In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the foundation of every successful software product or service lies in robust development practices. With evolving user demands, technological innovations, and the ever-growing need for secure, scalable systems, developers are constantly challenged to maintain high standards. But good software development goes beyond just writing code. It’s about a continuous commitment to quality, collaboration, and innovation at every step of the development process.
“Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software” Agile Manifesto
At Plexigrid, we believe that achieving excellence in software development is not just about adopting the right tools and methodologies, it’s about fostering a culture that supports continuous learning, creativity, and team cohesion. This blog post will explore some of the essential best practices in software development today, followed by a look at the extra step that our team at Plexigrid undertakes to ensure we consistently deliver optimal, high-quality solutions.
General Best Practices in Software Development
- Embrace Agile Methodology
Agile is the “engine” driving modern development, breaking down work into iterative cycles that make it easy to shift gears with change and adapt to feedback. Agile doesn’t just improve productivity—it fosters collaboration and creativity by focusing on flexibility and a people-centered approach.
- Effective Collaboration and Communication
Strong communication keeps teams aligned, reducing misunderstandings and enabling faster problem-solving. Tools like collaborative coding platforms or virtual stand-ups are ideal for distributed teams, keeping development efficient and connected.
- Innovation and Continuous Improvement
The best teams don’t just follow processes—they code their own path. Regularly refining workflows and experimenting with new practices keeps the team efficient and forward-thinking. “Innovation sprints” encourage ownership and creativity.
- User-Centric Approach
A user-focused mindset ensures products meet real needs. Regular feedback helps teams prioritize features and quickly address issues, keeping updates aligned with user expectations.
- Focus on Clean Code and Documentation
Clean, maintainable code is the foundation for scalability. Clear documentation keeps the team aligned and makes onboarding new members easier. Documentation systems that double as collaborative knowledge hubs allow developers to innovate while staying connected.
- Security by Design
With rising cyber threats, security should be part of the code from byte one. DevSecOps integrates security into every stage, coding safety in without slowing things down.
How Plexigrid Reinforces Software Development Best Practices
- Individual Development Plans (IDP) for Continuous Growth
Every IT team member at Plexigrid has an individual development plan, an intersection in between short & long terms goals in the team’s careers, and business strategy. Whether it’s to master a new language or explore emerging technologies, with IDPs we ensure that we’re always evolving alongside industry advancements.
- Book Club for Thought Leadership
Our team book club fosters shared knowledge and critical thinking by exploring impactful books on technology and methodology, sparking discussions that enhance our development practices. There are many good technical books to read, but we try to focus on the “transformational” ones. Here we leave some recommendations from our CSEO Enrique Riesgo: “The Software Architect Elevator” “Fifty Quick Ideas to Improve Your Retrospectives”.
- ISO 27001 Compliance for Enhanced Security
Security is core at Plexigrid. We strictly adhere to our ISO 27001 certified ISMS (Information Security Management System), ensuring that our processes are secure and that client data is protected to meet top-tier expectations.
- Internal and Transversal Communication
We ensure open communication across departments, enabling quick decision-making and alignment with our broader goals. Strategies to ensure this include hosting scrums with all the development team, publishing updated and available release documentation, and including team members from R&D, software development and business development in roadmap discussions.
- Continuous Feedback Loops and Product Design
Continuous feedback from our sector and clients shapes solutions that meet real-world needs. We keep feedback loops as closed as possible, with daily short scrums, testing in all phases of development, and by structuring customer and business input so that the product owner can prioritize and design solutions with the involvement of both business and technical stakeholders.
- People-First Team-Building
Plexigrid’s people-first team-building activities, like our recent event in Gijón with a traditional ‘Espicha’ and hiking, create strong bonds and improve collaboration, making our team more effective and empathetic.
These initiatives not only bring key development practices to life but also demonstrate our commitment to going a step further in continuously strengthening our approach at Plexigrid.
For many teams, setting up structured software development practices can seem like a big challenge, and indeed it is. Whether it’s due to limited resources, a lean team, or constant pressure to push out features, the hurdles are real. Early-stage startups, for example, often face these struggles firsthand, juggling quick delivery demands with a lack of time to build out full processes. However, at Plexigrid, we’ve learned that investing in good practices—even gradually—can make a huge difference in the long run, and we encourage others to take that step for sustained success.
Moving from a chaotic, feature-focused process to a more mature, Agile approach isn’t something that happens overnight. The good news? Small changes can make a big impact. Whether it’s improving communication, adopting agile practices, or prioritizing continuous learning, even incremental steps can lead to stronger teamwork, higher product quality, and smoother development cycles over time.
In sharing our approach, we hope to highlight the practices that have proven most beneficial to us. For startups and teams considering similar improvements, our journey stands as a testament to the value of continuous improvement, collaborative culture, and Agile processes as pillars of a solid, future-proof development strategy. It’s worth the effort, and the rewards speak for themselves.
Co-written by Estefania López and Vicente da Costa.
