The Ultimate Guide about Software Development Methodology

When it comes to software development, quality, and timely delivery are the two most important aspects that every software development company USA needs to achieve. Aligning the entire software development process with business and their client requirements is integral to success.

Implementing an appropriate software development methodology can help you do that. But how?

Every software development methodology follows a unique approach toward defining project steps, roles and responsibilities of each team member, communication methods and standards, activities, and expected outcomes. In short, an appropriate software development methodology can help you manage the entire software development project lifecycle systematically and flawlessly.

Several software development methodologies have been used throughout the decades to help project owners and managers build excellent software products and applications.

However, there is no one-size-fits-all methodology that meets every project's requirements, and choosing one that suits your business and clients' needs can be perplexing.

In this article, we have included complete information about different software development methodologies and also some tips on how to choose the right one suiting to your project, resources, and infrastructure.

Before we move on to knowing about the different software development methodologies, let's gain some basic information on the same.

The Ultimate Guide about Software Development Methodology

What Is Software Development Methodology?

Software development methodology is all about structuring, planning, and managing the entire software development process. The aim of software development methodology is to make sure that the project is completed within a predetermined time and budget without any risks involved.

Basically, software development methodology is the groundwork that includes planning how the project will be executed and how much time, resources, and money will be needed to complete the project. Every software development project is different in terms of complexities, budget, technology, and many other factors. Software development methodology needs to be chosen based on these project dynamics, resources, and client requirements.

There are many types of software development methodologies; let's have a look at the details about some of them to help you gain clarity over which one to choose for your software development project.

Different Software Development Methodologies

For a productive and successful project completion, it is imperative to know exactly how you plan to do it and what you need to accomplish. Without clear goals and objectives and a concrete plan, it becomes easy to get distracted and lose focus, which leads to wasted time, money, and resources.

As per CIO, 71% of Enterprise software development projects either get delayed, over budget, or both. Selecting the right software development methodology that suits your software development project is the key.

Below are 6 different software development methodologies, which can help you make the right decisions.

6 Different Software Development Methodologies

#1 Agile

Agile is a worldwide known software development methodologies that is based on a flexible and adaptable approach to software development. It suits very well to changing requirements and in situations where quick project completion is a must-have requirement. Agile is an incremental approach to software delivery which is based on a step-by-step approach starting from inception to completion. Instead of delivering all at once, the Agile software development methodology works based on achieving multiple milestones one by one that eventually lead to project completion.

Agile Software Development Life Cycle

✅Concept: Identifying and estimating the amount of time and effort required to complete the project.

✅Inception: Consulting clients regarding project requirements, selecting team members, and securing funds.

✅Iteration: Teams start building software based on project requirements and continuous feedback from clients and stakeholders.

✅Release: Testing the entire project, resolving flaws and defects, and finalizing system and user documentation.

✅Production: Providing ongoing support required to maintain the software and training users about exactly how to use it.

✅Retirement: Incorporating all end-of-life activities like updating outdated features and notifying clients about them at the right time.

#2 DevOps

DevOps is a blend of practices followed by development (Dev) with IT operations (Ops) to build a consistent and systematic approach towards software development and execution. This software development methodology is based on collaboration, automation, feedback, monitoring, and integration across every single development phase.

DevOps Software Development Life Cycle

✅Plan: Scheduling & assigning tasks to the team members and ensuring that they complete within a particular time frame.

✅Code: Creating, reviewing, and merging code.

✅Build: Integrating various software and version control tools.

✅Test: Continuous testing and extracting feedback from data relating to risks and performance.

✅Package: Application pre-deployment staging and artifact repository.

✅Launch: Managing approvals and changes

✅Infrastructure Configuration and Management: Managing security, service, resources, capacity planning, and code tools.

✅Performance Monitoring: Keeping check and track of service performance, logs, end-user experience, and incidents.

#3 Waterfall

Waterfall is a classic software development methodology that follows a sequential and linear approach to software development. When it comes to software development - there are different development phases of a project. Each and every phase needs to be finish before proceeding on to the next phase. Similar to Agile, Waterfall also involves phases. However, Agile promotes flexibility and customer feedback at every stage, which is different from Waterfall. Usually, Waterfall is used for projects that require a structured plan, which is beneficial in terms of quality production but can prove to be expensive as accommodating changes after completion of the project can be time-consuming and tedious.

Different Phases of Waterfall Model

✅Requirements: Analyze potential project requirements and set up deadlines and guidelines for the project.

✅Auditing: Human, financial, and technical infrastructure auditing to know the project feasibility.

✅Design: Technical requirements including programming language, architecture, hardware, data resources and more, is outlined in the design specification document.

✅Coding and Implementation: Developing source code using logic, models, and requirement specifications decided in previous phases.

✅Quality Assurance: Testing and identifying issues. If bugs are found, coding stage is repeated for debugging otherwise Waterfall process continues forward.

✅Deployment: The software is developed successfully without any bugs, and deployed on a live environment.

✅Maintenance: Regular maintenance & updates are done to improve the software product functionality and keep it relevant to the latest trends.

#4 Scrum

Scrum is a framework that helps in getting work done from a team in small pieces at a time, with ongoing experiments and feedback loops. It is a great way for a team to learn, grow, and improve while project development is under process. This helps top web developers to collaborate effectively, work with flexibility, and eventually deliver magnificent quality. People working in a Scrum framework include product owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Every team member involved in managing the project in a Scrum framework has exclusive responsibilities and accountabilities.

Different Phases of Scrum for Effective Project Management

✅Initiation: Creating a vision for the project, identifying stakeholders, and assigning team members to execute the plan.

✅Planning and Estimation: Preparing plans for a sprint (short time-boxed period), enabling the team to collaborate effectively.

✅Implementation: Implementing multiple sprints as planned, reviewing tasks, work plans, and concerns. This phase is repeated multiple times until the project is complete.

✅Gathering Feedback: Conducting meetings with team members, and stakeholders to gather feedbacks, and reworking on project tasks if required.

✅Launch: Delivering the final product to stakeholders, launching it in the market, and finally analyzing its performance.

#5 Kanban

Kanban is a visual management framework that follows project management principles and practices to manage and enhance software development and app/website development workflows. It is a non-disruptive and evolutionary approach that promotes continuous enhancements to a project or organization's processes. This software development methodology can help you reduce project life cycle time, increase customer satisfaction, and enhance predictability - all of which are imperative to any business these days.

Unlike Scrum and Agile Kanban is not about a process to follow. However, it can be applied to any process to improve it. Whether you are considering Agile methods or a more traditional method like Waterfall to manage your project, you can top it with Kanban to speed up the process and reduce errors. There are certain practices that you need to follow to adopt Kanban, as given below -

Kanban Core Practices

✅Visualize Workflow: Visualizing workflow on a physical board or an electronic Kanban Board enables you to manage your tasks effectively.

✅Limiting WIP (Work-In-Progress): Encouraging the team to complete work at hand before taking up new work helps in limiting WIP and enhancing productivity.

✅Manage Flow: Highlighting different stages of the workflow and the status of each task at each stage enables you to manage and improve project quality and reduce delivery time.

✅Define Project Policies Explicitly: Defining how to do a particular task is critical to completing the project as per requirements and within a specific time frame.

✅Feedback Loops: Implementing feedback loops is required to gain insights on anything going wrong in the early stages of development and deliver the right products and services to the customers.

✅Collaborating and Evolving: Test hypothetically, make improvements, and transform consistently during the development process.

#6 Hybrid

Hybrid software development methodology as the name itself suggests, is not about executing a particular set of practices or a process. Rather, it is a method of integrating various software development methodologies to match particular requirements and goals of software development projects. The specifications of hybrid software development methodology can vary depending on the proportion of the traditional waterfall model and agile model you prefer to follow, which is again based on the project type and size.

Why Use Hybrid Software Development Methodology?

✅Customizability: You can tailor your software development methodology depending on your project requirements. No rules to be followed, as in other software development methodologies.

✅Freedom: Hybrid software development methodology provides complete control over implementing elements. Whether it is about Agile elements or Waterfall principles, you can implement them in a proportion you want them to.

✅Flexibility: You can have flexibility in changing principles and practices pertaining to methodology at any point of time to improve the project development process.

So, these were some of the most popular software development methodologies used in the current times. The choice of a particular software development methodology should be based on the specific needs and complexities of the project and organization. Let's now have a look at the factors to be considered while selecting the right software development methodology.

Which Factors Need to Be Evaluated While Selecting a Suitable Software Development Methodology?

While selecting a software development methodology that is compatible with your project needs requires intricate evaluation. Let's have a look at some points to evaluate while choosing the right software development methodology specifically for your project.

4 Key Factors in Choosing a Software Development Methodology

4 Key Factors Choosing Software Development Methodology

#1. Project Requirements and Complexity

To select the right software development methodology, it becomes imperative to clearly define the goals, required features, timeline of the project. Also, considering the complexity of the project, you need to assess the integrations required, and based on that you can choose the best software development methodology that suits your business and project needs.

#2. Time and Budget Constraints

Every project is assigned a specific budget, and the cost of software development along with the timeframe is determined before it begins. Selecting a software development methodology that aligns with your time and budget constraints is essential for successful project completion.

Why Is Selecting the Right Software Development Methodology Important?

Below are some of the most prominent reasons for choosing the right software development methodology.

8 Reasons Choose the Right Software Development Methodology

1. Systematic Approach:

The right software development methodology ensures that all the team members are on the same page and tasks are being managed effectively.

2. Scope to Change:

A software development methodology that is flexible allows adapting to changing requirements leading to minimized disruptions.

3. Optimized Resources:

Software development methodology that is compatible with project type and complexities is capable of optimizing resources' allocation and utilization leading to project completion within assigned budget and timeframe.

4. Enhanced Communication:

The right software development methodology fosters excellent method of communicating and collaborating amidst team members, developers, and stakeholders.

5. Lowers Risks:

A structured approach towards project management results in lowering risks, eliminating miscommunication, mistakes, and delays.

6. Meeting Customer Demands:

A systematic approach to software development lifecycle ensures that customer demands are met ultimately leading to their satisfaction and repetitive business.

7. Improved Teamwork:

The right software development methodology allows team members to collaborate and communicate amidst themselves effortlessly, efficiently, and effectively.

8. Excellent Product Quality:

The software development methodology that is compatible with project requirements enables you to ensure the reliability and robustness of the end product.

Usually there are certain mistakes that project managers and owners commit while selecting software development methodology for their software development project. Below-mentioned are some mistakes which you need to avoid while selecting software development methodology for your project.

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Selecting Software Development Methodology

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Software Development Methodology

Now, after going through complete information about different software development methodologies and how to choose one that aligns with your project needs, there is one more aspect to consider and that is using the right technology tools that can help you execute your software development methodology successfully.

The fact is - if you want to keep your team productive starting from inception to completion of a project, you need to empower them with the right set of software development life cycle (SDLC) tools. Here are our top 10 picks.

Top 10 Specialized Tools That Help in Executing Software Development Methodologies

Following a systematic approach towards software development process needs you to depend on specialized tools that can enable you to manage complex workflows, communicate seamlessly, collaborate flawlessly, and achieve high code quality and performance standards. Regardless of whether you need to automate your testing process or streamline your communication or task management, there are specialized systems that can foster project development and its success. Let's go through some information about the tools that fuel software development methodologies we have already discussed.

Top 10 Tools for Executing Software Development Methodology

#1 Jira

Jira - developed by Atlassian - is a project management tool that helps teams to plan, assign, track, and manage tasks in a flawless manner. It is used by top mobile app developers, marketing managers, IT professionals, and operation teams. It helps in organizing work, and aligning tasks with goals. It offers Agile boards that enable team members participating in software development to follow a proper software development methodology. Precisely, whether it is about detecting bugs, task assigning, or reporting, every facet of a software development process can be handled efficiently, and flawlessly using Jira ultimately enabling you to save time and achieve the highest productivity levels.

#2 Slack

Slack is an excellent cloud-based messaging platform which needs to be implemented to improve communication processes within business organizations. It is a cloud-based messaging application that helps developers, project managers, testers, and everyone participating in a project to communicate and collaborate with each other regardless of their geographical location or device they are using. The versatile features of Slack empower seamless workflow management via direct messages, channels, and integrations with other systems and technical capabilities prevailing in various departments of an organization. It helps in connecting different teams and professionals working from multiple locations and collaborating on a common platform.

#3 Selenium

Selenium is a free and open source software which is used for automating software testing, and web-based administration tasks. It allows quality assurance teams to conduct automated tests and run them across different screen sizes to deliver unmatchable and comfortable user experience.

#4 GitHub

GitHub is highly known worldwide for its excellent capabilities pertaining to hosting open source software development projects. Additionally, it enables developers to store, manage, and share their code using Git (version control system).

#5 Trello

Trello specializes in Kanban-style software development methodology as it showcases multiple stages of a workflow in visual formats like graphs, and figures. It is considered a project management tool that helps users to manage projects, assign tasks and collaborate effectively. Its core concept is based on Kanban methodology that allows users to shift tasks from one stage to another depending on its progress. Project managers, developers and stake holders can have a visual representation of whether tasks are to be completed, in progress, or done easily and make informed decisions.

#6 Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps is a SaaS based platform that is used to manage the entire software development lifecycle. It is a collection of Microsoft-hosted services that enable software development companies to plan, build, test, and deploy applications. With the help of Azure DevOps, both operations and development teams can coordinate and ensure timely delivery of finished software products.

#7 SonarQube

SonarQube is an excellent open-source software for real-time code quality inspection. It can also automate the process of code analysis that enables development teams to detect bugs, security loopholes, mistakes in code, and other quality issues. SonarQube supports multiple languages like Java, C#, Python, JavaScript etc. It can integrate with multiple DevOps platforms and also CI (continuous integration) and CD (continuous delivery/deployment) pipelines. It also makes sure that automated code analysis is seamless and that eventually results in flawless software development procedures.

#8 Figma

Figma is an excellent and ultimately user-friendly designing application which enables users to build and manage designs, and collaborate with co-workers. Basically, it is an excellent cloud-based tool that is used by designers and creators to design out-of-the-box software products, websites, and mobile apps.

#9 Jenkins

Jenkins is a tool that enables you to build, test, and deploy software applications. In simple terms, it is applied for streamlining, managing and controlling documentation, analyzing static code, and automating testing. It also informs about changes in codebase, which helps software development teams create software that is flawless and user-friendly. Moreover, it can integrate different branches of code into a main branch and deploy code to containers, virtual machines, and servers. The best thing about this tool is that it has a web interface that makes it easy to identify mistakes and errors and configure tools accordingly. Also, it has a large plugin ecosystem that enables users to extend its functionality.

#10 Confluence

Confluence is a web-based collaboration and knowledge management tool that simply enables users to create, manage and share documents, project plans, and meeting notes with each other in a centralized space. It serves as an internal knowledge hub for employees in a company, making it easy for them to create and manage quality software development projects.

Conclusion

Therefore, this article has provided all the necessary information about the best chosen software development methodologies and tools that can help you in building robust, reliable, and quality websites and applications.

The question that might still be unanswered in your mind is - which software development methodology should you choose?

If you are working on a complex project with continuous improvements, agile methodology would be the right choice, else for a small predictable project with well defined requirements - waterfall methodology should be considered as the right option.

Always remember to select the software development methodology suiting to your deadlines, budget, scope and eventually helps you meet your business goals.

The Ultimate Guide about Software Development Methodology: Choosing the Right Approach