The cost of developing software is one of the many factors that make businesses hesitant to invest in custom development. But it is also one of the reasons why the software development Dubai industry thrives. There are many companies in Dubai offering budget-friendly software development services. Then there are ways how a business can reduce the expenses involved in custom software development which we shall cover in this article.

Many software projects fail primarily due to inadequate planning and lack of communication. Custom software development projects are prone to cost overruns if certain criteria aren’t met. As a matter of fact, a few years ago, a Harvard Business Review article revealed that one in 6 IT projects end up with a cost overrun of 200%. To avoid such a scenario, resourceful businesses invest in in-house development. Even in-house development can end up increasing expenses in unforeseen ways. And what about smaller businesses and startups? For them the cost of in-house development could even displace the companies’ overall profit.

So how can a business save costs in custom software development?

Good outsourcing options

Almost every type of job can be outsourced these days. Software development and testing aren’t any different. Outsourcing is one of the simplest ways to cut down development costs. By outsourcing the development, a business won’t have to hire developers in-house and grant them salaries and benefits. 

Offshore software development is another cost-cutting approach where experienced professionals from a more economical region can be hired to complete the project independently. However, lower costs of development don’t always translate into a great price-quality ratio. And this isn’t about software development alone. Testing can be outsourced as well. There are many companies in the software testing UAE sector that can cost-effectively test software and ensure high quality.

Make product requirements yourself first

Ambiguity in requirements could end up increasing the cost of development. Any misinterpretation of the requirements can result in improper features and functionality, poor design or worse. Before approaching a developer, a business must make sure that they are fully aware of their needs and what they want to achieve with the software. Proper documentation can help avoid miscommunication. 

Test early

The QA and testing team should be involved with the project from the beginning itself. Bugs and various other issues may accumulate throughout the requirements and design phase of the lifecycle, and lie dormant complicating things further as the project progresses. Testing early in the development lifecycle can identify many such issues, thus avoiding sub-optimal software quality, expensive re-designs, and other bad surprises. 

Endnote

These are just a few tips that could be useful in cutting down custom software development costs without compromising the product's quality. That said, with a very clear idea in mind, the only thing a business in the UAE actually needs is to find a reliable partner from the many software development companies in Dubai because the right partner will know all of the aforementioned tips and more to deliver a fascinating, wallet-friendly software solution of great quality.