Software development is not just about implementing an idea or translating a concept into code. Above all, it involves working with constraints, expectations and the real market. Budget and resource constraints. Customer and user expectations. Market realities and circumstances.
And the starting point here is not the idea itself, but an understanding of who the product is being created for and what task it should solve. When this is clear from the outset, the contractor and the customer begin to speak the same language.
Everything depends on this understanding: architecture, deadlines, budget, and the end result. This article is an attempt to show what development looks like from the inside of an IT company – Grymaxion Plovdiv, which deals with custom solutions: from user web platforms and SaaS to corporate systems, analytics, IoT, and machine learning solutions. After reading the article, it will be easier for the customer to prepare for the first dialogue and understand why the IT company asks so many ‘strange’ and ‘uncomfortable’ questions.
Why good ideas often fail to reach the market
We regularly see expensive-to-develop services with excellent designs and prototypes that fail at the first attempts to scale.
The reasons are almost always the same. Either the product does not solve a real user problem, or it solves everything at once and becomes unnecessary. Or the service, as conceived, does not meet market expectations, or its architecture is not designed for growth. Sometimes everything works ‘at the start’ but breaks down at the first attempts to scale up.
It is important to understand that development is a collaborative effort to create something that the user really needs and that the business can support. The sooner this becomes a topic of discussion, the less disappointment there will be later.
Where development actually begins
A typical situation. In the technical specifications, the customer details the screens, functions, and logic. But during the first discussion, it becomes clear that the document does not describe the product, but rather the customer’s idea of how it should look. Formally, the technical specifications have been drawn up, but the customer has no understanding of the future software product.
Therefore, even at the initial stages of negotiations, Grymaxion business solutions clarifies:
- what task the software product solves
- who will use it and how often
- goals and objectives for six months or a year after launch
This is not a formality. The answers to these questions directly determine the architecture, technology stack, team composition and, ultimately, the cost of development. The same functionality can be implemented in different ways — quickly and cheaply, as a temporary solution, or more complexly, as a basis for scaling. These are different approaches and different budgets. And the difference becomes noticeable within a few months after launch.
Utility products and task-oriented software
Some of the projects Grymaxion Ltd works on are software solutions for specific, urgent, and challenging tasks. The user who will be using it does not care about the process; they need results here and now.
From a development perspective, this means simple logic, a minimal entry threshold, and fast time-to-value. Such products are easy to explain to the market and quick to launch.
But there is a nuance here that we always discuss with the customer in advance: if the product completely solves the problem, its life cycle ends very quickly. Therefore, even at the discussion stage, it is necessary to understand whether the product will be developed further, whether there will be additional usage scenarios and new features.
Lifestyle solutions and products as a ‘habit’
Lifestyle solutions are products that do not address acute pain points but become part of the user’s life. Most often, these are user web platforms, SaaS services, corporate systems, and analytical tools. UX, reliability, and scalable architecture are particularly important in such projects.
Grymaxion Ltd managers regularly encounter requests to ‘do it quickly and cheaply, and then refine it later.’ This approach works very poorly for lifestyle products. In order to plan deadlines, calculate the budget, and understand the customer’s expectations, an IT company must understand at the outset whether the order is a one-time project or a long-term product.
Engagement products and engagement-based work
Engagement products require a separate approach – solutions where the key value is built around user engagement. These can be entertainment services, content platforms, applications with gamification elements, AR/VR solutions.
From a technical point of view, these are some of the most demanding products. Users are not willing to put up with inconveniences if the product does not solve a practical problem. Any errors in logic, performance, or interface are quickly reflected in the metrics.
MVP: not simplification, but hypothesis testing
A common misconception is to perceive MVP (Minimum Viable Product) as a ‘cheap version with poor design.’ For us, it is a way to test, at minimal cost, the function without which the product loses its meaning. To test the main business hypothesis in the real market.
There are situations when it is more important to immediately lay down a stable architecture and clear logic of use. If a complex corporate system or SaaS is being developed, from which users expect stability from day one, a ‘raw’ launch can only do harm. In such cases, more time is spent on designing the base. Any savings at the start can result in much higher costs for changes and refinements later on.
For complex solutions – IoT, analytical platforms or AI systems – the MVP stage is necessary precisely to verify technical feasibility. Here, it is important to make sure that the architecture is capable of solving the problem before scaling the project. In this case, MVP is not a ‘quick launch to market’ but confirmation that the chosen technology works.
Why does an IT company ask uncomfortable questions?
Managers at Grymaxion Ltd. believe that ‘uncomfortable’ questions are an attempt to avoid problems in the future. Software development is always a collaborative effort. The customer brings the idea and business context. The IT company brings experience, technical expertise, and an understanding of limitations.
Most unsuccessful products fail not because of bad code, but because of wrong decisions made long before development began. Understanding the type of product, its life cycle, and user scenarios allows you to avoid costly mistakes and create a solution that will truly be in demand.