Software Methodology

After the SRS is finalized the methodology to make the software is next chosen.

1. Waterfall

This is the most traditional project management methodology. It comprises a series of stages executed consecutively. From conceptualization through construction, implementation, and maintenance, each phase flows down to the next.

Waterfall places a strong emphasis on planning. Before starting any software project, teams must determine their goals, cost estimates, timelines, and resources. Team members must also know their roles and responsibilities. This level of clarity contributes to the successful completion of projects.

It allows opportunities for staggered execution. If your team is handling multiple projects simultaneously, the Waterfall approach may allow different team members to focus on separate projects at various stages of development. ‍‍

It is simple for all stakeholders. Because the Waterfall approach is relatively straightforward, team members, managers, and clients can easily understand and add it to their workflows. You don’t need extensive experience in development to know where a project stands.

2. Agile

This prioritizes iterative improvement over a cautious crawl to launch. The initial goal is to generate a minimum viable product and continuously improve it in light of evolving information about end-users’ needs and preferences.

In the Agile methodology, software development teams typically identify one problem or priority, work together in a time-bound “sprint” to achieve a solution, and then move on to the next challenge.

It is responsiveness to change. The agile development method allows teams to respond and adapt quickly to new priorities and integrate client feedback.

It boosts quality by allowing teams to push features incrementally and use client feedback to learn and make changes. Each feature is also tested rigorously before being pushed to production, which allows teams to continuously deliver quality software.

3. Scrum

Teams break down a software project into specific increments of work to be completed. These objectives are then accomplished in time-limited sprints (typically two to four weeks) during which team members devote their attention to the specific challenge at hand.

After these sprints, the team and key stakeholders review progress, noting necessary improvements and key learnings. The Scrum team then shifts to another sprint, which may or may not relate directly to the last one.

The Scrum approach demands discipline, as it encourages your team to remain singularly focused on a given sprint. Some professionals love this freedom from distraction; others prefer the ability to toggle between priorities. Scrum can improve your development process if you use it correctly.

4. Extreme Programming

Extreme Programming, also based on the Agile approach, emphasizes iterative development in specific time-limited cycles. However, in contrast to the Scrum framework, Extreme Programming entails more specific recommendations for software development practices down to the way code is written and reviewed.

The spirit and name of Extreme Programming reflect this methodology’s emphasis on implementing widely accepted values to an “extreme” extent. For programmers who buy into its rules, Extreme Programming can seem like the apotheosis of sound development principles.

For example, based on the notion that frequent code reviews limit the impact of errors, Extreme Programming recommends that teams code in pairs to catch mistakes as they occur. Similarly, based on the idea that frequent testing keeps code aligned with customer requirements, Extreme Programming asks developers to devise tests before writing the code to fulfill them.

The process is multifaceted and highly nuanced, so you should consider doing plenty of research before choosing this methodology.

Benefits of Extreme Programming Comprehensive guidelines. All the methodologies we discuss suggest process elements, but Extreme Programming also provides detailed guidance on how programming should occur. For some teams, this degree of specificity is constructive. Emphasis on continuous improvement. A core principle of Extreme Programming is its commitment to regularly updating code. With small improvements constantly occurring, everyone can work from the latest version, and the team can take encouragement from the ongoing progress.‍ Increasing team engagement. Unlike some methodologies, Extreme Programming has clear instructions for collaborating with other team members and facilitating feedback. These elements of the software development process can be just as important as the technical aspects of the work.

5. Lean

This aims to decrease waste in all stages of the software development process. Common sources of waste include unnecessary features and bloated code, miscommunications and duplicated efforts, vaguely expressed requirements, and quality issues that undermine subsequent progress.

To combat these common challenges, Lean teams often use some of the same techniques found in Extreme Programming, including paired programming and test-driven development. It also emphasizes continuous improvement and the fast delivery of a viable product.

6. Kanban

This organizes and executes software development tasks. It can be used independently or in conjunction with the methodologies we’ve already discussed. Kanban is a means to visually identify and address bottlenecks as they come up. It’s adapted from a workflow management system originally used in automotive manufacturing.

The crucial element of this approach is the Kanban board, which consists of columns denoting different stages in the life cycle of a given goal, such as “coding,” “code review,” and “code revisions.”

As team members complete a stage, they move the goal into the next column. This visualization highlights stoppages in workflow and facilitates adjustments. In fact, when a designated number of goals are stuck in one column, the team must “swarm” the backlog to address the issue.

7. DevOps

This encourages collaboration, communication, and automation. It helps break silos by bringing together development and operations teams who work closely throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC).

The DevOps methodology encourages teams to adopt the microservices architecture, in which an application is broken down into smaller and independent modules that communicate with each other via an API. This microservice design approach facilitates faster product updates since smaller teams can focus on building specific standalone services rather than the whole application.

Continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) are essential DevOps practices. With continuous integration, development teams have to push code changes to a centralized repository, making it easier for other team members to review incoming changes, address bugs, and improve overall software quality. A centralized code repository facilitates faster approval and speedy feature releases. Continuous delivery, on the other hand, allows software teams to build and deploy new features in the production environment quickly while adhering to quality standards.

DevOps also focuses on security and performance. It requires organizations to monitor key logs and metrics regularly to ensure applications perform as required. If bugs are detected during production, agile teams can respond quickly by pushing updates or reverting code commits. Version control features that are included in many code repositories, such as GitHub, help track modifications. Ultimately, this helps DevOps teams find the source of errors.

8. Rapid application development (RAD)

This focuses less on the planning phase and instead pushes software development teams to put more effort into core activities such as modeling, prototyping, and testing. As a result, developers can quickly deliver product prototypes to clients and then use their feedback to add improvements.

With the RAD methodology, dev teams start with a loose set of requirements. They then build something that they can demonstrate to the client. Once the app structure is up, they can collaborate with clients to add more features. The RAD methodology is a flexible development process and that not necessarily require solid plans to get started.

However, the RAD approach may not work correctly when an organization is dealing with large projects. Due to the absence of a clear structure and solid plans, team members may end up stepping on each other’s toes and become unproductive.