If the team consistently requests to postpone the demo, and the final release date keeps getting further and further delayed, your project is definitely in trouble. Here are some reasons why:

  • Requirements aren't clear enough
  • Planning is disorganized
  • Testing isn't thorough
  • The team might not be qualified enough

Let's explore each reason in more detail.

Why deadlines are missed?

Unclear requirements

If your project consistently misses deadlines, one potential cause could be poorly clarified requirements. As development progresses, new features and requirements may be added to the master task list. Without proper management, such changes lead to delays (we wrote about this in detail here).

Also, additional conditions or special use cases may arise along the way that require additional time to address. While it's difficult to foresee every scenario, thorough planning from the start can help minimize these challenges.

We always start system development with careful planning, considering all known functions, special use cases, and additional conditions so that our estimates and timelines are as accurate as possible. You can learn more about how we plan products here

Disorganized planning

Another reason for missed deadlines in a project could be disorganized planning. Without a clear development plan that includes dates for all demos and releases, it's challenging for the team to manage task timelines and workload distribution.

It's also important to properly prioritize tasks: sometimes less important or logical tasks can be completed before the highest priority ones. As a result, a developer might begin work on a component before the corresponding designs are ready, and the tester may be unable to start their tasks because they rely on the developer's busy schedule.

Poor testing

Another common cause of deadlines being missed is poor testing. If the testing process isn't streamlined or doesn't have sufficient time allocated to it, testers may overlook bugs, resulting in the release of unfinished and unoptimized functionality.

In addition, postponing bug fixes leads to increased time required for resolution. Both testers and developers will need extra time to reproduce the bug, identify its causes, and search for a solution. This disrupts the work schedule and can cause further issues.

We begin system testing during the planning stage and maintain it throughout the development cycle. You can learn more about our testing approach here

Underqualified team

An underqualified team can also lead to missed deadlines. Even with well-established processes, a team lacking in skills may find it challenging to meet deadlines.

Having underqualified team members can cause frequent issues and delays. For example, a tester might miss many bugs, a project manager may struggle to coordinate work efficiently and prioritize tasks, and a developer could produce low-quality code and encounter difficulties in bug resolution.

That's why it's crucial to carefully choose a team for software project development. Learn how we create a dream team that ensures project success.

How to fix this?

First, ensure careful work planning and organization to identify potential problems and take preemptive action.

Secondly, implement quality control to promptly deliver detected bugs to developers for resolution. Additionally, ensure all relevant information about issues reaches developers and the project manager in a timely manner.

Thirdly, prioritize effective communication. For example, the absence of a development plan in a project signals significant communication challenges. The project manager should not only coordinate tasks but also align with the client's expectations.

Finally, establish internal control over the team's work. For example, we have added internal control over customer satisfaction  into our primary processes. This is handled by a responsible specialist who regularly collects feedback on the team's work.

To sum up

In our experience, missed deadlines in a project often stem from inefficient processes. Key areas to address in such cases include:

  • requirements
  • planning
  • testing
  • communication

But every product is unique and requires a personalized approach. 

If you need help with improving your processes – we offer you a free system audit with a detailed report and recommendations to resolve the issues.

Contact us or book a quick call to get started

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