Deciding on a relevant methodology is oftentimes an unestimated part of software development cycle. However, it is one of the elements of SDLC that can get your project on the way or get on its way.
Over the years, managers have experienced that most of the projects have common characteristics that can be formalized into structured processes, which ultimately helps to manage then more effectively. Bringing each phase of development to a closure in some logical way, before another gets started can result in discrete milestones or deliverables that can act as an input to the next phase. And before a move to the next phase is made, cost, schedule estimates, requirements, plans, specifications should be decided beforehand in order to determine if and how the project should be continued. This predefined approach of processes, called software development methodology helps define the route followed for a successful deliverable and deployment of the project.
To understand why a methodology matters, let’s take a look at the consequences, when an incorrect project framework is followed:
- Schedule and cost slippage
- Miscommunication within the team
- Time wastage on administrative tasks that have no value to the project
- Reliance on technical wizardry to gets the projects dine
- Project management burnout
To manage software development cycle, there are a number of methodologies that have been developers favorite as well. According to Stack Overflow survey results 2018, the most methodologies followed for software development are:
1. Agile: This software development practice promote continuous iterations in development and testing. For developing a software application, it follows 4 core values:
- Team or individual interactions for tools and processes
- Giving importance to working software than a comprehensive documentation
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- Responding to change over the defined plan
Agile focus on flexibility and continuous improvement in project development. And the reason that it’s followed for mobile, desktop, and web solutions, it is one of the sought after methodologies for getting software developed.
2. Scrum: This is an Agile framework, particularly meant to manage work in a software development cycle. Designed for the team for 3-9 developers, it ensures that the tasks are defined to an individual and an actionable output is delivered within timeboxed iterations, called sprints. Herein, the progress tracking is done and re-planned with 15 minute stand-up, called daily scrums.
3. Kanban: Kanban is an Agile framework, which ascertains that there is transparency in work and real-time communication between the teams. The master of this framework is the kanban board that allow teams to check the state of every task at a time and avoid bottlenecks in the project.
4. Pair: This one is an Agile approach to software development, wherein two developers work on single workstation. Here, the one who writes the code is a driver and the other who reviews the code is an observer or a navigator. Both programmers during development can switch their roles accordingly.
“In an online survey of pair programmers, 96% of them stated that they enjoyed their work more than when they programmed alone and 95% said that they were more confident in their solutions when they pair programmed.” -Wikipedia
5. Extreme Programming: This software development methodology aims at improving quality of software and responsiveness as per the changing requirements of the client. As the project evolves, developed, tested, and reviewed by the client, the feedback received is worked upon to make the product outcome better.
Basically, the Agile is the parent methodology for development and rest of the agile frameworks ensure seamless implementation of product from ideation to development phase. This is done by maintaining a coordination and communication between teams, project handling and iterations on receiving feedback, taking care of the bottlenecks etc.
So now when you understand the importance of software development methodology and the top 5 practices, make sure that you do a thorough deliberation over it with your app development partner in your next project. For understanding the overall process better, check out our complete guide on software product development.
