Software Development Feasibility Study

Core Functional Features
User Registration / Sign-up
User Login / Authentication
Social Login (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
Role-Based Access Control (Admin, Manager, User, etc.)
Profile Management
Dashboard / User Homepage
Search Functionality
Data Entry Forms
File Upload / Download
Calendar / Scheduling
Notification System (Email / SMS / In-app)
Task Management / To-do Lists
Chat / Messaging
Commenting / Reviews
Ratings / Likes / Favorites
Bookmarking / Saved Items

Data and Reporting
Custom Reports
Real-time Data Visualization (Charts / Graphs)
Export Data (CSV, Excel, PDF)
Import Data
Audit Logs / Activity History
Advanced Filtering / Sorting
KPI Tracking / Metrics Dashboard

E-Commerce & Payments
Product Catalog
Shopping Cart
Checkout Process
Payment Gateway Integration (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
Subscription / Recurring Billing
Discount Codes / Promotions
Invoice Generation
Tax Calculation

Security & Compliance
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Data Encryption
GDPR / CCPA Compliance
Session Timeout / Auto-Logout
Secure File Storage
Access Logs & Monitoring

System Integration & APIs
API Access for Third Parties
Webhooks
ERP / CRM Integration (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
Cloud Storage Integration (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
Payment Processor APIs
Email Service Integration (SendGrid, Mailchimp)

Intelligent Features
AI-Powered Search / Recommendations
Machine Learning Models (Predictive Analytics)
Intelligent Process Automation
Natural Language Processing (Chatbots, AI Assistants)
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

User Experience & Accessibility
Mobile Responsiveness
Native Mobile App (iOS / Android)
Accessibility Compliance (WCAG)
Multi-language Support
Dark Mode / Theme Switching
Guided Tours / Onboarding
Offline Mode Support

Administration & Configuration
Admin Panel / Management Dashboard
User & Role Management
Content Management System (CMS)
System Settings / Configurations
Email Template Management
Customizable Permissions
Multi-Tenant / Multi-Organization Setup

Testing & Deployment
Test Automation
Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Staging Environment
Rollback / Version Control
Usage Monitoring / Analytics
Feedback Collection / Bug Reporting

Scalability & Performance
Load Balancing
Caching Mechanisms
CDN Integration
Database Optimization
Auto-Scaling Infrastructure

By defining these features and boundaries, the project team can focus on delivering a software solution that enhances the needs of the business while avoiding scope creep and managing stakeholder expectations effectively. This approach ensures that the project remains manageable, within budget, and on schedule.

The sample table illustrated above succinctly presents the enhancements that the proposed software offers over the existing system, underlining the benefits and reasons behind each feature upgrade. This format helps stakeholders quickly understand the value addition from the new software and supports decision-making processes with clear, actionable insights.

Business & Strategic Alignment
Clearly defined business goals and success metrics
Problem/opportunity statement aligned with software purpose
Stakeholder identification and roles
Regulatory or industry compliance requirements
ROI expectations and budget boundaries
Timeline constraints or go-to-market expectations

Current System & Technical Landscape
Inventory of existing software systems and versions
Integration points with third-party platforms or internal tools
Known system limitations, technical debt, or pain points
Hosting environment (on-premises, cloud, hybrid)
Current scalability and performance metrics
Support and maintenance structure for current system
Documentation availability (architecture diagrams, API docs, etc.)
Existing licenses and technology subscriptions

Functional Requirements
Core system functionalities and features
Role-based user access and permissions
Data entry, workflows, automation, and approvals
Reporting and analytics needs
External system integrations (APIs, ERPs, CRMs, etc.)
Mobile and device access requirements
Offline capabilities (if needed)
User and admin interface expectations

Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability (horizontal/vertical)
Performance (response times, concurrent users)
Security (encryption, authentication, logging, etc.)
Availability and uptime targets (SLA commitments)
Disaster recovery and business continuity plans
Accessibility (WCAG, screen reader support)
Localization and language support
Legal and data residency requirements

Data & Architecture Considerations
Data model and entity relationship definitions
Volume of data to be handled (existing and projected)
Data import/export needs
Backup and archival requirements
Data ownership and portability
Use of structured vs. unstructured data
Master data management and deduplication strategies
Migration strategy from legacy systems

Technology Stack Evaluation
Preferred languages, frameworks, and libraries (.NET, Java, Node.js, etc.)
Cloud provider (AWS, Azure, GCP, hybrid)
Database technologies (SQL, NoSQL, etc.)
DevOps tools and CI/CD pipeline requirements
Front-end technologies (React, Angular, Vue, etc.)
Licensing and long-term support viability
Compatibility with existing platforms or teams’ skill sets

AI, Automation, and Innovation
Intelligent process automation opportunities
Machine learning or predictive modeling use cases
Business rule engines
Chatbots or natural language interfaces
Document or image processing (OCR, etc.)
Decision support systems

Project Delivery & Team Structure
In-house vs. outsourced development strategy
Team skill sets required (architecture, UX, QA, etc.)
Agile or waterfall methodology alignment
Project management and communication tools
Training and documentation needs post-launch
Post-deployment support requirements

Risk Analysis
Key technical risks identified and documented
Third-party or integration risks
Technology obsolescence or vendor lock-in
Change management and stakeholder resistance
Cybersecurity threat vectors
Legal and compliance exposure

Estimation & Roadmap
High-level effort and cost estimate
MVP definition vs. full product scope
Phase-wise roadmap (if applicable)
Go/no-go recommendation based on findings
Recommendations on architecture and tooling
Suggested timeline and resource allocation

The sample checklist above provides a structured approach to evaluating the technical readiness and requirements for a software project. By thoroughly assessing each item, decision-makers can determine the feasibility of the project from a technological standpoint and identify any potential gaps or challenges that need addressing before proceeding.

Although an example, this market analysis report aims to provide stakeholders with a thorough understanding of the market landscape for financial accounting software, facilitating informed decision-making regarding the feasibility and potential of updating the existing software product.

Market Size and Growth Projections:
This graph shows the projected growth of the market size over the next five years, indicating an increasing trend which suggests a growing opportunity for the software.

Cost Breakdown for Software Project:
The bar chart details the distribution of costs across different categories such as Development, Marketing, Support, Infrastructure, and Licensing. This visualization helps in understanding where the major expenditures will occur.

ROI Analysis Over Time:
The ROI analysis graph displays the return on investment over the years, starting from a negative return initially as the investment outweighs returns, progressing to a positive ROI as the returns on the project grow. This helps in evaluating the financial viability of the project over time.

Data Privacy & Protection
Identify types of personal or sensitive data handled (PII, PHI, financial, etc.)
Determine applicable data protection laws based on user geography:

• GDPR (EU)
• CCPA/CPRA (California)
• HIPAA (U.S. healthcare)
• FERPA (U.S. education)
• LGPD (Brazil)
• PIPEDA (Canada)

Data minimization: Only collect what is necessary
Define data retention and deletion policies
Encryption at rest and in transit
Data subject rights (access, correction, deletion, portability)
Cookie consent and privacy notice
Data Breach Notification procedures

Cybersecurity & Information Security
Follow secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) practices
Access control and role-based permissions
Secure authentication (e.g., 2FA, password policies)
Regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing
Secure APIs and third-party integrations
Secure session handling and logout
Logging, monitoring, and incident response plan
Data backup and recovery strategy
Use of up-to-date and supported frameworks/libraries

Regulatory & Industry-Specific Compliance
HIPAA (if dealing with healthcare data)
PCI DSS (if processing credit card transactions)
SOX (for publicly traded companies’ IT controls)
GLBA (financial data – U.S.)
ITAR or EAR (export-controlled technologies)
FedRAMP or FISMA (U.S. federal systems)
ISO/IEC 27001 (information security management)
SOC 2 Type II (service provider assurance)
NIST 800-53 or CSF (U.S. government frameworks)
COBIT / ITIL (governance and service management)
State-level regulations (e.g., New York SHIELD Act)

Cloud & Data Hosting Requirements
Geographic location of data centers / data sovereignty
Cloud provider certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2, etc.)
Shared responsibility model understanding (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)
SLA review (availability, support, data access)
Data portability between providers
Cloud security posture and audit logs

Accessibility & Usability Standards
WCAG 2.1 AA or higher for web accessibility
ADA compliance for public-facing applications (U.S.)
Localization and language support
Accessibility testing tools and validation plan

Software Licensing & IP
Open-source license review (GPL, MIT, Apache, etc.)
Verify licensing for all third-party software or libraries used
Proprietary code ownership and patent considerations
Software escrow (if critical dependencies exist)
Terms of use and end-user license agreements (EULAs)

Third-Party & Vendor Compliance
Vendor risk assessment completed
NDAs and data processing agreements (DPAs) signed
Ensure third parties meet your compliance requirements
Due diligence records for all vendors
Service Level Agreement (SLA) review and acceptance

Organizational Policies & Training
Security awareness training for staff
Acceptable use policy enforcement
Change control and configuration management policy
Incident response and breach notification policy
Role-based compliance accountability matrix
Annual policy review process

Audit & Documentation
Maintain audit trail of all access and changes
Define key compliance documents:

• Privacy Policy
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
• Risk Assessment Report
• Security Incident Response Plan

Regular compliance audits scheduled
Gap analysis report with remediation roadmap
Compliance dashboard or reporting tool

AI & Automated Decision-Making (if applicable)
Transparency in algorithms used for decision-making
Ability to explain AI outputs and provide human oversight
Bias detection and fairness audits
Alignment with emerging AI regulations (e.g., EU AI Act)
Data governance practices for training datasets
Right to contest automated decisions

The sample checklist can be adapted to different industries and software types and can serve as a critical tool during the software feasibility study, helping ensure your solution meets all legal, regulatory, and industry standards before development begins. By proactively identifying requirements and risks, your team can avoid costly rework, protect sensitive data, and build a secure, scalable system that earns stakeholder and customer trust from day one.

This matrix helps project managers and stakeholders understand the specific vulnerabilities of a software project and provides a structured approach to preemptively tackle these issues. By preparing for these risks, a project is more likely to stay on track and achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively.

The next example is of a Gantt Chart for a software project timeline. It visually represents the various phases of the project, such as Requirement Analysis, Design Phase, Development Phase, Testing Phase, Deployment, and Post-Deployment Review, along with their respective durations. This type of chart is particularly useful for tracking project progress and ensuring that milestones are met on schedule.

These tools are indispensable in project management as they help in planning, monitoring, and communicating the project’s financial and temporal aspects effectively.

This summary table serves as a concise and effective tool for stakeholders to review the comprehensive analysis of a software project’s feasibility, enabling informed decision-making about whether to proceed with the project. Each decision point is directly derived from the analysis, ensuring that any action taken is based on solid, researched information.

This sample summary effectively communicates the essence of the feasibility study, providing stakeholders with the information they need to make informed decisions about the project. It clearly outlines what needs to be considered, the benefits of the project, and any risks involved, thereby setting the stage for fruitful discussions and decisions.