How to build a standardised software development platform

Businesses in Australia are focused on growth.

A recent GitLab study found that 65% of Australian respondents are shipping software at least twice as quickly as last year, and nearly a fifth of respondents release software five times as fast.

However, the pressure to deliver software faster can create a jumble of tools, processes, and practices. Different teams independently relying on their own solutions to address immediate requirements can result in a fragmented development environment. This lack of cohesion isn't just inefficient; it's risky. Inconsistent tools and processes create bottlenecks and make it harder to maintain consistent security standards.
 
Standardising tools, processes, and practices ensure a more unified, efficient development environment. It reduces complexity, improves collaboration, and aligns teams with the broader business objectives.

Standardise for enhanced speed, security, and scalability

According to GitLab's research, 72% of developers in Australia are currently juggling between 2-10 tools at a time, with 50% of the respondents eager to consolidate their toolchains. A standardised platform can significantly reduce licensing, maintenance, and integration costs by eliminating the need for multiple third-party tools. It also minimises dependencies on external vendors and lowers the cost of supporting and training teams on multiple overlapping tools.

A standardised platform also accelerates time to market. By streamlining the entire software development process and integrating tools and workflows into a single system, a platform approach removes the bottlenecks and delays encountered in multi-tool environments, enhancing speed and agility.

Security is also greatly enhanced because security protocols can be applied consistently across the platform, reducing vulnerabilities and simplifying regulatory compliance. In addition, development leads gain consistent, accurate metrics across the development life cycle, allowing them to optimise workflows and make data-driven decisions that meaningfully affect the business.

Finally, a standardised approach ensures scalability and future-proofing. As organisations grow, a scalable framework allows new or expanding teams to integrate seamlessly without disruption. The platform approach supports continuous evolution, enabling organisations to maintain streamlined workflows while incorporating new tools behind the scenes.

5 steps to successfully standardise your software platform

Creating a standardised software platform is achievable for almost any organisation but requires careful planning and execution. Here are five steps leaders can follow to standardise their tools and workflows successfully.

●    Assess the current landscape: The first step is a comprehensive evaluation of an organisation's existing tools, processes, and practices. This assessment should involve input from all relevant stakeholders, including developers, security experts, and operations personnel. The goal is to identify inconsistencies, redundancies, and areas for improvement to create a value stream for the customer.

●    Develop internal standards coupled with clear objectives and requirements: The next step is to create a set of internal standards and best practices based on the assessment. These should encompass coding standards, deployment processes, and building security policies. It's important that these standards align with the organisation's strategic goals and that all teams can easily adopt them. Additionally, it's the right time to determine the goals this process intends to achieve, such as improving efficiency, reducing costs, improving collaboration or increasing scalability.

●    Leverage AI for efficiency: GenAI is increasingly integral to modern software development. Tools can provide AI-powered workflows that automate routine tasks, allowing developers to focus on more strategic work. Integrating AI-driven security checks throughout development also helps teams enhance security and ensure that vulnerabilities are caught early.

●    Centralise the platform: Once standards are in place, they need a home. A centralised platform can be the repository for all documentation, code repositories, and project management tools. Centralisation ensures everyone works from the same standards, reducing friction and improving collaboration.

●    Invest in training: Standardisation is only effective if teams are well-equipped to follow set standards. Invest in comprehensive training programs that cover all aspects of standardised processes. Continuous education is key to keeping teams up to date with the latest practices and technologies.

Achieving agility with standardised software development

Software can be a key differentiator for large organisations in the fast-paced Australian market.

How quickly and efficiently their development teams work plays a huge role in staying competitive. However, for many organisations, the mix of tools and processes has become a burden, slowing innovation, increasing costs, and creating security risks.
 
Standardising on a software development platform addresses these issues but requires planning and preparation. To capitalise on the benefits, start with a thorough assessment of current operations, establish clear internal standards, centralise tools and processes, and commit to ongoing training. The outcome will be a more cohesive, agile, and secure software development process.