How Chatbots Can Improve the Patients' Experience

From long patient wait times to inefficient manual processes and risky paper records, the healthcare sector has faced numerous challenges historically. This has created a fertile ground for doctor appointment apps. According to Verified Market Reports, in 2023 alone, the market was valued at an estimated $318.49M, projecting a surge to $862.16 million by 2030 (15.29% CAGR). 

Given the growth of AI-based solutions in telemedicine tech and the modernization of the healthcare system, we can now highlight the importance of such solutions and dive deep into the specifics of healthcare appointment apps.

What is a doctor appointment system?

A doctor appointment application — is a digital solution that automates the registration of patients for an appointment with medical specialists. However, modern solutions imply more than just scheduling online appointments. They give patients useful information about a healthcare institution's services and specialists. Also, they connect patients with doctors and give access to their records in the comfort of their homes.

Why is this system gaining traction in the healthcare sector? Let’s break it down into factors:

• The widespread digitalization of the healthcare sector.
  Healthcare is moving beyond in-person consultations in the facility. Now, it includes remote consultations, app-based therapies, and remote health tracking for timely interventions.
• The development of modern technologies.
  Various mobile applications and the affordability of smartphones make this format of interaction with patients desired and preferable.
• Reducing the workload on administrators.
  To prevent personnel burnout, medical institutions can use healthcare scheduling software systems to reduce the number of routine tasks assigned to administrators and the number of errors associated with the human factor.
• Increased patient satisfaction.
  Transparent access to doctors' schedules and the ability to choose a suitable time — increase customer loyalty.
• Increased occupancy of doctors' schedules.
  With a doctor appointment system, healthcare organizations can minimize empty appointment slots since it will be easier for patients to choose the optimal date and time for a visit.

Key doctor appointment app features

Since the Apple App Store boasts approximately 35,019 healthcare and medical apps, among which are approximately 10 to 20 types of doctor appointment apps, features might hugely range from app to app. Let's examine the main features of the doctor appointment app.

Online appointment booking

The system should have filters for doctors by specialization, review patient feedback, and book appointment availability by date and time. Additionally, patients should be able to receive reminders for upcoming appointments (e.g., push notifications, email, or SMS).

Telemedicine

For routine follow-ups, an online medical appointment system is essential. It's not a choice but an inevitability. Both patients and healthcare providers save travel time and can schedule appointments just in the app via online consultations, video conferencing, or text chat.

Integration with EMR and billing system

Integration with electronic health records provides access to the patient's medical data directly from the application, allowing doctors to update and review these records directly from the platform. As for the billing system, the PCI DSS-compliant payment gateway will be the core element of the online payment process. In addition, it provides an option for generating bills and receipts.

Feedback and ratings

Usually, this is a window where patients can rate their experiences and write reviews for specific providers using a simple scoring system. For usability, this feature must remain unobtrusive within the app interface.

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FAQ and educational materials sections

The app should include a FAQ section covering usage and privacy. It should also have an educational section with information about specialists, a map of the institution, and service costs.

Monetization strategies for doctor appointment apps

The ideal monetization strategy for a doctor appointment system depends on the target audience and the organization's business model. Let's look at the most popular types of monetization in this niche:

• Subscription-based.
  According to this model, after paying for a monthly or annual subscription, patients get access to advanced features, such as priority appointments or online consultations. 
• Pay-per-booking.
  This model involves charging a fixed fee or a percentage of the service's cost (usually 5-10%) for each appointment.
• Advertising.
  Based on this model, you can publish advertisements for medical services, pharmacies, insurance companies, and other partner organizations. This can be contextual advertising, static banners, or affiliate programs (for example, you can recommend pharmacies for buying drugs).
• Payments for telemedicine services.
  This approach to monetization involves charging a fee (either a percentage of the service cost or a fixed amount) for online consultations implemented within the application.
• Patient data monetization.
  This type of monetization involves selling anonymized patient data to global healthcare corporations. They can be used in the future for both clinical research and to improve the quality of services of partner organizations (for example, insurance companies, laboratories, etc.).
• White-label solution.
  Finally, you can develop a customizable solution and sell it to other companies under their brand. In this case, you must provide a settings panel where each organization can set individual configurations.

Benefits of doctor appointment booking app development

To understand the benefits of the doctor appointment booking system, we first need to figure out the main pain points such software can solve. Previously, we’ve mentioned some, but for the sake of completeness, let's consider each of them:

• Simplification of the procedure for making an appointment with a doctor.
  Earlier, patients had to call the clinic, wait for the admin to answer, and adjust to the schedule. With the app, they can choose the best time and date within a few moments on their smartphone.
• Drop in missed sessions and treatment gaps.

With appointment alerts or medication reminders, patients won’t forget about upcoming visits to the doctor and taking medications, which ultimately saves the clinic's resources.

• Transparency of pricing.
  Some patients find it difficult to understand the cost of the services; in turn, with the application, they will have access to all the price information before making an appointment.
• Comprehensive information about doctors and services.

To prevent patients from choosing doctors blindly, the application can offer them a convenient rating system, reviews, and descriptions of services; thanks to this, they will make a more conscious decision about choosing a particular doctor/service.

• Minimization of paperwork.
  Without a doctor appointment application at hand, medical personnel often had to work with paper journals. An app that integrates with the CRM, EHR, and other software will reduce reliance on paper docs.
• Higher revenue.
  You can sell additional services through the application; moreover, its convenience and transparency increase the likelihood of repeat visits.
• Reduced need for human resources.
  The application’s launch will help reduce the need for a large administrative staff, allowing existing employees to focus less on routine tasks and more on value-driven activities.
• Greater return on marketing efforts.
  The patient's behavior analytics can help you craft more targeted offers. With insights into patient habits and preferences, you can create highly targeted offers that resonate with your audience, optimizing both campaign success and budget efficiency while increasing engagement and retention.
• Increased competitive advantage.
  Modern clinics that offer convenient digital solutions win more patients, improve operational efficiency, reduce no-show rates, and enhance patient satisfaction, all of which contribute to a stronger competitive position in the overall healthcare market.

Steps to build a doctor appointment app

Let’s check the steps included in the medical software development services that our doctor appointment app development company provides.

Market research

At this stage, our doctor appointment app development team defines the application's target audience (the patients' age, smartphone proficiency level, etc.). Next, we analyze the institution's business model for which it’s being created while researching competitors and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. 

Based on the insights received, we determine the app's basic and advanced features. For example, we want real-time patient monitoring through wearables. We also need to agree on the OS, which can be Android and/or iOS. Lastly, we must choose the best monetization model. Finally, we determine the necessary integrations with third-party solutions and the requirements that must be met (usually GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).

Prototyping and UX/UI design

At this point, our experts create user stories to guide the development of prototypes (first lo-fi, and when agreed upon with all stakeholders, hi-fi). Once the prototypes are finalized, our team starts working on the full-fledged doctor appointment app design. We aim to create user-friendly navigation that cuts off the input needed from the user to complete tasks. At the same time, the team works on the UI, optimizing it for mobile platforms and obtaining WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines.

Architecture development

This stage involves choosing an architectural approach (for example, microservices for better scalability, REST or GraphQL for API, and so on). It is also important to plan the processes that will be implemented on the server side (in particular, record management, authorization, etc.). On the client side (usually, this is the patient and administrator interface) and on the database side (as a rule, flows for transactions and caching are separated). We also select specific solutions for implementing the necessary integrations.

Coding

Now, we have everything ready to define the technology stack for the backend and frontend. This decision is based on whether native or cross-platform development will be utilized for the doctor appointment app. Once individual program modules are ready, we proceed with coding and testing each component.

Testing

Since the entire code base is ready, our doctor scheduling app development team ensures that it is fully covered with test cases to perform integration, load, and other types of testing. If there are any bugs, we will fix them immediately and then test the product again. Repeat this process until we meet all the specifications.

Launch and deployment

Finally, our doctor app development experts set up the server infrastructure (optionally, they also introduce CI/CD practices). Ensures data security (through encryption and regular security audits) and carries out a test launch of the software. If there are no critical bugs in the beta version of the application, we release it in the App Store and/or Google Play.

Post-release support and development of updates

This stage includes maintaining app stability, fixing failures, adding new features, optimizing existing ones, updating the design, and scaling with the growing user base.

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Doctor appointment app design: Best practices

When it comes to the UI design of a doctor appointment app, we prioritize WCAG 2.1 guidelines. This section details and provides practical examples of their effective implementation for an optimal user experience.

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• Readability of information.
  Maintain a color contrast ratio between text and background (at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text). Also, include doctor avatars and icons, ensure text scalability up to 200% (without loss of functionality), and add subtitles and text transcripts for videos (if any).
• Ease of navigation.
  All UI elements should be keyboard-accessible and have a minimum clickable size of 44x44 pixels. Ensure there’s extra space around buttons or links to prevent accidental clicks and include breadcrumbs for easier navigation.
• Clarity of the interface.
  Use simple language in the interface, label all form fields, provide input format examples (like "dd.mm.yyyy"), highlight errors, and offer step-by-step instructions for complex tasks, including a progress indicator.
• Interface reliability.
  Ensure that your application is compatible with assistive technologies (for all functional elements, use ARIA labels). Test your app on various devices and ensure it uses standardized data formats like JSON and XML for smooth communication with integrated third-party services.

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Of course, this is only a small part of the best practices you can implement in the doctor consultation app development process. To maximize the loyalty of your audience and better understand what the design should be — read the WCAG 2.1 guidelines directly.

Doctor scheduling app development: Overcoming key challenges

Generally speaking, everyone who is going to develop a doctor appointment app faces challenges to one degree or another. To overcome them effectively, it's crucial to understand them in advance. Let's explore them in detail:

• Integration with software solutions that you already use.
  Your application may require integration with systems and services that are either legacy or support non-standard data exchange protocols (i.e., different from HL7 and FHIR). In this case, you may need additional middleware development to ensure seamless data transfer.
• Data security.
  Medical information must be protected with particular care, as its leakage can lead to large fines and loss of reputation for your organization. To minimize risks, consider data encryption at rest and in transit, implement two-factor authentication and role-based access control. After all, try to regularly conduct pen-tests.
• Performance and scalability.
  High server load during peak hours can lead to failures in the operation of your application. To prevent this, you can initially choose cloud platforms that support autoscaling for hosting and implement data caching.
• Testing complex scenarios.
  During testing, your QA specialists risk missing complex interaction scenarios with the application. For example, when several patients simultaneously make an appointment for the same doctor or when the selected order of visits to several doctors is conflicting. To ensure comprehensive coverage of test cases, use automated testing tools.
• Accessibility.
  A confusing interface can drive users away, leading to fewer interactions with your app. To prevent this, conduct thorough UX research with real users before launch. Based on their feedback, make necessary adjustments to the app's functionality and design.
• The unwillingness of personnel to switch to new digital solutions.
  Adjusting to new rules might be hard, especially within historically established healthcare practices. You might consider providing training for your staff on how to manage new progressive software.

Beyond technical challenges, there are many business-related obstacles, from USP's definition to the choice of an effective monetization model. This is why, besides carefully selecting the right doctor appointment app development team, consider hiring skilled marketing experts, too.

Doctor appointment app development cost

From our experience of doctor appointment mobile app development, it is impossible to determine the accurate cost of such a project without understanding its functionality and the platforms it is intended for. However, based on the average cost for app development, we can give an approximate cost guide. Here’s a breakdown:

Complexity of projects:

• Simple apps typically range from $20K – $30K, and their implementation takes 4 – 6 months. These apps usually include basic functionalities like appointment scheduling and doctor search features.
• For medium apps like telemedicine integration and electronic health records (EHR), costs can rise from $30K to $45K with an approximate 6 – 9 months timeline. This includes both web and mobile platforms with a broader range of functionalities.
• Highly complex applications with real-time video consultations, comprehensive analytics dashboards, and AI-driven functionalities may exceed $45K+ and take 9 – 12 months.

Geographical variations

The cost can also vary by region:

• North America: Because of advanced technological capabilities, on average, it has the highest cost, ranging from $30K – $150K+. 
• Europe: Cost ranges from $20K – $150K, influenced by economic conditions from country to country.
• Asia: Development costs are generally lower, ranging from $20K – $100K.

Have a thriving idea for a doctor appointment app and are curious about a budget estimate for its deployment? Simply fill out this form, and we will swiftly calculate your project and contact you back.

Top 5 successful doctor appointment apps

Now, let’s explore some top-tier doctor appointment apps that excel in every aspect. These examples might inspire you to build a doctor appointment app for your healthcare organization.

Zocdoc

Zocdoc is praised for its intuitive interface and powerful search tools. The platform has an intuitive interface and powerful search tools. The platform streamlines appointments and has instant confirmation features, reminders, a feedback system, and seamless integration with insurance providers and document uploads.

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Practo

Popular in India, Practo gives patients access to doctor appointments, telemedicine services, ordering medicines for delivery, and storing medical records. Patients can view individual doctor profiles, including their education, experience, and certifications, allowing them to choose the best specialists for their treatment.

Doctolib

The Doctolib application simplifies making appointments with doctors and provides the option to cancel a visit. This application is integrated with doctors' calendars, automatically sends notifications, and provides rich functionality for doctors (including scheduling management and provision of telemedicine services).

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Healthgrades

As for alternatives for the US market, we cannot help but mention Healthgrades. This application helps users find doctors and medical institutions based on location, specialization, and rating. Plus, it allows patients to make appointments and get detailed information about particular specialists and organizations.

MyChart

MyChart — is a top charted app in the US and Canada. Designed to manage medical information and schedule appointments, it allows patients to communicate with doctors online and get family access.

Darly Solutions' expertise in online booking and enhanced customer engagement

The most relevant case for online doctor scheduling app development was Glamezy, a B2C solution for the beauty industry. Our client sought to create an online platform to help small and medium businesses in the beauty sector expand their reach, especially after the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The goal was to develop a website that allowed customers to book beauty services online based on location easily. Also, the platform must have an easy and encouraging interface to communicate with potential partners while boosting sales and driving customer engagement. Ten experts worked on this project; and for the tech stack, we used React and Node.js.

As a result, we created a solution for easily searching and booking top beauty professionals. Now, the platform lets users add salons to a shortlist with one click, view nearby salons on an interactive map, and earn points for every transaction on the platform.

If you’d like to explore this case further, please visit our portfolio.

Final thoughts

It’s fair to say that at the heart of every design lies a larger goal for the benefit of humanity. A well-designed doctor appointment app boosts access and patient satisfaction while helping small and medium healthcare organizations and businesses thrive in the tech sector.

After you’ve read all the details about ideas and challenges for developing a doctor appointment app, it's time to find the right team to turn your vision into reality. 

For now, don’t settle for less. Darly Solution is here to help! Contact us today to discuss your project in detail.

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The healthcare industry is an area that strongly needs innovations at all times. Diseases constantly evolve, and the care methods should go one step ahead. Infrastructure in healthcare and streamlined communication are not the last points in fostering positive swifts in this industry. These two elements, in conjunction, create favorable conditions for bringing innovations or merely positive changes. The more automation and advancements are introduced, the more effort can be devoted to curing and preventing diseases. That is why the Medical Internet of Things is so emphasized nowadays. Its role is impossible to overestimate, indeed.

Essence and Aim of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

IoMT stands for a tech advancement that envisages the mutual coordination of various elements inside the health system, such as medtools, apps, and other arrays that facilitate steady and ongoing data circulation. The pillar objective of the IoMT is to foster and ease the non-stop collection, handling, transmitting, and sharing of the medinfo among the interested subjects. Most typically the latter ones are state authorities, hospitals, and other members of the healthcare industry. 

Among the main deliverables that IoMT ensures are multiple options to track and manage the state of patients on a real-time basis. It also makes possible timely cure and disease prevention. Variable IoMT devices are already utilized for these purposes – health monitors, intelligent implants, remote diagnostic tools, and patient tracking systems, to mention a few.

How IoMT Works at a Glance

This tech approach is aimed at connecting multiple physical devices, including sensors and implants, through the Internet networks, most typically Wi-Fi. This endeavor is accomplished in order to grasp and transfer the most up-to-date info regarding the patient’s state. 

IoMT also makes it feasible to collect a large scope of data and ascertain the outcomes of treatment as well as the tendencies of disease evolution. At a glance, the said technology is about multiple devices, software, informational systems, algorithms, and storage facilities. All of these elements are related to each other instantaneously and deliver error-free info about the things that fall under the survey. 

Based on that info, medical personnel and other interested subjects highlight measures that have to be taken for the effectual care of the patients. IoMT is also in charge of elaborating on the list of actions that are needed to be accomplished to prevent similar cases from appearing in the future. Any information obtained during such an operation is extremely valuable and derives numerous benefits. 

Benefits of IoMT

This tech advancement is definitely under the stage of its next development and upgrade. Therefore, the number of benefits may be higher in the short-term perspective. As of now, it is proven that IoMT guarantees these positive swifts across the industry:

• Bolstered efficacy of performance within a healthcare institution – the work of the medical personnel becomes more effective and coherent enabling quick decision-making which is especially crucial in emergency cases. 
• Better and easier identification, including across multiple institutions – people don't need to input the same data many times. Once they have done that, it is transmitted through the internal channels of communication between the medinstitutions.
• Enhanced surveyance – IoMT software ensures timely and correct treatment as well as further post-medical support. The info is collected and processed steadily allowing the interested parties to make relevant conclusions regarding the efficacy of the chosen methods.
• Tackling diseases – collecting the info regarding the reasons why patients suffer from certain diseases enables scientists to elaborate on findings that are very precious for disease prevention. Most typically this is made by eliminating the conditions for such diseases to occur. 

IoMT issues and challenges

On balance, the adoption of the considered tech advancement is associated with specific threats and risks:

• Coherent interaction of various medsystems – frequently, such medsystems have multiple peculiarities of operation since different independent producers develop them. Making all the integrated systems not only joint but also coherent may be quite challenging sometimes.
• Effective information management – this covers clinical data monitoring, storage, and processing. The outputs have to be accurate, relevant, and up-to-date.
• Secure data handling – since the info processed is very sensitive in nature, it requires more advanced measures to be implemented. Fairly saying, this type of data is very nourishing for cybercriminals. Still, encryption and specialized IoMT security software can substantially decrease, even eliminate at all, the risk of data leaks. The goal of ensuring robust data protection is required not from the ethical perspective solely – this is also a compulsory rule among the norms applicable within the industry.
• Alignment with the regulatory standards – the applicable legal rules are quite strict, taking into account the essence of services. To this end, a failure to comply with such often leads to severe fines and other sanctions, up to the liquidation of a medical institution. In addition, the applicable regulatory framework is frequently updated, resulting in the need to take other measures allowing to remain compliant.

What Prospects Does the IoMT Have?

IoMT in healthcare definitely opens wider perspectives, among others, thanks to the following tech advancements:

• AI&ML implementation – these two elements are equally good at bolstering analytics and personal care approaches. This can be achieved through automation in decision-making. Most common cases will not require excessive time to ensure correct treatment – these technological advancements, like AI platform for clinical diagnostics, will handle them quickly, efficiently, and at lower costs.
• Bolstering the quality of wearables and implants – upgraded serviceability and preciseness will deliver more faultless data regarding the patient’s state, particularly one’s life parameters. The advancement will also enable quick and more productive feedback in response to possible changes, especially adverse ones.
• Automated internal arrangements – monitoring the inventory and machines plays a pivotal role in ensuring the straightforward operation of any medinstitution. The less time medical personnel devote to routine assignments, the more time caregivers have for their visitors. Even more, optimized internal flows reduce associated costs drastically as well. The quality of medservices is not sacrificed but boosted under such terms.
• Utilizing big data benefits – IoMT ensures the effective and timely handling of large volumes of medical information for multiple purposes: tendencies, patterns, typical treatment outcomes, opportunities for innovations, etc.
• Quality and upgraded involvement methods – future IoMT will facilitate far more effectual involvement of patients and their awareness of the medcare applied. Informing, consent giving, and providing the updates will be made automatically and faultlessly, preventing any unreasonable delays or discrepancies.
• Effectual dealing across the healthcare sector and the remainder of the sectors concerned – IoMT architecture opens another room for diverse independent service providers, financial institutions, and state authorities to interact and exchange data with each other swiftly and straightforwardly. As a consequence, the interested subjects can drastically bolster their performance and the speed of decision-making.

Conclusion

The Internet of Things medical application is a powerful tool on the way to ensuring top-rated services within the industry and effective disease prevention in the future. It already offers multiple benefits, such as on-time and effective performance, multifunctional diagnostics, disease treatment and prevention, cost-effective operation, and, finally, more accurate forecasts. This tech advancement will undoubtedly bring even more opportunities in the short term since it is evolving steadily. 

So, it was definitely a wise decision to incorporate such tech upgrades in a business yesterday. Now, they have already become compulsory things to have in possession. Our company is a reliable service provider experienced in custom medical software development. We will facilitate you to take the next step ahead by rendering top-notch services swiftly and at a reasonable cost. Enjoy the condensed expertise gained through the years.

The mobile apps market is rapidly growing. According to Grand View Research, the global mobile app market was evaluated at approximately USD 253 billion in 2023 and is going to grow with a 14.3% CAGR by 2030. That’s why the need for qualified mobile development specialists is so relevant today. 

At the same time, one of the key features of a competent specialist is knowledge of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and which of the existing models is best to use in a specific project. The following article will overview the most popular SDLC models and explain where to apply them for the best results. 

What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?

The software development lifecycle is a methodology that guides the development team during the app creation process. Each of the development life cycle phases has its aims, timeframes, and challenges. Yet, a systemized approach toward software development ensures that the final product is of the highest quality. 

In comparison, there are other approaches to software development. For example, development teams can choose from the following options: 

• Application lifecycle management. It has a broader scope outside of the actual development process. It can include several SLDC development life cycle stages inside. 
• Software testing lifecycle. This method emphasizes debugging and elimination of possible errors in the product. 
• Product development lifecycle. This strategy includes market and product promotion after its development is complete. 

What Is the Purpose of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?

The SDLC’s clear division into development cycle stages ensures that software is developed in a controlled environment. The systematic approach helps to avoid such challenges as: 

• Budget breaches.
• Project overruns and crunches 
• Failure to meet the requirements 
• Expired deadlines

Creative freedom is important during the software development process. Yet, the SDLC approach ensures that all the creativity and revolutionary solutions are channeled constructively. 

While following the life cycle of software development, each team member knows what task they should do and its deadline. 

What are the 7 Phases of SDLC? 

There are seven common SDLC phases: 

1. Requirements analysis 
2. Planning
3. Design 
4. Development
5. Testing
6. Deployment
7. Maintenance

Let’s consider them in more detail.

Requirements Analysis 

It is the initial stage at which the developer's team evaluates the required features for the app. It defines how long the app will be in development, the budget’s size, and the deadlines. 

This step answers such questions as: 

• What is the objective of the app? 
• Is it an upgrade or a brand-new software? 
• What are the expected results? 

Planning 

The project can be planned after its goals and desired results are established. Planning in SDLC defines the technological stack and project roles. The project roadmap is also developed during the planning phase of SDLC. 

Design 

The software blueprint is created during the design stage. Ideas turn into features, architecture, and UI/UX design. Designing also includes consideration of the software's platforms and security as a part of SDLC processes. 

Design can undergo several iterations before reaching its final look. During this phase, teams usually create a software prototype to see how all the features work together. This phase concludes with design document specification — a text description of the app’s functionality to share with stakeholders and within the team. 

Development 

Development is the long-lasting of the SDLC steps. During this stage, the team implements planned features and functionality into actual software. Tools for progress tracking and version control, such as Git, are common in the software development stage.

Testing 

Testing comes after the implementation phase in SDLC. It is a rigorous process during which all software elements are evaluated. Testing can include: 

• Performance testing
• Security testing
• Integration testing
• Alpha and beta testing, and so on 

The result of the testing and debugging software development cycle phases should be a product meets its specifications and is ready for the commercial environment. 

Deployment 

Usually, the apps undergo testing and development in a secluded, special environment. Deployment implies transferring the software to the commercial space. The deployment phase includes final testing of the working product and gathering feedback from a limited audience. 

The product is ready for full-fledged commercial use when the software development stages are over. 

Maintenance 

Maintenance is the final stage of the SDLC cycle. It includes software updates, security, and performance optimization. An upgrade or upscale of the software may be required in the future. In this case, the SDLC begins from the first stage, and the major update undergoes all the steps mentioned. 

Most Common SDLC Models 

The SDLC standards are common across the industry and development teams. However, there are different SDLC models. Each model serves its own purpose and offers a different order in which the different phases are performed.

SDLC Agile Model 

The Agile SDLC model is the hallmark of modern industry. This model implies dividing the bigger tasks into smaller chunks and working on their implementation. The Agile method emphasizes communication between cross-functional teams and stakeholders. 

Agile also implies frequent feedback gathering and analysis. Rigorous quality control is also an integral part of the Agile model. 

SDLC Big Bang Model

The Big Bang model is an almost informal approach to the SDLC cycle. It ignores any planning or assessment and jumps straight into the coding. Such an approach is more risky than others. However, the model works best if delivery time is critical. 

The Big Bang model can work for you if you wish to experiment or test waters in new markets. 

SDLC DevOps Model

DevOps is a combination of development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams to streamline the delivery of software products. The combined practices require service providers of highly skilled specialists. The main DevOps principles are continuous integration and delivery at the enterprise software development level. These methods help automate the process and streamline management tasks. 

The DevOps model can strain the budget. However, the result is worth the cost. The DevOps SDLC cycle ensures that the product is in a deployable state and can be swiftly modified. 

SDLC Iterative Model

An Iterative model is another representative SDLC cycle. Unlike the Agile model, iterative SDLC does not require continuous customer involvement. Besides, the iterative model has a more defined structure. 

The Iterative model implies iterating the software and making changes between the cycles. Such an approach works well for expanded teams and allows the desired results to be achieved without failing deadlines or breaching the budget. 

SDLC Lean Model

The Lean model is one of the oldest SDLC cycles that has persisted until today. It aims to achieve maximum efficiency in resource management. Unlike Agile, it focuses on the highest possible quality instead of close and consistent communication with the client. 

It also takes a broader than Iterative model approach and improves the overall development process rather than the product itself. Lean is more philosophy than a precise model. As an SDLC model, Lean will ensure the quality of the product and client satisfaction before everything else. 

SDLC Spiral Model

The Spiral model is a combination of Iterative and Waterfall models (this one will be discussed below), taking the best features from both approaches. The model consists of spirals, and each spiral has the following steps: 

• Planning 
• Risk analysis 
• Development 
• Testing

Such an approach allows risk mitigation at the early stage of the project. While being time-consuming, the Spiral model can be a fail-proof net for your project. 

SDLC Waterfall Model

If you are looking for something straightforward and easy to manage – the Waterfall model is your choice. It takes the SDLC structure at face value and follows each step consecutively. The Waterfall model has its risks. It is rigid, and if changes or feedback appear in later stages, it will be hard to implement them. At the same time, the Waterfall model struggles with scalability. 

On the other hand, it can spare the headache of complex management and task delegation. 

Conclusion 

Software development is a complex process that requires structure and precision. The Software Development Lifecycle provides such a structure. In seven steps, a software development team can clearly see goals and meet the client’s requirements. 

Various SDLC models fit different needs and project scopes, and we know how to work with all of them. If you need specialists for custom software solutions, we are ready to answer your call and create a high-quality product. Contact us to discuss your project in detail.