What are deliverables in software development?

Deliverables are a project management tool used in software development. They are a method of ensuring that efficient and relevant work is consistently taking place throughout a project.

Deliverables are different to goals or objectives. Where goals and objectives outline what we want to be achieved, deliverables help structure how these goals are going to be achieved. They can be seen as metrics for progress.

In this blog, we are going to discuss deliverables in software development a little more, including examples and an explanation of why they are so beneficial to the field.

What do deliverables look like?

Software development projects can be very large and lengthy. The goals and strategic roadmap can be complicated and vast. As such, it is important that there is a breaking down of these large structures into smaller, more manageable chunks that can allow software development teams to work efficiently on their project without getting overwhelmed or confused.

Deliverables in software projects help structure work throughout a project in such a way that all members of the team know what they should be working on at any given time to make the necessary progress.

Rather than wide, vague goals, deliverables are specific, clear tasks that mark progress throughout a project.

Examples of deliverables might look like…

Requirements specification completed and shared
Prototype design completed
User guide produced
App launched
Data migrated

Rather than telling a development team to spend one week working on their area of the project to move progress along, a project manager or product owner would offer a deliverable such as “prototype design completed” so that these developers know exactly what they are working on and what the end result should look like. These deliverables might even be split into smaller sub-deliverables (or releases) in which smaller tasks are given to teams or individuals. This further helps to structure and plan effective work.

There are internal and external deliverables. The former are those that are dealt with within your own software development company and team, and the latter are those that are sent to a client or stakeholder. External deliverables might include finalised designs, the product itself, user guides, and progress reports.

Why are deliverables beneficial to a software development project?

Deliverables in a software development project help to…

Structure workflow in an effective way
Reduce wasted time in inefficiency and miscommunication
Provide tangible deadlines and results for clients and stakeholders
Move projects along quickly and efficiently
Measure the output of members of the team
Improve communication between developers and clients
Help teams work together on mutual goals
Provide a consistent, cohesive service to clients

Overall, deliverables are something that helps a large, complex project be translated into something tangible and far more simple. They keep software development teams efficient and they keep their clients happy too.

Where collaborating on a software development project might feel overwhelming for some clients, dealing with deliverables makes the process much more accessible and cohesive. They know when certain pieces of work are going to be delivered and why that is happening. They can see their project goals turned into actionable tasks and this helps to build trust in the work being done behind the scenes.

There is also always documentation that goes alongside deliverables, including contracts, reports, proposals, and so on. This allows both the development company and stakeholders to evaluate progress and stay up to date with the workings of a project. It keeps everything above board and consistent.

Find a tech team you can trust at 6B

Here at 6B, we are skilled at running software development projects in a way that keeps both our team and our clients happy. We use tools such as deliverables to work as efficiently and collaboratively as possible.

At every step of our projects, we put the client first. We work in productive, relevant, and strategic ways that help bring your goals to life. Deliverables are simply one aspect of a much larger network of skills and tactics we can employ to do this.

If you have a software development project in mind and you want to work with a software development company you can trust, look no further than us. We can be your new partner in development.

If you want to hear more,

Get in touch with our team today

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