Choosing The Best Software Development Methodology

Jan 4, 2023

4.8/5 - (19 votes)
There are numerous software development methodologies, all capable of delivering the results you want. The fundamental difference between each methodology is in the way the work to be done is organized. Some first do a general survey of the application and then divide the work into smaller components; others develop it with a focus on peer reviews; others do evolutionary prototyping until they reach the desired result. But they all look for the same thing: that the client’s requirements, raised functionally, are fully met and with a final product that is easy to use, that is, ergonomic and “intuitive” and efficient when using processing resources and the network in general.
Just to give you an idea, I am mentioning the 15 most commonly used methods, but they are not the only ones; there are many more.
  1. Agile Development
  2. Scrum
  3. FDD: Feature-driven Development
  4. Lean development
  5. XP: Extreme Programming
  6. Waterfall Model
  7. Prototype Model
  8. RAD: Rapid Application Development
  9. Dynamic Systems Development Model
  10. Spiral Pattern
  11. JAD: Joint Application Development
  12. Unified Rational Process
  13. DevOps Methodology
  14. Adaptive Software Development
  15. Behavior-driven Development
And why are there so many methodologies? The answer is that each one emphasizes a certain aspect of how to organize the work to be done. Above all, depending on the characteristics of the workgroup and the type of technology. Despite the existence of numerous methodologies with the same ultimate goal, it is also common for a software development project to become problematic. Why? The cause is only one, and I reiterate that it is not the software development methodology. The cause of a software development project becoming problematic is in the first phase: the requirements. Firstly, due to the user’s lack of understanding and commitment to adequately communicate them to the development group, and secondly, the latter’s lack of a complete and effective method of validating them with the user to ensure that what they understood is the same as his. wanted to communicate.

Software Development Methodology We Recommend at BainsLabs

Our Pick: Model of Agile Lean Software Development

It emphasizes effortlessly creating manageable software about a third of the time. Startups accomplish this by restricting their budgets and eliminating waste. which means your team doesn’t create redundant or extensive features that could affect the functionality of the final product. This is done to deliver your product early with minimal functionality. Short iterations throughout the process require constant communication with the user and the flexibility to adapt to any unforeseen risks.

Company Characteristics: For companies that have projects with low budgets.

Project Characteristics: short deadlines to obtain the first products or functional modules.

Development Group’s Characteristics: It depends on the technical knowledge of the team and its capacity for collaboration, coordination, and communication so as not to lose focus during the project.

User Characteristics: Must have well-specified and executed processes and their requirements based on them.

Agile Scrum Software Development Model

It is one of the most widely used agile software development approaches. It is based on the assumption that the development process is unpredictable and that requirements can and should be changed during the process. This is done to deliver your product early with minimal functionality. The iterations must be short; they require constant communication with the user and the flexibility of the development group to adapt to any change. Daily meetings are held, which the user must attend, to ensure that development is controlled and tracked.

Company Characteristics: For companies that have defined an intense life cycle with frequent deliveries.

Project Characteristics: rapidly changing requirements.

Development Group’s Characteristics: It requires technical experts, rather than novices, to use it successfully.

User Characteristics: It does not have defined processes or very few, its requirements are general, and it “completes” its software as it understands and incorporates its requirements into the computer system. Define “on the go.”

Extreme Programming Model (XP)

Oriented toward projects with extremely short deadlines and safe, error-free deployments. It is the software development methodology most commonly used by startups that require several small releases. This methodology allows system needs to be met in a short time and with virtually no errors despite constant changes to already deployed requirements. This is done with a working method in which everyone involved in the project, including the user, must understand the code. Its objective is to deliver high-quality software in record time. We work in constant communication and coordination between the pair of developers and the user. You can demand several meetings in a single day.

Company Characteristics: For companies that have defined an intense life cycle with frequent deliveries and six-sigma quality indicators of the generated software.

Project Characteristics: developers work in pairs on a simple design and continually improve the code based on feedback from users whose requirements change rapidly.

Development Group’s Characteristics: requires technical experts working in pairs for each requirement.

User Characteristics: it has nothing documented; its requirements are general, and it specifies them together with the development group. actively participates in the release and deployment.

How to choose a methodology for your software development

Use the same four criteria that I mentioned in each of the three recommended methodologies:

Company Characteristics

Have you defined a project life cycle?
Does all staff comply?

Development Group's Characteristics

Are all the staff equally experts?
Is there a mix of newbies and experts?

Project Highlights

How are the delivery times? Do the requirements need to be adjusted? How often?

User Characteristics

What is the degree of documentation of user processes?
What time availability does the user have to participate in the development group?

Any software development methodology is useful, but the issue is that it has characteristics and conditions to be used. If you don’t validate them first and then comply with them, don’t dream, they won’t be much use to you. They are like a medical prescription; follow it to the letter and you will be relieved; if not, sometimes you will continue to be relieved, and sometimes you will be sick again.

If you have any more question regarding software development, software methodology or software methodology’s adoption, feel free to contact us.