Every project development starts by choosing an appropriate software development methodology. But how do you decide which one meets your project needs best? In this post, I will unveil five major soft development philosophies and their frameworks, highlighting what use cases should be applied for each.
Waterfall
This app architecture methodology is sequential in nature, so it works great for small projects with crystal-clear instructions. The clients are highly engaged in the Discovery phase but less so in the following stages. Due to this model, the team takes one step at a time, and only after an action is thoroughly completed does the next phase start. For example, it goes into the implementation phase only when the design stage is completed. Also, if you’re in the programming state, you can’t move back and modify something in the app’s design. There is a strict order of execution, which is religiously followed. So if you suspect that you may have a lot of changes in your product, the Waterfall approach may not be right for a project.
Advantages:
- It makes it easier to forecast the deliverable outcomes due to strict instructions
- All the team members are aware of the scope of the work, which simplifies the assigning roles and responsibilities.
Drawbacks:
- There is no opportunity for change realization, so the programmers must stay in touch 24/7 to ensure top quality and satisfy clients’ demands.
- The testing phase grabs a tidbit of the time, as software check-ups are performed after the project is fulfilled.
Agile
This is the most widely-used approach to developing digital products. Commonly, multi-tier software solutions, such as logistics apps, telemedicine platforms, or blockchain-based ones, are designed inside the Agile software development life cycle (SDLC) — but it’s not limited to them due to its iterative nature. Agile enables project arrangement by breaking it into multiple cycles (called simply sprints), and each goes through iterations until the small portions of the app are executed. This differs from Waterfall, where the project is reviewed as a monolithic system.
Advantages:
- Enables quick response to dynamic-changing customers’ requirements without disrupting the entire workflow and the final app’s quality.
- Risk mitigation since all the sprint’s outputs are monitored non-stop and steadily during the proceedings.
- Smooth alterations integration possibility regardless of the app architecture stage.
Drawbacks:
- Even though the Agile concept simplifies project delivery, it requires high competence and relevant experience from the team side.
- It may be arduous to make projections for the ultimate results due to limitless requirements’ modifications (within reason).
Scrum — Agile Variety
It’s noteworthy that as distinct from methodology, frameworks imply more formalized procedures with rigid rules. Scrum logic is similar to the Agile SDLC mode in that the process is divided into separate units (two-, four-week intervals) for specific pieces of functionality fulfillment. Before project deployment, the team carries out thorough planning to get started with drawing minimal features set for one cycle (sprint). After integrating and scripting the planned features, the testing stage is initiated. Finally, implemented functionality is reviewed and is getting ready to ship. The first cycle ended up with a potentially deliverable solution.
Advantages:
- It’s suitable for complex, long-term projects, even with the absence of precise requirements.
- The scrum model entails strong team building, and it contributes to emerging fresh and driving ideas and enables the issue to be analyzed from different angles.
- There is a chance to cut operating costs due to less paperwork and control involved.
Disadvantages:
- It gets harder to delineate project deadlines, especially dealing with full-scale projects, including many elements. As a result, clients can deny the time slot needed to implement all the features, APIs, smart technology, like AI, and other required components.
- Choosing the Scrum framework may demand a range of critical transformations within the enterprise. For instance, it may entail frequent communication and collaboration across different business units. That, in turn, requires thorough preparations and a team of certified PMs to adjust smooth workflow at all the company’s levels.
Kanban — Agile Framework
Kanban is associated with increased “scope creep” (even more than Scrum), so it perfectly fits large-scale projects with rapidly emerging changes to requirements. The key priority is given to milestones rather than velocity. The progress is visual, illustrating each stage of work through a board (like Jira). Each team participant is only concentrated on the work in progress. This model excludes sprints dividing. Once the task is finished, the PM selects another one from the top of the backlog and pins it on the board. Each task is estimated according to how much time it takes, starting from its initiation till the moment it’s done. It contributes to frequent software parts releasing, allowing for better product quality monitoring and shipping time.
Pros:
- Each app’s component is shipped just before required, so there’s no need for extra storage space. All the amendments can be inserted in the last version ASAP.
- There is no room for delays due to the model’s responsiveness and flexibility. As the tasks are moved between the columns, team leads can trace the progress and issues that arise. It enables fast lags addressing by allocating resources between the tasks.
Limitations:
- Breakdowns in one process result in the entire project chain being damaged.
- It’s not suited for project development with many related activities. The point is Kanban bets on shifting the resources and expertise between tasks, so it’s tricky to balance all interlinked actions.
DevOps
DevOps is rather a rotation of software development methodology, aiming to optimize the project deployment flow. It’s also considered a hybrid of the Agile model. DevOps cycle is similar to the traditional SDLC process — planning, designing, development, and testing. But at the end of the testing phase, the product is packaged and released into the working environment for operating and monitoring.
According to Agile and its frameworks, a team develops and integrates a set of functionality. And when a good size app is ready, it goes to the production environment. The DevOps approach focuses on accelerating time-to-market, so good quality software is released after each cycle through continuous integration and continuous delivery strategy.
Benefits:
- DevOps makes it possible to deploy software in the cloud and connect different tools. It allows for operations division, which implies that each specialist can concentrate on a single tool, not knowing the whole toolset.
Difficulties:
- The cloud production environment complicates the testing part of the company’s IT infrastructure and results in compatibility concerns. It requires cooperation with an experienced DevOps specialist to handle the entire system infrastructure and integrations.
Software Development Methodologies – Summing Up
The list of software development methodologies can be continued on and on. However, I have detailed the most common ones that could be applied in different situations. Each approach has its peculiarities and can be advantageous depending on the project requirements and companies’ resources.
