problems and require rebuilding the software from scratch, which means more time and money. Using familiar but obsolete solutions may compromise your project's speed, reliability and security.

Good practice: Identify priorities such as the project's complexity, scalability, and future growth, then partner with an experienced software company that will help you choose the most suitable technology stack. This will ensure that your project rests on a strong and future-proof foundation.

6. Choosing a random development team

Picking the wrong development team may cause delays, lack of necessary skills or produce a buggy final product. Without enough staff and the proper knowledge, you might not meet deadlines or achieve the desired qualities for your projects.

Good practice: If you decide to go ahead with an in-house team, make sure they have the required skill sets according to the technologies selected. Otherwise, consider using dedicated teams or staff augmentation services, which will ensure the availability of the required skills.

7. Lack of communication

Failure to communicate properly can result in misunderstandings, misaligned expectations and eventual collapse of the entire project. Without being updated frequently or actively involved, enough critical points may remain hidden until it becomes too late to handle them well.

Good practice: Engage a software partner who employs agile methodologies. This way, you are assured of continuous updates and progress reports through daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, or iterative feedback, which keeps you on your toes throughout various project stages.

8. Scope changes and feature creep

Frequent scope changes and feature creep can ruin any project. They usually cause missed deadlines, budget overruns, and quality compromises. The impulse addition of new features might lead to confusion and water down the focus on core functionalities envisioned in the first place.

Good practice: Establish a solid change management process with your software partner. This will enable careful evaluation and approval of proposed alterations to initial requirements. Prioritise must-have features and plan for other phases or versions to accommodate additional functionalities. Regularly review and adjust project scope jointly with the development team to maintain clear direction.

9. Accepting shortcuts in testing

Poor testing makes it easy for bugs and other software errors to go unnoticed. This can damage your product's reputation, increase maintenance costs and require significant post-launch reworking.

Good practice: Plan all-around testing during development, which involves unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing. Work with your software partner to create a solid plan for comprehensive tests at every stage of development.

10. Poor risk management

Without a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks, you may face unexpected delays, cost overruns, and technical failures, ultimately compromising the success of your investment.

Good practice: Collaborate with your software partner to develop a comprehensive risk management plan. This should include identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and establishing mitigation strategies. Regularly review and update the risk management plan throughout the project to address new risks as they arise. By anticipating and preparing for potential challenges, you can minimise their impact and keep your project on track.

11. Insufficient user involvement

Insufficient user involvement can lead to a solution that does not meet user requirements or expectations. Without constant feedback from end users, the software may lack crucial features, have an inadequate interface, or fail to solve intended problems.

Good practice: Involve users early on in the development process. Have frequent sessions where users test and get feedback incorporated into design and functionality reviews. Work with this input through iterative cycles, collaborating with your software partner until the final product meets expectations.

12. External dependencies

Third-party APIs or libraries could experience downtime, change how they function or even be discontinued, affecting projects' timelines and functionality.

Good practice: Evaluate all external dependencies carefully during the project's early stages to prevent problems later.

How do you stay calm when software projects go wrong?

Are you worried about ending up with another failed project? It can be overwhelming to think about all the factors that can lead to failure. That's why the best way to avoid common pitfalls is to learn from the experience of our Happy Team.

Our skilled software engineers will handle everything from understanding your needs to assembling the right team. Just share your idea with us, and we'll take care of the rest.