Implement vs. Develop — What's the Difference?

Putting a previously designed system into operation.

Building systems or plans from foundational ideas.

Ensuring that actions align with predefined standards or designs.

Focusing on creativity and theoretical work in creating new solutions.

Applying theoretical concepts in practical scenarios.

Ensuring the final product aligns with initial goals and user needs.

Focusing on the logistics of making a concept work effectively.

Improving existing products, systems, or plans through iteration.

Measuring success by how well the concept operates in practice.

Designing systems that can grow and adapt over time.

A tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment that is used for a particular purpose

Grow or cause to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate

Performance of an obligation.

Start to exist, experience, or possess

Put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect

Treat (a photographic film) with chemicals to make a visible image

A tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment used in doing work

Bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on a player's back rank

An article used to outfit or equip someone

To bring from latency to or toward fulfillment

A means of achieving an end; an instrument or agent.

To expand or enlarge

To put into practical effect; carry out

To aid in the growth of; strengthen

To supply with implements.

To improve the quality of; refine

To bring about; to put into practice; to carry out.

To cause to become more complex or intricate; add detail and fullness to; elaborate

A tool or instrument for working with.

(Music) To elaborate (a theme) with rhythmic and harmonic variations.

That which fulfills or supplies a want or use; esp., an instrument, tool, or utensil, as supplying a requisite to an end; as, the implements of trade, of husbandry, or of war.

To bring into being gradually

To accomplish; to fulfill.

To set forth or clarify by degrees

To provide with an implement or implements; to cause to be fulfilled, satisfied, or carried out, by means of an implement or implements.

To come to have gradually; acquire

To fulfill or perform, as a contract or an engagement.

To become affected with; contract

Instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end

To influence the behavior of toward a specific end

Apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design;

To cause (a tract of land or a building) to serve a particular purpose

Ensure observance of laws and rules;

To make available and effective to fulfill a particular end or need

Pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue;

To convert or transform

(Games) To move (a chess piece) to or toward a more strategic position.

To process (a photosensitive medium such as exposed film) in order to produce a photographic image.

To produce (a photographic image) by use of a photosensitive medium or by printing from a digital file.

To grow by degrees into a more advanced or mature state

To increase or expand

To improve; advance

To come gradually into existence or activity

To come gradually to light; be disclosed

To progress from earlier to later stages of a life cycle

To progress from earlier to later stages of evolution

To discover, find out; to uncover.

(intransitive) To change with a specific direction, progress.

(ambitransitive) To progress through a sequence of stages.

(transitive) To advance; to further; to promote the growth of.

(transitive) To create.

(transitive) To bring out images latent in photographic film.

(transitive) To acquire something usually over a period of time.

To place one's pieces actively.

To cause a ball to become more open and available to be played on later. Usually by moving it away from the cushion, or by opening a pack.

(math) To change the form of (an algebraic expression, etc.) by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value.

To free from that which infolds or envelops; to unfold; to lay open by degrees or in detail; to make visible or known; to disclose; to produce or give forth; as, to develop theories; a motor that develops 100 horse power.

To unfold gradually, as a flower from a bud; hence, to bring through a succession of states or stages, each of which is preparatory to the next; to form or expand by a process of growth; to cause to change gradually from an embryo, or a lower state, to a higher state or form of being; as, sunshine and rain develop the bud into a flower; to develop the mind.

To advance; to further; to prefect; to make to increase; to promote the growth of.

To change the form of, as of an algebraic expression, by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value.

To cause to become visible, as an invisible or latent image upon plate, by submitting it to chemical agents; to bring to view.

To go through a process of natural evolution or growth, by successive changes from a less perfect to a more perfect or more highly organized state; to advance from a simpler form of existence to one more complex either in structure or function; as, a blossom develops from a bud; the seed develops into a plant; the embryo develops into a well-formed animal; the mind develops year by year.

To become apparent gradually; as, a picture on sensitive paper develops on the application of heat; the plans of the conspirators develop.

Make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation;

Work out;

Gain through experience;

Come into existence; take on form or shape;

Change the use of and make available or usable;

Elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses;

Create by training and teaching;

Be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest;

Grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment;

Become technologically advanced;

Cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development;

Generate gradually;

Grow emotionally or mature;

Make visible by means of chemical solutions;

Superimpose a three-dimensional surface on a plane without stretching, in geometry

Move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous positions;

Move into a strategically more advantageous position;

Elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme;

Happen;

Expand in the form of a series;

Implementing a policy means putting it into action or enforcing it according to its guidelines.

Development involves creating and refining the software, while implementation is about deploying and integrating it into existing systems.

Developers typically use testing, feedback, and iteration to refine the product until it meets the necessary standards for implementation.

Project management oversees both development and implementation, ensuring that both phases meet project goals, deadlines, and budgets.

While they are distinct phases, some overlap can occur, especially in agile and iterative development processes.

Yes, some projects may be developed but not implemented due to various factors like budget constraints, changing priorities, or feasibility issues.

Feedback during implementation can provide valuable insights that lead to further development, enhancing the product's effectiveness and user satisfaction.

User feedback is crucial in development for aligning the product with user needs and expectations, and it can inform further development and implementation strategies.

Implementation is essential to realize the practical benefits of the developed system or plan and to evaluate its effectiveness in real-world conditions.

A pilot implementation involves rolling out a new system or policy to a limited audience to test and refine it before a full-scale launch.

Training is often considered part of implementation, as it involves teaching users how to effectively use the developed system or product.

Developers and implementers collaborate closely to ensure that the product's design is practical for implementation and that any necessary adjustments are made.

Yes, issues encountered during implementation can lead to further development to address these challenges and improve the system or product.

Various methodologies, like Agile, Waterfall, and Lean, can guide both development and implementation processes, each with its own approach to phases and transitions.

Common challenges include ensuring compatibility with existing systems, user training, and managing resistance to change, all of which require careful planning and communication.