One Simple Reason Why the Majority of Software Projects Fail

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, software development projects are becoming increasingly important for companies looking to stay competitive. However, it’s no secret that a majority of software projects fail to meet their goals or even complete at all. In this article, we’ll take a look at one of the biggest reasons why software projects fail: the over-reliance on a single developer or a generalist skillset, and provide examples of how this can manifest in real-world scenarios, not just in terms of final product quality but also in terms of project timelines, costs and trust.

Generalist Nightmare

When it comes to software development, the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” rings particularly true. Many companies make the mistake of hiring a single developer to handle everything from design to coding to testing. This approach may seem cost-effective in the short term, but it often leads to a lack of specialized skills and ultimately, project failure. For example, a company may hire a single developer who is proficient in coding but lacks expertise in user experience design. This can lead to a final product that is functional but lacks the polish and usability that users expect leading to subpar performance on both sides and ultimately, a poor user experience. . Additionally, this approach can lead to significant delays in the project timeline as the developer struggles to complete tasks outside of their area of expertise.

• Final product quality: A company may hire a single developer who is proficient in coding but lacks expertise in user experience design. This can lead to a final product that is functional but lacks the polish and usability that users expect.
• Project timeline: This approach can lead to significant delays in the project timeline as the developer struggles to complete tasks outside of their area of expertise.
• Costs: This approach can also lead to increased costs as the developer’s lack of expertise in certain areas leads to rework and wasted time.
• Trust: Even if a company does find a developer who seems to have all the necessary skills, it’s important to remember that trust in the developer’s abilities and output can be a significant risk, especially if the hiring manager is not a technical expert.

Full Stack Fever Dream

Finding a full-stack developer who can handle every aspect of software development is a difficult task. It’s often likened to finding a diamond in the rough, and even if a company is lucky enough to find one, it’s important to remember that no one person can be an expert in every single aspect of software development, even if they are a 10x engineer polyglot. A company may find a developer who is proficient in both front-end and back-end development, but lacks expertise in security, leading to vulnerabilities in the final product. Even if a company does find a developer who seems to have all the necessary skills, it’s important to remember that trust in the developer’s abilities and output can be a significant risk, especially if the hiring manager is not a technical expert.

Race to mediocrity

When companies rely too heavily on a generalist skillset, with developers that are not experts in any one area, the final product will likely not excel in any one area either — mediocre times 10. Software is everywhere now, and customers expect more — software development projects need to be excellent in order to succeed. For example, a company may have a team of developers who are all proficient in different areas, but none of them are experts, leading to a final product that is mediocre in every aspect.  Then you end up spending a lot of time and money to finish something that, in the end, is just not that good.  No one wants to use bad software.

We’ve seen companies make this mistake time and time again and come to us at Mayven Studios to fix it. 😅

If you aren’t a technical person yourself or super experience in hiring technical roles, be sure to keep these pitfalls in mind to avoid software development headaches.