Parallel development can reduce your overall production time, but it can also lead to late stage defects and quality problems. Parallel development should be seamless if you follow certain key processes like branching, merging and tagging. It is difficult to learn these processes. Many companies use scripts to track multiple versions and branches. It is important to maintain a consistent quality level, which can be difficult if there are many developers working on different projects.
Before parallel development can be effective, it needs to be understood by the development team. The project manager and product manager must also be able to understand branching, merging, and other concepts. Otherwise, they may end up cloning changes or missing functionality. The best approach will consider both the development requirements and available technology. Start by defining your parallel development goals. Once you have established your goals, you can begin building your parallel development strategy.
Parallel development can occur on any number of projects. It may be within a single project or across multiple projects. If parallel development is not feasible for your project, it may be necessary to separate the projects into smaller projects. However, most groups use parallel development within their projects. It can also happen across projects if they need to produce multiple releases of software at once. Parallel development will not only increase productivity but also improve quality and speed to market.
Multiple concept options can help reduce the risk of your company launching a new product. This is especially true if the product is new or complex. Parallel development is one of the most effective methods to minimize risk, so consider parallel development when it comes to product development. This will lower costs and improve product quality. Parallel development will be more feasible if you have lower startup costs.
Parallel concept development offers greater benefits than single-concept development. It is more effective when the c/R ratios of parallel concept development are low. The benefits of parallel concept development increase with the cost of the product. As the relation between the two grows, the benefits of parallel development become less favorable. But the benefits of parallel concept development are worth the extra time and money. It will pay off in the long-term.