Best product development software in 2024

Product development encompasses many stages. From ideation all the way to launch, there are several steps such as research, planning, testing, and more, that require tons of little tasks and complex projects. Keeping everything organized to ensure a product is delivered on time takes a robust solution, like product development software.

Still, with many solutions available, choosing the one that best fits your product and project needs can take some trial and error. Some software may be better for teams with physical products, whereas others are more suitable for digital products like apps and software.

In this blog post, we’ll take you through the process of selecting the best product development software for your business, and look at some of the best options on the market, including monday dev, a flexible platform made with developers in mind.

What is product development software?

Product development software is a solution designed to help teams manage different stages of product development. Most software can be used for various processes in product development, enabling different teams like engineers, designers, and marketers to collaborate in one unified workspace.

Product development software can often be used for processes like:

• Ideation
• Gathering product data
• Product strategy
• Roadmapping
• Collecting customer feedback
• Project and task management
• Communication
• Backlog management

Software for product development encompasses many different capabilities that make organizing, managing, and capturing tasks and ideas easier. It acts as a single source of truth for all stakeholders. That said, since product management comprises so many stages, each with its own list of tasks, it can be tricky to find one singular solution that fits all your team’s needs. However, there are still solutions on the market, like monday dev, that enable you to work on your product in one place from the idea stages to launch.

The benefits of using software for product development

With so many moving parts, it’s not hard to lose track of tasks or documents or for communications to slip through the cracks. Serving several different functions, product development software helps you streamline multiple processes in one place, ensuring everything from small details to complex tasks doesn’t get lost. Here are some of the main benefits of using the software:

• Improved collaboration between teams
• Automations to improve efficiency and streamline workflows
• Better task organization and project management
• Enhanced communication with stakeholders
• Quicker development lifecycles by reducing the time between stages
• Faster time-to-market thanks to improved work processes
• Cost reduction from saving on errors and lost time

Who uses product development software?

Product development software can be used by anyone building any type of project, whether physical or digital. In the software industry, product development software is used by multiple teams and professionals involved in multiple aspects of software development. Some key users include:

• Software developers and engineers: Developers can keep track of versions, manage code, communicate with one another, and automate parts of the building, testing, and deployment processes
• Project managers: Product management software helps project managers plan, track, and manage software tasks, timelines, employees, and other resources
• Quality assurance (QA) teams: QA teams can use this software to track tests and communicate with development teams on the progress of debugging
• Designers: Product development software can hold multiple prototype files, making it simple for teams to offer feedback, track deadlines, and collaborate on designs

Product managers: Product managers use this type of software to outline product requirements, prioritize features, refer to a product backlog, and track progress

5 features to look for in product development software

Product development software includes many different features. Depending on your team’s and your product’s needs, you may need more specific features, such as creative tools for mockups or digital whiteboards. However, almost all product development processes, whether you’re building a physical product or something digital like software, should have the five features below.

1. Product roadmapping

Planning your product development stages with a roadmap is essential for a successful product launch. With a visual roadmap, you can see your plan on a timeline, show it to stakeholders, track progress and goals, and stick to deadlines. Look for software that lets you customize a roadmap to keep everyone on the same page and track your product from start to finish.

2. Customer feedback

Collecting customer feedback is essential to the product development process. A strong product development solution will include features for customer feedback collection, such as the ability to send and analyze surveys and forms, collect ideas through software or in an app, and reporting tools on feedback trends.

3. Task management

Task management features enable teams to organize tasks and keep each stage of product development on track. With visual task management tools, you can see what each team member is working on, see deadlines at a glance, and also prioritize each task according to its urgency. Product and project managers can also assign tasks and verify workloads.

4. Agile development tools

Product development software should include Agile tools, especially if your team is using this methodology, which is common among software development teams. With tools in place for sprint planning, product backlogs, progress tracking, Kanban boards, and Gantt charts, you’ll be able to work with software according to your needs.

5. Analytics and reporting

Implementing feedback is a key part of product development, and a good way to do that is to gather analytics and insights from customers, stakeholders, and employees. Product development software should have reporting tools in place that allow you to evaluate your successes and failures so that you can make meaningful adjustments for the next stages or new products.

Top 3 product development software

With so many product development software choices on the market, selecting the best one for your team can be challenging and time-consuming. Here, we’ve briefly reviewed the top three product development solutions so that you can look at them side-by-side and find the one that’s right for your team.

1. monday dev

2. Jira

3. Clickup

How to choose the best product development software for your team

After deciding on the core features your team would need to use product development software successfully, there are a few other considerations to keep in mind. Take into account that when it comes to software projects, up to 20% of them fail every year due to different factors, so selecting the right product management solution from the start can help you save time, money, and ensure the onboarding process runs smoothly. Some other factors to consider are:

• Flexibility and scalability of the software
• Integration capabilities with your existing work tools
• How many users you need and for which teams
• Your software implementation plan

In addition, you always want to ensure any new software you’re using aligns with your business goals. If your team uses Agile methodologies but you love an interface of a specific product development solution without Agile features, it’s going to cause issues in the long run. Luckily, there’s a solution that offers both.

monday dev: Flexible product development software

If you want product development software that will deliver on Agile features without compromising usability or a simple interface, then monday dev may be the solution you’re looking for. Packed with plenty of product development features that cater to Agile teams, monday dev is an easy-to-use platform that can handle complex projects.

Made with R&D teams in mind, monday dev is a highly customizable platform that helps teams communicate and collaborate. Packed with features for sprint planning, reporting, templates for product roadmaps and backlogs, and flexible task management features, monday dev is the ideal solution for teams building apps or software products. With over 200 integrations to some of the most-used development apps, like Slack, GitLab, Jira, and more, your team can continue using their favorite tools while working more efficiently.

One of monday dev’s biggest selling points is its flexibility. Templates for all stages of the product development cycle are available as boards, making it quick and simple to get started. Additionally, with over 27 different work views including Kanban, Gantt, Timeline, Calendar, and more, you can choose how to visually track progress.

Compared to other product development solutions on the market, monday dev still stands out from the rest thanks to high user reviews. Users on the software review site, G2, rate monday dev 4.7/5, with users commenting on how it’s both “powerful” and “easy to use.”

Which product development software should you opt for?

The best product development software is the one your team will make the most use of. That means a solution with an easy onboarding process, an intuitive interface, and that makes working together easier instead of more complicated. monday dev checks all those boxes and more with its customizable platform that empowers teams to work smarter towards business and project goals.