4/26/2017
Software Development
A potential client for BizCommCorp’s
Consultation.
By: Alexander Wolfe
PREPARED FOR: MARY HENDENGREN
Executive Summary
Software developers invent technologies that most of us take for granted. For example,
that alarm clock app that rings until you fall out of a deep sleep in the morning? A software
developer helped design that. When you roll into the office and turn on your computer, then
scroll through social media, news articles, discussions, videos, and applications were all shaped
by software developers. While shopping, before you make that big purchase you check your
bank account balance with your phone. Later, you cook an awesome new recipe from that
Pinterest app your friend told you about. As you look back over the course of your day, you
realize that software developers are the masterminds behind the technologies that make your life
so sweet and easy.
1
If you are familiar with building a custom home, the process for developing software is
similar. The requirements & design phase is comparable to deciding on the style of house you
want. Next you have an architect draw up the blueprints. At the end of this phase, you will have
a concrete plan for your software application. Any architecturally significant decisions that could
affect your budget should be made so that you can start implementation with little to no
monetary surprises later on. Planning, architecture & development is equivalent to scheduling the
contractors, pouring the foundation and constructing the house. In the case of software, a project
manager schedules creative designers, technical architects, and software engineers. The
architects design the software foundation and framework, the creative designers create the user
experience, and the software engineers make all the logic work. When all of their tasks are
1
U.S. News & World Report – Best Jobs: Software Developer #2 in Best Technology Jobs
completed, the application is fully built. Just like a house, before you can move in, certain
standards must be met. The last phase of the project, software testing, is similar to inspections,
walk-throughs, and the punch-out are required after construction of a new home. If all
requirements are satisfactorily passed, the software is ready for use.
2
Throughout my research for this report I have learned the significance of software
developers in our daily lives. As I illustrated in the introduction, we live in an increasingly
demanding world that runs on technology. We depend on our smart phones and devices daily to
meet these demands. Herbsleb and Moitra have stated that, over the last several years, software
has become a vital factor for every business. Success in the business world increasingly depends
on using software as a “competitive weapon.” Throughout the last decade software development
organizations have searched for ways to reduce costs and gain global access to skilled resources.
