In 2024, the success of tech startups in the UK will depend largely on how swiftly and effectively they can deliver value to their first customers. Many of today’s successful products began as mere concepts in the minds of hopeful entrepreneurs. Yet, a great idea is far from enough to guarantee startup success. How well you will execute that idea into a working product that fits market needs will be the defining factor. That’s where startup founders face hard choices: opt for software product development services for startups or create an in-house team.
It’s really hard to find and acquire skilled talent on a startup’s modest budget with a looming deadline, all while your competitors breathe down your neck. Countless UK entrepreneurs face this very challenge, and many of them decide to rely on outsourced product development services.
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Contact usThat’s exactly what we specialize in at Relevant Software. We have successfully collaborated with small businesses from Britain and hence have an established process for startup software development. If you want to know the “whats” and “hows” of product development services available to small businesses in the UK and other intricacies, just keep reading.
Table of Contents
As usual, we’ll first cover the essentials and go through the relevant terms to ensure we’re on the same page.
Software product development is the entire lifecycle of a software product creation from concept to market and beyond. It’s a comprehensive process that encompasses:
The goal of software product development services for startups is to build a digital product that serves the needs of the target audience and provides value to the users. Software products usually target a broad market segment and are maintained over time.
In contrast, a software project usually refers to a customized development effort tailored to meet the specific requirements of a particular client or business. It’s a more defined, one-time effort with a clear start and end point. These projects might not necessarily result in a product intended for widespread release. Instead, they are often custom solutions designed to solve a specific problem or to improve operational efficiency within an organization or a limited user base. Once the project is completed and delivered, the work is typically done.
Product-market fit is quintessential for the survival and growth of any venture. Shockingly, among the 90% of startups that fail, 34% stumble at this very hurdle, which emphasizes the importance of a perfect solution that is backed by solid market research and software development processes. In this regard, software product development services for startups look more beneficial for UK entrepreneurs. With the support of a skilled software development agency, your chances of finding that coveted product-market fit, as well as securing a more advantageous position in the market, increase several-fold.
The appeal of generic software is obvious – it’s readily available, often affordable, and seems like a quick fix. But for businesses with unique needs, generic solutions can be a recipe for frustration. These generic programs are designed to cater to a broad audience, leaving you with a feature set that may not perfectly align with your specific workflow.
That’s why custom software development for startups is at least worth the consideration. Here’s why it trumps off-the-shelf solutions for businesses with distinct needs:
Imagine this: you launch your startup with a brilliant idea and perfectly functional off-the-shelf tools. But as your customer base explodes and your business scales, that once-perfect solution starts to creak under the pressure. Features become inadequate, integrations buckle, and your once-agile startup feels bogged down. This is the nightmare scenario for any startup that scales and relies on generic software.
In contrast, custom software development for startups bears scalability in its DNA. Here’s how it can support your startup’s growth:
Standing out from the crowd and offering a unique value proposition can be the difference between soaring success and fading into obscurity. Here’s how software development services for startups give you a competitive edge:
From the start, we’ll tell you that it’s not a small fit at all. The UK’s tech landscape is vast and houses around 26,500 software development companies. And if you consider nearshore software development (which would be even more beneficial for UK startups in terms of cost-efficiency and not only), your options are countless. The difficulty in choosing the ideal software development outsourcing partner also stems from the fact that it could very well be the most important decision for your project’s success. To help you make a well-informed and risk-managed choice, we’ve outlined a few critical moments to pay attention to.
To select a software development agency that will match your startup’s needs, you should carefully consider the following factors:
Look for a partner with a proven track record in your industry. Their experience with similar projects means they already understand the nuances specific to your sector and can advise you about the product. Also, assess their technical capabilities. Do they have the skills and knowledge to build the type of product you envision?
A strong portfolio of past projects is a great indicator of a development partner’s capabilities. Check projects that are similar to yours in terms of type, scope, or complexity. Pay attention to the company’s approach to startup software development and how they managed to solve the problems of their previous clients.
Testimonials on the development partner’s website can be helpful, but honest feedback directly from clients who have worked with them will provide you with a more nuanced perspective. They can tell more about the company’s communication style, ability to meet deadlines, and overall project management skills.
Understand the development methodology the potential partner uses (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, Linear) and choose one that aligns with your project’s needs and your startup’s culture. Also, check how they approach project management. Do they have a clear process for the definition of requirements, progress tracking, and communication practices throughout the development cycle?
The financial aspect of software product development services in the UK is sensitive for startups. It’s the number one reason, along with access to niche experts, why most UK entrepreneurs outsource to Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. Here’s a breakdown of key cost considerations when choosing a tech partner for your UK startup:
Fixed price agreements can be attractive because they offer predictability in expenses and allow you to budget with confidence. However, this model requires a well-defined project scope from the outset to avoid future complications or additional charges. On the other hand, a time-and-materials approach (based on the time spent by developers and the resources used) offers flexibility to adapt the scope based on your needs, which can change throughout the development process. However, be careful and devote more time to project management to keep the budget from ballooning.
| Factor | Fixed price | Time-and-materials |
| Cost certainty | High | Low |
| Flexibility | Low | High |
| Project scope | Requires well-defined scope upfront | Adaptable to changes |
| Risk | Low risk of cost overruns | Higher risk of cost overruns if the scope changes |
| Client involvement | Little | High |
It’s essential to set a realistic budget that reflects the complexity of your project and the quality of software product development services for startups you expect. Include a buffer in your budget for unexpected developments—software projects can evolve, and financial flexibility can help you manage changes without compromising on the quality of your final product.
Pro Tip: Many development partners offer flexible engagement models that combine elements of fixed price, and T&M. Discuss your project needs and budget constraints openly with potential partners to find the most cost-effective approach.
Product development isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon (an average of 4.5 months) and demands a thorough approach. At Relevant, we offer comprehensive software product development services for startups and have an established process based on agile principles. We’ll collaborate with you to translate your business idea into a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that features the core functionalities. Our product experts and development teams then work together to create an MVP. This approach lets us build and launch a product faster while putting user experience and idea validation first.
Here is a quick overview of how the process works step by step.
A stellar software project requires careful organization and a clear comprehension of what you want to achieve.
So, the work on a project starts with specifying your mission and goals for your software. Is it to streamline internal operations, revamp an industry, or simply make life easier for your users? Once you have your overarching goals in mind, break them down into specific, measurable objectives. These objectives will guide the development team, help them stay focused, and ensure your software delivers on its promises.
Once you are done with broad-based goals, we help you outline project requirements and detail the functionalities your product must include. At this stage, we engage with stakeholders and conduct market research and user surveys to define more precisely what your target users need. An exhaustive requirement analysis is vital because it:
Let’s assume that you’ve finally bought the smartphone you dreamed of for so long. You discover that it has a ton of powerful features, but a clunky interface would render them useless, right? That’s how we can describe the role of UX/UI design in product success.
UX design makes your software easy to navigate and understand, and UI design then crafts a visually attractive interface that is clear, informative, and aligns with your brand identity. In fact, UX/UI design transforms your software from a jumble of features into an intuitive and enjoyable experience.
Prototyping
Before you build a massive bridge, it’s wise to test the blueprints, right? Prototyping is your chance to do just that. A prototype is a basic, interactive model of your software. It can be anything from a low-fidelity sketch to a more advanced, clickable version. The main mission of a prototype is to let users interact with the core functionalities of your software before even a line of code is written. It also gives you the possibility to receive user feedback early on and make corrections to avoid costly mistakes when the actual software development starts.
MVP development
This stage ends with the creation of an MVP. It’s a stripped-down version of your software that has only the core functionalities needed to validate your product idea and gather user feedback. Since it’s a minimal investment model, an MVP helps you launch your product faster, validate your market fit, and secure funding for further development. When you build an MVP, you can also catch potential issues early and understand what features you needn’t add, as users have found them unuseful.
In a nutshell, a prototype allows you to test the “what” (design and UX) of your future product. Meanwhile, an MVP tests the “why” (value proposition) with a minimal functional product.
That’s when the actual development takes place. Here, we want to pay attention to two popular methodologies and how they can impact the development process and ultimate results.
Agile vs. Waterfall
The choice of the one or another methodology depends on your project’s specific needs:
| Feature | Agile | Waterfall |
| Development Approach | Iterative and incremental | Sequential and linear |
| Project Planning | Flexible and adaptable | Rigid and upfront |
| Requirements | Evolve and change throughout the project | Defined upfront and rarely change |
| Feedback | Continuous and incorporated throughout development | Delivered at specific milestones |
| Project Management | Collaborative and team-oriented | Top-down and structured |
| Risk Management | Risk identification and mitigation as they arise | Relies on thorough upfront planning to minimize risks |
| Change Management | Encouraged and easily accommodated | Discouraged and can be expensive |
| Suitable for Projects | Uncertain requirements, rapid feedback needed, fast time-to-market | Well-defined requirements, limited need for change, clear project scope |
Software riddled with bugs will frustrate users and can even result in complete project failure. That’s why Continuous Integration and Testing (CI/CD) is a good practice.
With CI/CD, you can ensure your software is built with high-quality code, minimize regressions (bugs introduced in new code), and deliver a more reliable product to your users.
Software product deployment is the final stage that ensures your creation reaches users smoothly and will function flawlessly over time. Just as with any stage of software development for startups, deployment requires careful planning and execution. Here are some deployment strategies to consider to ensure a slick lift-off:
The Importance of Continuous Support and Maintenance
Just like a car needs regular maintenance, your software requires continuous support to ensure it stays bug-free, secure, and up-to-date. Regular maintenance ensures your software remains secure and addresses any functionality issues that might arise. With time, you may want to add new features and functionalities, and it’s also part of post-development support. Most importantly, ongoing maintenance helps you keep the software in good shape and running smoothly.
Software development for startups might appear to be a straightforward endeavor, yet the reality is quite different. Each project is unique and, therefore, demands a personal approach and a touch of creativity to solve the problems through digital products. So, coding skills are not the only component of successful project completion. Smart process management and a collaborative spirit are equally essential. Here are a few of our case studies to demonstrate it.
Lately, the UK-based fintech company, which simplifies the usually complex process of buying a home, contacted the Relevant team to build a recommendation engine for their FirstHomeCoach platform. They wanted a system that could analyze a vast amount of data (over 40,000 data points) and provide personalized guidance to users at each stage of their home-buying journey.
Our main task was to integrate diverse services into a cohesive platform without overwhelming the user. We collaborated closely with their team to enrich the web app with new features, such as a mortgage calculator and deposit builder, yet maintain a clean and simple interface throughout. Our UI/UX specialists crafted intuitive, user-friendly designs that break down complex processes into clear, easy steps. Security-driven architecture and data segregation were implemented to ensure the highest level of data protection and user privacy.
When Optimum Pay Group, a major provider of payroll solutions for small businesses in the UK, decided to enhance their payment platform, they turned to Relevant Software specialists. Tasked with creating a secure payment gateway, our team leveraged its expertise in secure code practices and tokenization to protect sensitive financial data.
Collaborating closely with the client, we managed to integrate such features as user management, staff dashboard, and report generation. Our UI/UX designers created an intuitive interface that simplifies the payroll services for Optimum Pay Group’s customers, minimizes errors, and delivers a smooth user journey. The ease of use, combined with strong security measures (encryption and data protection best practices), positions Optimum Pay Group at the forefront of payroll solutions.
Meliora Medical Group chose the Relevant team to build a user-friendly and HIPAA-compliant mobile app, Return2Play, that streamlines athlete recovery journeys and provides medical care. Our team of backend, frontend, and QA engineers created a solution that simplifies the management of injury cases from onset through recovery. We implemented features such as injury reporting, doctor appointment planner, and player management to simplify communication between players, coaches, and medical professionals. Anyone can conveniently check and track the player’s recovery progress at any time.
The invisible yet important aspect of any software—security—was especially paramount in Return2Play since it handles sensitive medical data. To prevent vulnerabilities, we implemented secure coding practices (input validation, authentication and authorization controls, data encryption) on both the frontend and backend. We also followed all HIPAA requirements in terms of data encryption, access controls, and user privacy to make the app compliant.
Companies that offer software product development services for startups can help you accelerate your path to market at a lower cost than in-house team creation and with less risk. Agencies allow you to build, test, and validate your product concept quickly and cost-effectively, usually before a full-time hire is made. So, all you need to do is take your time and do research to select the right IT outsourcing services partner.
At Relevant Software, we offer software development services for startups as well as can become an extension of your team. We understand the unique challenges faced by early-stage ventures in the largely competitive UK market and, therefore, are better prepared to translate your idea into a user-friendly and scalable product. Contact us today to ensure your software project is in the right hands and move forward with confidence.
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