Shardul Bhatt
Today, the development process doesn’t end after the initial product release. With DevOps in action, continuous deployment takes the front stage. Innovative as require constant updates. There need to be regular upgrades of software products if the innovation wants to stay relevant.
A viable example is Facebook. It constantly upgrades the application to provide new features, enhance look and feel, and enter new market segments through regional language upgrades.
But there are endless reasons to focus on software product upgrading. There are updates for product design, security patches, bugs & errors, amongst several others. The product development strategy for all organizations focuses on continuous improvement rather than a static product.
Dynamic customer requirements call for an upgraded new product. What does that mean? How does a social network retain customers who are losing their attention span? Simple, they introduce a story feature in their next upgrade.
While the most significant upgrades of software products are features, upgrading the product development process is also essential. It could mean a transition from waterfall development to agile, upgrading the backend technology (Rails 5 to Rails 6), or to upgrade the product engineering process for smooth internal operations.
This article will highlight the few reasons to focus on the upgrades of software products. We will address why it is critical for organizations to update their products and how it can help them stay relevant in the modern world.
Table of Contents
7 reasons for continuous upgrades of software products
Applications that don’t release frequent updates become outdated in a while. That’s because they don’t meet the customer’s requirements anymore. The same goes for legacy systems, product development processes, and internal organizational applications.
That’s why upgrading technology is critical – for everyone. Here are the 7 reasons to focus on continuous upgrades of software products –
Better security
One of the biggest reasons for innovative solutions to upgrade is security. Cybercrime is on the rise, and security vulnerabilities can lead to the loss of confidential data.
Old applications and systems are exposed to new threats, malware, viruses, and security vulnerabilities. It’s because hackers know about the system and can easily penetrate it. That’s why security is vital in product upgrading to add the required layer of protection over the internal and external data. Most app companies release frequent security patches to secure their application.
Higher productivity
This benefit comes in regards to the internal legacy systems. It is essential to update product engineering processes for leveraging modern technology. Old applications and systems are not enough to meet the requirements of modern business operations.
There are faster CPUs, better hard drivers, and powerful processors that need robust and scalable applications. A traditional system is not compatible with the latest advancements. Therefore, upgrading technology is critical for upgrading the product development process.
Faster feedback
Another reason to focus on continuous deployment and improvement is to achieve faster feedback from customers. Product upgrading helps to release the software in small batches. It enables the development team to get the necessary feedback from a small number of customers.
This feedback will help identify the bugs, performance issues, and product design elements where improvement is necessary. Quick feedback ensures that the fixes are fast and the consumers do not face any problems when the product is available for the mass market.
Increased efficiency
A product development strategy cannot survive with processes that are lagging and outdated. Companies hire product development services for the timely development of products. One of the major risks of product development is when the team follows the traditional processes that frequently miss deadlines.
Upgrading the legacy system will ultimately help in improving product quality. A centralized technology is an answer for most companies today for better custom software application development services. The ERP helps them work better, and upgrades ensure that every operation is carried out smoothly.
Enhanced customer experience
From the customer’s perspective, they want a feature-rich application with a flawless product design and user interface. The more intuitive an application is, the better experience they will have. Continuous upgrades of software products ensure that the application has all the features the customers want.
When people ask, “Why should you upgrade?” The first answer is to deliver a better customer experience. A UI improvement is something that everything a customer wants. But there are several risks of product development while changing the design. So companies need to be careful while making this upgrade.
Achieve a competitive edge
The company that has the most innovative solutions and upgrades its products regularly archives a competitive advantage. How? Customers will quickly switch to a software application that upgrades regularly with the features it wants. It could be something as simple as a minor bug fix.
An upgraded new product showcases that companies care about their customers. And when that happens – customers automatically switch to the best service provider. While the competition is still focusing on the old systems, a company can benefit by looking ahead and upgrading through innovative solutions.
Improved support
An old application doesn’t provide the necessary support. Developers and young professionals might not be adept at working with old systems and technologies. That creates a problem. Vendors are also switching to the latest technology that can help them better manage product deliveries.
Upgrading the product technology ensures proper support is available for it. For example, Windows stopped all support for XP, leaving a lot of companies that use the OS dumbfounded. They switched overnight to the latest version. That’s why it’s important to upgrade the software products for better support.
Conclusion
The thing to understand is that upgrading technology, product design, and the product development process should take place at frequent intervals. It is not a one-time activity. Continuous upgrades of software products are important to achieve higher levels of security, better performance, and ultimately – maximum customer satisfaction. Legacy systems and outdated software products only add to losses in terms of both customers and revenue.
Shardul has been in the tech industry for over 18 years. He has worked with some of the global leaders like Mastercard, CIGNEX, and others. Today, Shardul stands as the CEO of Tntra – a global innovation ecosystem that provides product engineering services. He also serves as the CEO of BoTree Technologies, a leading software development company. He is enthusiastic about the latest innovations in the software industry and writes extensively to guide businesses & engineers for making better development decisions.