The initial phase of custom software development projects is filled with lots of ideas from different people about the functionality and usability of the application.
For this example, let's assume the client believes they need a tank that can go 70 MPH through the desert, has a big gun on the front, a 50 cal machine gun at the rear, and really, really thick armor plating.
With our focus on Agile software development, we know building a tank is often expensive and might not be what the customer really needs. Instead, we encourage starting with a smaller project that will get the client moving towards the end objective, but much quicker.
Once things get moving with the skate, we gather feedback and move forward with the next iteration to quickly deliver a smooth riding skateboard.
As the pace quickens towards the end objective, Level 12 and the customer is learning more about the new software and discovering how it can impact their business. With the increased clarity, we are able to create the next iteration as a motorcycle.
We again gather feedback, make modifications and additions, and begin building the next iteration, which zooms into production as an automobile. We are almost there!
In the beginning, the client thought they needed a tank to meet their business objective, but what they really needed was a milk truck!
Had we moved forward with building a complete tank, much time, money, and resources would have been wasted building the wrong thing! The iterative process got us exactly where we needed to go, with little waste!