Blog

7x Product Development Software for a Faster Time-to-market

SaaS Product Management
Apr 20, 2023
7x Product Development Software for a Faster Time-to-market

SaaS product managers want to move fast. They always look out for new ways to push valuable features live quickly and efficiently. Because companies that deploy software updates more than 15 times a month are twice as likely to exceed their business goals.

But how do you rev up, and leave competitors in the dust?

Equip your product team with the right product development software. According to Forrester, low-code tools are up to 10x faster than traditional development!

Here are 6 types of product development software to help you launch SaaS products in record time.

1. Rapid Prototyping Software

With rapid prototyping software, you can create a basic version of your product. Before moving into development, you can test a functional prototype first. It’s perfect for testing and refining your product ideas early on. That way, you don’t have to waste engineering resources before validating the product.

The benefit: faster iterations

Prototyping is a great tool to achieve faster time-to-market. With rapid prototyping software, you can iterate quickly on products. You can catch design flaws early on, and make changes before you start building the product. It’s like creating a collage of pictures, allowing you to piece together your ideas and envision the final product with ease.

You’ll no longer risk having to start all over again in the process. Your engineers will thank you!

Examples of rapid prototyping software

  • Figma
  • Invision
  • Marvel
  • Adobe XD
  • UXPin

For more tools, check out the top 10 easiest to use prototyping tools on G2.

Figma screenshot as an example of rapid prototyping software
Example of a prototype in Figma (Image Source: Figma)

2. Wireframing Tools

Wireframing tools help you create a visual layout of your product’s interface. They’re essential for discussing your ideas with your team and stakeholders.

The benefit: quicker feedback

Wireframing tools give a clear blueprint to your designers and developers. They are also great for collecting feedback from other stakeholders. Product managers can use this feedback to tweak and improve the product. Way before it’s even in development!

Examples of wireframing tools

  • Balsamiq
  • Lucidchart
  • Axure
  • Moqups
  • Mockflow

For more tools, check out the top 9 easiest to use wireframing tools on G2.

Balsamiq wireframing as an example of product development software that helps launch products faster
Example of a low-fidelity wireframe in Balsamiq (Image source: Balsamiq)

3. Customer Feedback Software

Customer feedback software helps you collect and analyze user input. It’s vital for understanding what your customers need and want.

This software comes in many shapes and sizes. Some tools let you create and distribute surveys. Others let you track customer feedback in emails, social media or review sites. Most tools also offer reporting and insights to help improve your product experience.

The benefit: better prioritization

Customer feedback software lets you prioritize features that matter most to your users. Product managers can ensure they only build features that bring value to their users.

Examples of customer feedback software

  • Uservoice
  • SurveyMonkey
  • Podium
  • GetFeedback
  • Jotform

Check out this article for a detailed comparison of customer feedback software.

Example of customer feedback software
Example of a roadmap influenced by customer feedback (Image Source: Uservoice)

4. Agile Project Management Software

The most efficient product teams rely on agile methodologies. Through sprints of a couple of weeks, they are able to deliver product features fast. And at the same time, they get many opportunities to review results and adjust as needed.

Agile project management tools keep your team organized and focused on its goals.

The benefit: efficient collaboration

Agile project management software speeds up development by promoting collaboration and continuous improvement. With clear goals, deadlines and deliverables, everyone is aligned and focused.

Examples of agile project management software

  • Jira
  • Trello
  • Asana
  • Clickup
  • Active Collab

Check out this blogpost for more agile tools.

Example of a customer-influenced roadmap in Uservoice's customer feedback software
Example of a roadmap influenced by customer feedback (Image Source: Uservoice)

5. Continuous Integration and Deployment Tools

CI/CD tools automate the process of building, testing, and deploying your product. They include multiple tools that cover the entire process of deploying your code. Version control, automation tools and containerization platforms are part of the workflow.

Imagine the process like this. A developer commits their code changes to a version control system. A CI/CD software automatically builds and tests the code to make sure it meets quality standards. Does the code pass all tests? Then it will then deploy the changes to a staging or production environment for review.

The benefit: continuous development

This process lets developers rapidly integrate new code changes into their applications. All on an ongoing basis, with a low risk of errors. This approach improves the speed and reliability of the software development lifecycle.

Examples of CI/CD tools

  • Jenkins
  • CircleCI
  • Travis CI
  • Gitlab CI
  • Codeship

Want to explore more options? Check out this list of the 20 best CI/CD tools.

6. Product Analytics Software

Product analytics software helps you track user behavior. It lets you better measure the success of each product feature. With these insights, you’ll understand at a glance which product features are working. It’s essential for making data-driven decisions.

The benefit: data-driven product improvements

Are you losing too much time figuring out what’s working and what’s not? With product analytics software, you can save weeks to even months in development. Set the right KPIs, and you can immediately judge which features are worth the investment.

Examples of product analytics software

  • Mixpanel
  • Amplitude
  • Heap
  • Pendo
  • Logrocket

Have a look at G2’s top 20 product analytics software. For even quicker progress on your roadmap, we recommend looking at the easiest ones to use!

Mixpanel as an example of product development software that helps you understand which features customers are using
Example of product engagement metrics in Mixpanel (Image Source: Mixpanel)

7. Embedded Analytics Software

Good product teams make data-driven decisions to improve the product. That’s what you’ll use product analytics software for. But your internal team isn’t the only one benefitting from insights.

Your product users also want smart insights to make better decisions. For example, if you’re building a CRM platform, a sales manager wants a good view of his or her current pipeline.

With embedded analytics software, you can expose interactive charts and graphs to your product users. It injects data visualizations directly into your product with almost zero code required.

The benefit: fast product innovation

Embedded analytics adds a new functionality to your platform. You’ll no longer have to develop data visualizations from scratch. You can use an intuitive, low-code interface to create and integrate dashboards. Your team can have client-facing reports up and running in as little as a few days!

Examples of embedded analytics software

Traditional BI tools like Looker, Tableau, and Power BI also offer embedded versions. But keep in mind that it is not their main focus.

Example of embedded analytics: a Luzmo dashboard embedded inside a SaaS platform
Example of a Luzmo dashboard embedded inside a SaaS platform (Image Source: Speakap)

Launch 3 times faster with product development software

Fast development is critical for today’s fast-paced technology companies. By using the right product development software, you can save your engineering team some sweat and tears. You’ll be able to launch new features faster and stay ahead of the competition. With these seven types of product development software, you’re equipped for your next stage of product growth!

And if you're looking to speed up your analytics development, look no further than Luzmo. Sign up for a free trial today, and build your first dashboard in minutes!

Build your first embedded dashboard in less than 15 min

Experience the power of Luzmo. Talk to our product experts for a guided demo  or get your hands dirty with a free 10-day trial.

Dashboard