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PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT  Software Development Software development is a multi-stage process whereby a group of people create a piece of computer software as a solution to a real world problem. Software development is a complex process. This is why software developers must be a part of a team that can work very dynamically. A small team is ideal when it comes to developing niche software, as decisions can be made instantaneously. Communication is more efficient, so any misunderstandings or mistakes can be addressed more directly. This is very important as the processes involved in developing software, require constant communication, with much decision making and numerous changes and decisions. The processes involved in software development include software elements analysis, specification, architecture, implementation or coding, testing, documentation, training and support, and maintenance. Each and every step of software development requires a different skill set that should be present in the development team. If these are not in attendance then the final product will not be as complete as expected by the client. The complexity of the entire process depends on the very first step, the software elements analysis. This step is when the developers identify the requirements according to the client specification. Finding out the actual requirements is very crucial, as the entire development process the result from these findings. When talking to clients about requirements, it is of utmost importance for the development team to clarify each and every requirement that the client dictates. This is because while clients usually have very definite ideas of what they want in the end product they do not always have the knowledge of how they want the software to work. This often ends up in ambiguous demands and sudden changes during the other stages of software development, particularly the testing part. Problems like these can be avoided early if the development team can extract all the necessary details at the very start. This may sound straightforward, but it takes plenty of experience in software development and good communication skills to really achieve this. Aside from being able to understand the client’s needs, good software developers need to be excellent software designers. This means that the specifications, or the actual description of how the software should work, must be clearly outlined. If not, then the end design will not meet the client’s demands, or will result in an ugly interface and even an unstable end product. It also means that the software architecture is designed, not only to meet the present requirements, but also anticipates future requirements as well. And of course the software developers should be able to implement the design exactly the way it was planned to be. The testing and implementation of the developed software is always be done repeatedly until the software is working in a satisfactory manner. Training, support and maintenance again, involves interaction with the client to ensure that the software delivered can actually be used by the clients. Clients are shown how to use the software and maintenance is provided in case bugs are found or new requirements needed.
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