4 Ways to Make Your Development Team More Productive
To stay on top of their industry and at least one step ahead of their competitors, software development companies have to work as quickly as possible. New products and innovative services are being launched every day, so it is essential that software developers have the knowledge, training, and technology to work at optimum efficiency. A possible strategy is to recruit more experienced developers or to extend your existing team’s working hours, but both will end up costing more money. If you are planning to take your software company to the next level this year, here are four ways that you can make your development team more productive.
- Invest in continued training
Many software development companies spend a lot of their budget on IT and related technology, but they rarely invest in training for their team. The industry has a habit of expecting software developers to look into new programming languages and technologies and to improve their skills in their own time. While they probably will do this to some extent if they have a personal interest in the topic, many do not have the time, money, or inclination to spend their free time on research. Over time developers will settle into using a particular coding language or type of technology, and they will avoid straying from what is comfortable.
Employers should be taking proactive steps to ensure that their developers are up to date on the latest skills and innovations. They can do this by allocating time for their employees to research and explore new ways of working and encouraging them to share their discoveries with their colleagues. This should improve their skillset and keep them interested in their craft. Employers could also organize and/or provide internal or external training.
- Improve communication and organization
In addition to improving a team’s technical skills and knowledge, it is important to focus on their soft skills such as communication, teamwork, task management, and leadership. The way team members interact with and support one another is vital to success, as poor communication and/or individuals taking on too much will only lead to costly errors. Employers should provide training on soft skills, hold regular team meetings (either in person or via video calling software), and make use of communication and task management software. Some teams rely on messaging and collaboration systems like Slack, but it may be better to find a Slack messaging alternative that is designed specifically for development teams.
- Reduce or eliminate time-consuming tasks
Take a look at which tasks are taking up the most time, such as answering multiple emails or providing updates on project progression. If you can find a way to eliminate these tasks or make them faster to complete, you could free up more time for your employees to focus on the tasks that move projects forward. If you are holding regular meetings, is there a way to structure them so that you can move through the agenda more quickly? Rather than holding one big meeting each week, perhaps a short update meeting at the start of each day would be more efficient? Emails should be reserved for complex or essential issues, while general communications should be for instant messaging platforms.
- Minimize environmental distractions
The smallest interruption or distraction can add another 30 minutes to a task as it can take that long to get back into the right headspace. If your workspace is noisy, consider giving your team noise-canceling headphones. Some people find that listening to music helps them to work more efficiently, while others like some light background noise or even complete silence. Ask your team for their preferences and take steps to improve the working environment accordingly.
