Agile software development: Our approach

• Detailed advice: We can answer the first important question during the initial consultation: “Standard software” or “Customised software development”?
• Expertise: We bring all our expertise to the development process. Do you need customised software for your company? An innovative app, web development or a modernization of your existing software? soxes makes your idea possible!
• Experience: In over 20 years, soxes has worked with more than 300 customers from over 20 industries on more than 600 projects – as an experienced IT service provider, we have an enormous wealth of experience from which you can only benefit.
• Innovation: We move with the times and utilise innovative possibilities to develop your individual software efficiently and easily. Get to know our KUBE-X platform as part of agile software development

Standard software or customised software?

Standard software is a collective term for ready-made software that has been developed for a wide range of applications and usually comes from a large provider. One advantage is that this software is often updated and maintained to close security gaps and add new functions. Nevertheless, standard software products cannot fulfil all of a company’s specific requirements, which can lead to compromises in terms of efficiency and performance.

In contrast, customised software is specially adapted to the specific requirements of a company. This adapts flexibly to the specific requirements and processes of a company. This enables increased efficiency, better integration into existing systems and processes and long-term cost savings, while providing a competitive advantage through unique features and customised customer experiences.

Customised software development follows different approaches and process models. These are as unique as the software development processes themselves. At soxes, we rely on agile software development. Our project management and IT experts are always at the customer’s side throughout the entire software development cycle. The entire software development process runs through four essential phases in close coordination, ensuring a structured approach from start to finish.

Phase 0: Internal analysis

The analysis phase of every software development project plays a key role in the success of the project. In this critical phase, our focus is on thoroughly analysing the customer and their specific case in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the requirements and complexity of the desired software. It is crucial that our development team clearly defines what information is needed and when to ensure a smooth realisation of the software development cycle.

By defining the scope, potential pitfalls can be avoided and the clear delineation of responsibilities within the team can be ensured. This allows each team member to focus on their specific tasks.

This phase serves to estimate the overall scope of the project, but is optional at the same time. It is only carried out if it is not possible to accurately estimate the workload for phase 1, especially if the customer has not yet precisely defined the specific requirements. Customers usually come to us with a clear idea of their requirements, which means that phase 0 can often be omitted.

Phase 1: Process definition and design phase

The first phase focuses on precisely defining the catalogue of requirements in order to gain a clear understanding of the customer’s specific needs and requirements. This enables the team to precisely define the target solution and jointly determine the user journey, carefully considering the goals, functions and expectations of the UI/UX.

In close coordination with the customer, whether through an on-site kick-off meeting or digitally, the desired solution is thoroughly understood, scrutinised, concretised and designed accordingly. It is crucial to identify the business needs to be covered and to check whether the desired functionalities are technically feasible. The choice of the technologies used, the architecture and the appropriate database is made on this basis. In order to identify and manage potential risks at an early stage, a thorough risk analysis is carried out, enabling potential hurdles to be proactively addressed and minimised.

The customer is actively involved in the development throughout the entire process. They receive continuous access to documentation, detailed wireframes and pixel-perfect designs for key pages to ensure a clear understanding of the business logic and design of the application and avoid potential surprises. This transparent and collaborative approach is our guide to successful implementation and a customised software solution that meets the highest standards.

Phase 2: Development

To ensure that the project runs smoothly, two internal planning phases are carried out: Firstly, the roadmap, which outlines a comprehensive strategy for implementing the solution, and secondly, milestone planning, which defines clear stages and goals. The customer remains involved throughout the entire development process and is regularly informed about progress. This method makes it possible to test the software in between and make suggestions for changes while the teams work on it in parallel.

Once the solution has been implemented, details are carefully adjusted to ensure that the customer’s requirements and expectations are met. During this process, potential bugs are identified and fixed to ensure the smooth functioning of the application. Special emphasis is placed on a comprehensive testing procedure to ensure the stability, functionality and security of the application.

Which programming languages does soxes use for customised software development?

soxes attaches great importance to the precision and efficiency of its technologies. The following technologies, among others, are used in our software development:

• DevOps
• C-Sharp
• C/C++
• .NET
• PHP
• Python
• Delphi
• Java
• Typescript
• VBA
• and many more!

Phase 3: Operation & support

The solution is implemented in an iterative and transparent manner that ensures that the entire process is comprehensible for both the development team and the customer. This phase only occurs once the application has been comprehensively tested and found to be functional and reliable.

In this crucial phase, the teams focus on continuously analysing and observing to ensure that the software fully meets the customer’s requirements and expectations. At the same time, the solution is critically analysed in order to identify and implement possible improvements.

If errors occur during this phase, it is a top priority to rectify them immediately and, if necessary, make any necessary upgrades to continuously improve the functionality and performance of the application. An important feature of our approach is the guarantee of seamless and smooth long-term maintenance. If a project manager leaves the project or even the company, a detailed handover between the old and new project manager and the customer is ensured. This preventive measure ensures continuous support and maintenance to guarantee the long-term satisfaction and performance of the application.

At the end of each project, we agree on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the client, if required. We define guidelines for the performance, support and maintenance of the software provided. Typically, an SLA includes parameters such as regular checks of third-party components, backup guidelines, response times in the event of problems, minor updates (patching) and similar aspects. An agreement is reached with the customer that takes into account the financial framework and risk structure according to the customer’s specific requirements.

With the help of our KUBE-X platform, processes and modules are standardised and reused in just a few steps during individual software development. Important building blocks that are required for (almost) every application can therefore be implemented directly without compromising on quality. Developers save weeks of time and can focus their entire attention on customised elements and the quality assurance of the software, which distinguishes the application from other solutions and makes it unique.

These are the advantages of software development with KUBE-X

Thanks to KUBE-X, customised software projects are developed with defined, functioning and repeatedly tested modules. Through the controlled standardisation of recurring processes and modules, we create more scalability and security with this concept. Our goal: Standardised, ready-to-use modules are implemented more quickly with less loss of time and without compromising on efficiency. This means

• Fewer risks
• More security
• Effective and efficient implementation
• Immense time savings
• More time for individual customer components
• Replacement and modernisation of old applications without BIG BANG (find out more about our Slice & Dice process)

In addition: Individualised standardisation with KUBE-X saves enormous costs. You can find all the advantages of KUBE-X here.