November 15th, 2012 11/15/2012

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Most Software Testing developers know desktop and web apps like the palm of their hand. They know the dos, don’ts and organizational best practices for developing quality desktop or web software . On the other hand, mobile is a foreign animal. It hasn’t been around as long – and it involves numerous external factors like device, carrier, and OS. Yet, companies want a mobile presence, which in turn has put a lot of pressure on software developers to get up to speed on mobile development best practices. After meeting with companies with top-rated apps, Jeffrey Hammond of Forrester put together what he found to be the top 5 secrets of successful app developers. Here are highlights of his best practices as featured on the Forrester Blog:

“1. Assemble small, focused development teams. The largest development teams we found had fewer than 10 people. When teams grew larger, they were subdivided into platform-specific teams (i.e. the Android team or the iOS team). Small teams can move fast and keep impedance to a minimum but also require substantial changes in how they perform design and testing.

2. Favor simple development tools over complex ALM processes. The need for speed that characterized the development processes we found means that most traditional ALM tools hurt more than they help…

3. Adapt Agile principles to the realities of mobile development. Teams that build top-rated apps release many times in a 12 month period. As a result, they all use Agile techniques like continuous build, and many use Scrum-style sprints. But we’re also seeing mobile teams adapt and extend a standard Agile cycle with advanced design techniques, lean startup concepts, and organic release schedules. It’s a very different development culture, one that we think traditional shops will struggle to adapt to.

4. Balance release speed with a focus on quality. Teams that have honed their skills deploying in a web-centric world are in for a bit of a shock as they move to building mobile apps… It’s not as easy with Apple Microsoft, and Amazon standing between you and…”

Most Software Testing developers know desktop and web apps like the palm of their hand. They know the dos, don’ts and organizational best practices for developing quality desktop or web software . On the other hand, mobile is a foreign animal. It hasn’t been around as long – and it involves numerous external factors like device, carrier, and OS. Yet, companies want a mobile presence, which in turn has put a lot of pressure on software developers to get up to speed on mobile development best practices. After meeting with companies with top-rated apps, Jeffrey Hammond of Forrester put together what he found to be the top 5 secrets of successful app developers. Here are highlights of his best practices as featured on the Forrester Blog:

“1. Assemble small, focused development teams. The largest development teams we found had fewer than 10 people. When teams grew larger, they were subdivided into platform-specific teams (i.e. the Android team or the iOS team). Small teams can move fast and keep impedance to a minimum but also require substantial changes in how they perform design and testing.

2. Favor simple development tools over complex ALM processes. The need for speed that characterized the development processes we found means that most traditional ALM tools hurt more than they help…

3. Adapt Agile principles to the realities of mobile development. Teams that build top-rated apps release many times in a 12 month period. As a result, they all use Agile techniques like continuous build, and many use Scrum-style sprints. But we’re also seeing mobile teams adapt and extend a standard Agile cycle with advanced design techniques, lean startup concepts, and organic release schedules. It’s a very different development culture, one that we think traditional shops will struggle to adapt to.

4. Balance release speed with a focus on quality. Teams that have honed their skills deploying in a web-centric world are in for a bit of a shock as they move to building mobile apps… It’s not as easy with Apple Microsoft, and Amazon standing between you and…”