7 Ways Hiring Software Development Consulting Firms Grows Your Business

Unfortunately, software development consulting firms still fall under the radars of the businesses that need them the most. This often stems from concerns about high costs or long-term commitment.

But according to GlobeNewswire, the market for software development consulting will be worth $485.3 billion by 2030. When it helps millions of businesses get their footing in the digital world, that’s no surprise.

So, is it worth it? This guide has the answer.

What Is Software Development Consulting?

Software development consulting services offer expert assistance in designing, developing, and implementing custom business software. They assess your needs and goals to determine exactly what technology your organization is missing and how to get it.

With these specialists at your disposal, you’ll have dedicated guidance throughout the software development lifecycle and beyond.

This is especially useful for businesses that are new to software development and current tech trends.

7 Benefits Software Development Consulting Firms Offer Your Business

Unless you have your own team of developers and designers with business software experience, you need this service. But you may rightly want to know why that’s the case.

Software development consulting empowers your workforce with these seven benefits.

1) Customizable Solutions

Every business has unique needs and ideas that set it apart from the rest. One-size-fits-all software can never meet all those needs, and it also fails to communicate your uniqueness to clients.

Development consulting offers you a competitive edge through –

• Meeting your specific business goals
• Filling gaps in your process, increasing efficiency and employee productivity
• Developing a personalized user experience that boosts engagement
• Integrating custom-built software with your existing tech system

2) Specialist Guidance

Software development consulting firms are more than developers – they’re dedicated advisors with specialized skillsets.

These specialists share expert insights based on current technology, client expectations, and industry trends. By determining what’s best for you from the offset, they help you make well-informed investments.

Unlike off-the-shelf software vendors, development consultants aren’t selling a product; they’re selling a software strategy that guarantees business growth.

3) Focus on Core Business Functions

At minimum, an organization’s software needs are met when it has access to the following –

• Up-to-date technical strategies
• Purpose-built software
• Software performance and feedback monitoring
• Ongoing support and maintenance
• Development of new features and adjustment of old ones as needed

But assembling a new team of permanent hires to tackle these tasks is an unnecessary expense. And if you already have IT professionals on your team, taking them away from their current duties drains your resources.

Software consulting companies not only help with the development and deployment of your software, but they also stick around afterward. So, your team can stay focused on what they do best while specialists handle the rest.

🔥 Hot tip! Outsourcing custom business application development is the most cost- and resource-efficient way to offload your software strategy. But you’ll need some tips before you get started! Follow the link to find out more.

4) Scalable Workforce and Scalable Software

Software development consulting firms do it all. They’re an effective workforce addon, providing extra hands and expertise only when you need them. You get the benefits of a full tech team with no strings attached, and the freedom to downsize at will.

And out of that partnership, you receive custom business software that is just as scalable. As your organization grows, software consultants ensure your technology is in step with your changing requirements.

5) Technology Upgrade

Scalable software is essential, but your business isn’t the only thing evolving. Technology is progressing faster than most businesses can keep up. So, unless you’re okay with lagging behind your competitors, you have to stay ahead of tech trends.

Software development consultants know what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s most important to clients. But on top of that, they know how to prioritize emerging technologies based on your specific requirements.

They also have 4IR tools of their own that they can use to learn more about your userbase and workflow. AI-driven analytics, for example, allow them to come up with the insights and solutions they recommend to you.

💡 Intrigued? This aspect of software development and consultancy is “digital transformation” – something every business needs if it wants to last!

6) Hands-On Training

A big concern for many businesses transitioning to new software is that their team will struggle to adapt. What’s meant to be a boost to productivity and efficiency may instead slow everyone down.

Software development consulting firms eliminate this obstacle by providing training sessions, tutorials, and workshops for your team.

But their first line of defense is in the design. As consultants, they meet with everyone who stands to benefit from the software, gathering suggestions and feedback. After all, there’s no point developing an app that is inaccessible to its target users.

7) Cost, Resource, and Time Optimization

In addition to conserving your resources with a scalable team, development consulting agencies bring in a highly streamlined workflow.

They’ll work with you to optimize development cycles and get your products or services on the market in record time. Tech and tools can help with this, but a development methodology such as Agile drives a change that lasts longer.

🔥 Hot tip! Don’t neglect the significance of software development approaches when selecting your consultancy partner. Each one meets different business needs!

The Software Development Consulting Roadmap

Now that you know what software development consulting is good for, it’s time to take a look at the process. In just four steps, this service takes you from square one to a finished product.

These steps are known as the four Ds of software development consulting.

💡 Sound familiar? If you’ve heard of the app development lifecycle, these stages will ring a bell!

1) Discovery

The last thing you want is to develop a product that nobody wants. That’s what the discovery stage is for.

This is where you and software development consulting firms learn more about your requirements, market, and users. By understanding the expectations of all stakeholders, your consultants can draft a clear vision of your software.

At the end of this stage, you should have a fully realized plan for the app’s features, functions, and development lifecycle.

2) Design

The priority in this phase is to produce a wireframe or functional prototype of the app as quickly as possible. This allows stakeholders to begin interacting with its features and delivering feedback before development begins.

That feedback helps the development team craft the perfect user experience for your audience. With your approval, they can solidify the design and move onto the next step.

3) Development

This is where the real fun starts.

The developers finally assemble the finished product, adding features and integrations, implementing security, and polishing the user interface. Testing may be done intermittently or only at the end to iron out bugs and vulnerabilities.

Depending on your software development approach, you may be highly involved in this step or not at all.

4) Delivery

At last, when you’re satisfied with your software and it comes through quality assurance squeaky clean, it’s ready for launch.

Software development consulting firms will deploy it on your desired platforms and then deliver you the code, files, and data.

But the journey doesn’t end there. They’ll still be on standby for long-term maintenance, updates, and future additions. And if you have need of their insights again, the roadmap starts from the top.

Ready to Take Your Business Software to the Next Level?

DPL’s software development consulting services have helped countless businesses reach the height of their potential. If you need a helping hand with your custom software development, ours is always available.

Let us know what your business needs by filling out the form below. We can’t wait to get started.