Popular Software Development Methodologies

Popular Software Development Methodologies

What is a Software Development Methodology?

A software development methodology or system development methodology in Software Development is a framework that is used to structure, plan, and control the process of developing an information system. These software development methodologies have matured over the years. Currently, there are quite a number of established software-development methodologies that cater to different kinds of project life cycles like: Agile, Extreme Programming (XP), Rapid Application Development (RAD) etc.

Usually software development methodologies are related not only to the technical side but to the organizational aspects of software development process. In this blog post we’ll take brief overview of some of the most popular software development methodologies:

Popular Software Development Methodologies:

• Agile Software Development Methodology: The Agile methodology proposes alternatives to traditional project management. Agile approaches are typically used in software development to help businesses respond to unpredictability. Agile development methodology provides opportunities to evaluate the direction of a project throughout the development lifecycle. This is achieved through iterations at specific intervals, at the end of which teams must present a potentially finished product increment. Due to the focus on the repetition of work cycles, agile methodology is described as iterative and incremental. In an agile methodology, every aspect of development like- requirements, design, etc. is continuously revisited throughout the lifecycle.

• Extreme Programming: Extreme Programming (XP) is a lightweight software development methodology. The basic concept of XP is to start simply, divide a project into a series of iterations each ending with a rigorously tested release that works in its limited way, and then fit it into a specific structure designed to simplify the process of software development rather than an exhaustive structure based on the thorough and time-consuming analysis.

  Extreme Programming is actually a deliberate and disciplined approach created for software development in the environment of rapidly changing requirements. Projects with vague or dynamic requirements are appropriate for XP and they will experience greater success and productivity as compared with other software development methodologies.

• Rapid Application Development (RAD): RAD is a term for a project that emphasizes development speed and can be structured and disciplined. RAD concentrates on the delivery of the product and involves the client from the start and focuses on the client’s needs, uses the incremental approach, keeps the project plan updated, applies development fundamentals and manages risks to avoid catastrophic setbacks. Successful rapid development starts with understanding and defining the client’s business needs and moves through the phases of high level requirements to detailed requirements to design and so on.

• Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC): In systems development life cycle (SDLC), the stages involved in project management of an information system development project are described, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.

  Various SDLC methodologies have been developed to guide the processes involved, including the waterfall model, joint application development, the fountain model; the spiral model and synchronize-and-stabilize. Most often, several models are combined into some sort of hybrid methodology. Documentation is important regardless of the type of model chosen or devised for any application, and is usually done along with the development process. Some methods work better for specific types of projects, but the most important factor for the success of a project may be how closely the particular plan was executed.