Development Process

We have adopted an iterative and incremental development process based on short iterations and frequent deliveries. Regardless of the collaboration model type (fixed price or time and materials) we use short iterations (usually 1-2 weeks), ideally each iteration producing a new fully tested release. By following this approach we are able to detect and solve any problems which may occur at an early stage, to improve and fine tune the development process, to deliver running increments regularly and get all necessary feedback, in order to make sure the customer gets what he really wants.

Constant and effective communication with the client is always essential, especially in software outsourcing. To solve any language barriers we have chosen English as our official project language. We use standardized open documents and our project site to facilitate all project communication. Each project site is handled by our own XML/XSLT based content management engine, which offers team members well structured templates. Code conventions ensure that the code can be easier read and understood by all team members and by the customer. We also have a daily stand-up meeting where daily tasks are planned and work from the previous day is tracked.

Our belief is that quality is a precondition for long lasting and successful customer relations. Therefore we use a test-driven development approach, which means no code is released without appropriate testcases. Automatic testing and integrating many times a day (continuous integration) reduces integration risks, debugging time and keeps the product ready to be delivered at any time. Regular peer reviews (architecture, design and code), simple design and continuous refactoring guarantee high maintainability.

For configuration management we use a version control system (CVS, VSS), automatic scripting (ANT) and a standardized project structure (project_template).