{"id":1719,"date":"2022-12-22T15:50:24","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T15:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=1719"},"modified":"2024-10-11T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T00:00:00","slug":"software-development-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/software-development-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Software Development Plan in Just 5 Steps (+ Templates)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Most software development projects are doomed to fail. This is because software development involves so many different factors, and every single one can become a reason for failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the failure doesn\u2019t even need to start there \u2014 it can occur while you\u2019re writing out the software development plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the bright side, if you know how to write one out properly, you will stop most of these issues from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how <em>do<\/em> you plan software development?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only correct answer is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Break the development process down into manageable steps, and then&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Break it down some more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at the steps you can take to write a successful software development plan.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1-1024x512.png\" alt=\"Software development plan - cover\" class=\"wp-image-11031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Software-development-plan-cover-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-software-development-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a software development plan?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A software development plan is a timeline of your software development project, containing all the information needed for its proper execution.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Software development is an incredibly complex process. But, as with any issue, you can tackle it by dividing it into smaller, more manageable parts. This process is called software development planning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are various software development methodologies, such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/agile-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Agile<\/a>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/scrum-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scrum<\/a>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/waterfall-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Waterfall<\/a>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Extreme programming,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spira, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/kanban-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanban<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But, regardless of which methodology you use, the basic principles remain the same. So, we\u2019ll focus on the basic steps you can take to complete an effective software development plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-features pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Streamline your business \u2014 Plaky by CAKE.com works well for any team, no matter your industry or niche.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"objectives-of-a-software-development-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Objectives of a software development plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we dive into breaking down the software development plan, there\u2019s a burning question we have to address \u2014 <em>what\u2019s the point?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, the benefits of making a development plan overlap with its objectives, which include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Making <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-collaboration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project collaboration<\/a> and transparency easier,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Defining clear tasks and project goals,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clearly defining roles and responsibilities,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meeting customer and project stakeholder expectations,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating a feasible, realistic timeline, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/resource-allocation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resource allocation<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-create-a-software-development-project-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to create a software development project plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing out a <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-management-plan-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project management plan<\/a> is complicated enough, let alone when it\u2019s for software development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s look at the steps you need to take to create a cohesive, understandable, and effective software development plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-1-analyze-your-project-scope\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Analyze your project scope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unsurprisingly, the first step is to <strong>analyze the scope of your project<\/strong>. How much work will be necessary for your software to be complete?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This might be deceiving in the world of IT \u2014 a product that should be simple to use for the end user can be a nightmare to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you want to avoid being stuck with bottlenecks and severely misjudged timelines, we advise you to consult with an expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-2-assemble-a-team-and-determine-roles\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Assemble a team and determine roles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is to use the information you have on the project scope and <strong>assemble a workforce<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By this point, you should be aware of the expertise needed for the tasks in your project. So, if you under- or overshoot either the skills or the number of your team members, you can expect a variety of issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your team has skills above what\u2019s needed, you\u2019re probably wasting your budget on a higher-grade workforce. Too many team members also waste budget <em>and<\/em> can cause communication issues. And we don\u2019t even have to mention how challenging it is when you\u2019re understaffed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you assemble a workforce, you\u2019ll want to assign clear roles. In fact, you need to determine a clear hierarchy, and even clearer responsibility over tasks \u2014 otherwise, you can run into collaboration issues, people <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/dangers-of-working-in-silos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">working in silos<\/a>, or a clear lack of accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-3-write-the-first-draft\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Write the first draft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, you can <strong>start writing the SDP<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, what should it look like? What must your software development plan include?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s go through some of the key points you should add to your SDP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Structural point&nbsp;<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>How to write it<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Importance<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Project scope and objectives<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Outline why you\u2019re making the software, who it\u2019s for, and what it should look and function like.&nbsp;<br><br>Determine the work that needs to be completed to meet all <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/deliverable-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project deliverables<\/a>.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll set clear and realistic expectations for your team\u2019s work.&nbsp;<br><br>You\u2019ll define clear objectives so that your project team can keep in mind how their work fits into the overall goals of the project.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Resource management&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Outline the resources you need to complete the project.&nbsp;<br><br>Determine the amount of each resource you need, and how you\u2019ll allocate those resources.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll avoid wasting your budget on additional resources during the project\u2019s execution or dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/missed-deadlines-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">missed deadlines<\/a> and conflict due to poor allocation.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Project timeline<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Create a timeline of all the tasks you need to perform in your development process.&nbsp;<br><br>Use Gantt charts to check the validity of your timeline.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll set realistic expectations for completing tasks, as well as spot and avoid bottlenecks and slack periods.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Communication tools<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Outline how your team will communicate, and who they can turn to for project-related questions.<br><br>Pick a <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/team-collaboration-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">team collaboration software<\/a> that\u2019ll provide you with a centralized space for communication, file and information-sharing, and task clarity.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll avoid various collaboration issues, such as:<br><br>&#8211; Conflict,<br>&#8211; The emergence of silos,<br>&#8211; Unnecessary communication,<br>&#8211; Lack of trust, and<br>&#8211; Unclear tasks and objectives.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/risk-management-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Risk management&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Determine the risks that could pop up during the course of the project.&nbsp;<br><br>Establish contingency plans to deal with those risks.&nbsp;<br><br>Make sure to consult with every department involved in your project to work out any and all potential risks.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll avoid the multitude of issues that can come about from unexpected risks.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Testing and quality assurance<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Create a detailed quality control plan to discover any bugs during and after the development process.&nbsp;<br><br>Determine the bug-fixing process and the channels through which the QA team can report bugs.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">By preventing bugs from reaching the end users,&nbsp;you\u2019ll avoid:<br><br>&#8211; a faulty software launch,&nbsp;<br>&#8211; deterring users from your software, and&nbsp;<br>&#8211; ruining your brand\u2019s reputation.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Project monitoring<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Outline how you\u2019ll track project progress.&nbsp;<br><br>Determine <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/kpi-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">key performance indicators<\/a> (KPIs), such as:<br>-Change failure rate (CFR),-Scope added,-Bug rate, etc.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You\u2019ll keep your project management approach flexible and be able to make corrections to the project whenever you spot an issue. <br><br>You need KPIs \u2014 if you try to track every part of your project, you\u2019ll more than likely focus on inconsequential things.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Reference documents<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Complete additional documents that your team can use as a reference while developing.&nbsp;<br><br>The most important one is the software requirement specification (SRS) document, but there are many more, like:<br><br>&#8211; the feasibility study,<br>&#8211; concept of operations,<br>&#8211; software user manual, etc.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Reference documents represent well-documented instructions.&nbsp;<br><br>By letting your team refer to these documents throughout your project, you can prevent unnecessary communication, which slows down the project bit by bit \u2014 and most importantly, can lead to information gaps and misunderstandings.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-4-submit-for-review\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #4: Submit for review<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve created a first draft of your SDP, you\u2019ll need to <strong>share it with the appropriate <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/stakeholder-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project stakeholders<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\u2019ll, of course, involve your superiors and investors \u2014 mostly as you\u2019ll need to keep them updated on the course of your project. They might have additional input, or specific requirements that they want you to meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, more importantly, you\u2019ll need to share it with the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-roles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project team members<\/a> who will be utilizing it. You want to make sure that the people with the right expertise go over the specifics of your SDP, as they\u2019ll more than likely give you valuable feedback on its validity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t do this, you might run into catastrophic issues, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unskilled team members working on important tasks,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ineffective contingency plans,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor budgeting,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issues with the project schedule,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unrealistic software expectations, etc.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-5-complete-your-software-development-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #5: Complete your software development plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have all the feedback you need on your first draft, it\u2019s time to <strong>update and complete your SDP.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you take this feedback seriously, especially your team\u2019s input. E.g., if your team says you need another server, it\u2019s best to ask for an increase in budget and get it. Otherwise, you\u2019ll probably halt the project halfway when you realize you <em>do<\/em> need that server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, when the document is complete, make sure everyone has access to it and can use it as a reference whenever it&#8217;s needed. This will cut down on unnecessary communication and avoid team members wasting time while they wait for your feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-default pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 pr-0\" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">If you want to better organize your tasks and projects as a software developer \u2014 try Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Download\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/apps\">\n                    Download                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid px-lg-0\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"software-development-plan-examples-templates\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Software development plan examples + templates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve talked quite a bit about software development plans, but it might still be difficult to visualize what one would look like.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, you might have issues with creating a well-organized plan or keeping your team on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To give you an idea of what those plans look like, and how to implement that organization in a <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">software development tool<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> offers free software development plan templates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"example-1-product-roadmap-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example #1: Product roadmap plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Software development, more than any other project, requires teams from different departments to work closely together. This kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/cross-functional-collaboration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cross-functional collaboration<\/a> can create delays and bottlenecks if you don\u2019t implement it properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, Plaky\u2019s product roadmap template makes communicating easier, especially across departments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/product-roadmap\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/product-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get our product roadmap template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Assigning tasks to relevant team members and using task-specific comments and @mentions ensures that every person in every department stays up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This template also allows you to easily delegate tasks during software development, organized in groups by quarter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template-1024x578.png\" alt=\"Product roadmap template shown in Plaky project management software\" class=\"wp-image-8644\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-roadmap-template.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Product roadmap template in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>For example:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you have a group chat with your project team. You text them \u201c<em>I need someone to build a QR code scanner for our app.<\/em>\u201d You add another text \u201c<em>It\u2019s not urgent, though.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three separate developers start working on the scanner. One of them misses the second text, and finishes very early, causing a delay on a more pressing feature that they should\u2019ve been working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With this template, issues like this are easily avoidable since you can add different fields for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Task assignees,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Task status,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Priority levels, and many more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"example-2-product-launch-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example #2: Product launch plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes during development, your marketing team will usually want updates on alpha\/beta launches, expected launch dates, etc.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of constantly messaging (bugging) developers about their progress, the marketing team can use Plaky\u2019s product launch template and get all the information they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/product-launch\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/product-launch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get our product launch template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can find every task\u2019s timeline and get information visually without wasting a second. What\u2019s more, they can see the whole task group\u2019s progress using the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">summary row<\/a> \u2014 so teammates can update each other without a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This template also helps you launch a product or feature in 3 simple steps:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Break product\/feature launch into stages,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assign people to tasks and prioritize, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set due dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to these features, it works wonders for the implementation and post-implementation steps. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Product launch template shown in Plaky project management software\" class=\"wp-image-8645\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-product-launch-template.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Product launch template in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"example-3-bug-tracking-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example #3: Bug tracking plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say that you\u2019re in a group chat where testers can send you information about the different bugs they\u2019ve found.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>*Ping*<\/em> \u2014 they\u2019ve reported a bug, so the developers can start working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>*Ping*<\/em> \u2014 here\u2019s another, so let\u2019s have a part of the team switch to that one.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>*Ping* *ping* *ping*<\/em> \u2014 You get overwhelmed with texts about bugs the testing team has found (and fast!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the time you\u2019ve got your bearings, some bugs are 47 messages away in the chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What you need is a place where you can cleanly sort bugs, assign them to specific developers, label them by importance, and avoid any rush and confusion. In other words, you need Plaky\u2019s bug tracking template.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/bug-tracking\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/bug-tracking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get our bug tracking template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using this template, your testers can simply create a task in the backlog every time they find a bug. Afterward, you can assign each bug to the appropriate developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that the majority of your development will include dealing with bugs. So, if you don\u2019t use a reliable PM tool to keep track of them, you risk losing precious time dealing with the avalanche of bug reports.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll find this template most useful during the testing step. However, it is also essential for the construction, implementation, and post-implementation steps.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template-1024x570.png\" alt=\"Bug tracking template shown in Plaky project management software\" class=\"wp-image-8646\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template-1024x570.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-bug-tracking-template.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bug tracking template in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1<strong> Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know how to create a software development plan, you may want to take a break with these programming memes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/programming-memes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80+ Funny Programming Memes to Make You Laugh<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faq-about-software-development-plans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ about software development plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-are-the-9-steps-in-software-development-projects\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the 9 steps in software development projects?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We can divide software development into 9 key steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Initiation<\/strong> \u2014 determine a solidified idea, a mission, and a project sponsor (if one is needed) in the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/phases-project-management\/#Phase_1_Project_Initiation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">initiation phase<\/a> of your project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Requirement analysis<\/strong> \u2014 consider the various project requirements, e.g., user needs and preferences, project goal, return value, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feasibility study<\/strong> \u2014 analyze the constraints on your project, e.g. your budget, your team\u2019s know-how, scope of work, project timeframe, legal boundaries, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Progress tracking<\/strong> \u2014 use the KPIs you\u2019ve determined to track progress during the rest of your project. Rely on <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/project-management-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project management software<\/a> to make this process easier.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Design<\/strong> \u2014 turn the requirements in your SRS document into detailed specifications. Create different types of design, like features design, UI\/UX design, database design, security measures, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Construction<\/strong> \u2014 use the previous step\u2019s designs and turn them into a functional system. Complete frontend and backend development, hardware, and communication systems \u2014 all while you perform minor testing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integration &amp; testing<\/strong> \u2014 determine whether the completed software follows the SRS document. Complete user, integration, security, and unit testing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implementation <\/strong>\u2014 make the software available to the end users. Notify existing alpha\/beta users, make user manuals available, and track initial reactions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Post-implementation<\/strong> \u2014 even if you have a high-quality software product, you need to keep it up to date on the market by tracking competitors and updating it regularly.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-should-a-software-development-plan-include\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should a software development plan include?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A software development plan should include the following elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Project scope and objectives,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource management,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project timeline,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communication tools,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk management,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Testing and quality assurance,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project monitoring, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reference documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many more points your SDP will include, and those can vary depending on the specifics of your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-features pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Streamline your business \u2014 Plaky by CAKE.com works well for any team, no matter your industry or niche.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-are-some-common-mistakes-when-creating-a-software-development-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are some common mistakes when creating a software development plan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the most common mistakes you could make while crafting a software development plan are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ignoring input from your project team,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Underestimating the testing, or ignoring it altogether,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Misjudging the scope,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poorly organizing documentation,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not defining the requirements, or making them unclear,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leaving little room for team collaboration,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Underestimating risk,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not validating the timeline,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ignoring user experience, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating a poor monitoring plan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"implement-a-software-development-plan-easily-with-plaky-by-cake-com\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implement a software development plan easily with Plaky by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, software development projects are usually super complex, and it\u2019s easy to drown in a sea of information and moving parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can cause delays, wasted resources, unhappy staff \u2014 you name it. So, the best solution to keeping track of what\u2019s going on is a simple and effective visual overview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And there\u2019s no better visual overview than Plaky\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/gantt-chart-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gantt charts<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a glance, you can check the timeline of your project and stay up to date with its progress.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, you can take advantage of the fact that Plaky\u2019s Gantt chart view is highly customizable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, by changing how the tasks are grouped, you can see which resources are needed for the current period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can dabble in workload management by sorting tasks by departments to clearly see how they\u2019re distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Gantt chart shown in Plaky project management software\" class=\"wp-image-8647\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Plaky-Gantt-view.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lead a software development project with Plaky as your sidekick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Embrace effortless software development with Plaky by CAKE.com. Sign up for a free account today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get started with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A software development plan serves as a timeline that breaks down software development projects into manageable steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11141,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1719"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16853,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1719\/revisions\/16853"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}