Software Development Process Models

Process Model

• A process model defines the framework for structuring, planning, and controlling software development.
• It standardizes processes to ensure systematic project management, achieving goals like time efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Process models provide flexibility to adjust to project type, complexity, and stakeholder needs.

Generic Process Model

• Includes five core framework activities:
  • Communication: Gather requirements and define project goals.
  • Planning: Formulate a roadmap for project completion, including timelines, resource allocation, and cost estimation.
  • Modeling: Design system architecture and software specifications using visual representations (e.g., data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, UML models).
  • Construction: Build the software by translating models into code, followed by unit testing to ensure individual components function correctly.
  • Deployment: Release the software to users, install it, test it in a real-world environment, and gather feedback for improvements or bug fixes.

Process Flow

• Describes how framework activities, actions, and tasks within those activities are organized in terms of sequence and time.

Types of Process Flow

• Linear Process Flow: Activities are executed sequentially.
• Iterative Process Flow: One or more activities are repeated before moving on to the next.
• Evolutionary Process Flow: Activities are carried out in a circular manner, leading to more complete software versions with each iteration.
• Parallel Process Flow: Activities are performed in parallel, e.g., modeling different aspects of the software simultaneously.

Identifying a Task Set

• A task set defines the specific work needed to accomplish the objectives of a software engineering action.
• It includes:
  • A list of tasks to be completed.
  • A list of work products to be produced.
  • A list of quality assurance filters to be applied.

Process Pattern

• A process pattern describes a software engineering problem, its context, and proven solutions.
• It provides a template for consistently describing problem solutions within the software process.
• Software teams can combine patterns to solve problems and build a process tailored to their project needs.

Process Pattern Types

• Stage Patterns: Address problems associated with a specific framework activity in the process.
• Task Patterns: Address problems related to software engineering actions or work tasks.
• Phase Patterns: Define the sequence of framework activities within the process, even in iterative flows.

Process Assessment and Improvement

• Several approaches aim to assess and improve software processes:

• Standard CMMI Assessment Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI):

  • Uses a five-step assessment model with phases:
    • Initiating
    • Diagnosing
    • Establishing
    • Acting
    • Learning

• CMM-Based Appraisal for Internal Process Improvement (CBA IPI):

  • Evaluates a software organization's relative maturity based on the SEI CMM.

• SPICE (ISO/IEC 15504):

  • Defines requirements for software process assessment to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of any defined software process.

• ISO 9001:2000 for Software:

  • A generic standard for improving the overall quality of any organization's products, systems, or services, making it directly applicable to software organizations.

Incremental Process Model

• Delivers operational software in increments.
• Each increment serves as a stripped-down version of the final product, providing functionality for user evaluation and a platform for adding more features.

Advantages of Incremental Model

• Flexible: Low development cost and faster initial product delivery.
• Easier testing and debugging in smaller iterations.
• Working software is generated early in the software life cycle.
• Customers can provide feedback after each increment.

Disadvantages of Incremental Model

• Final product cost may exceed initial estimates if not planned well.
• Requires clear and complete planning.
• Design planning is crucial before breaking the system into increments.
• Adding functionalities requested by customers after each increment can challenge the system's architecture.

Evolutionary Process Models

• Iterative models that allow developing increasingly complete versions of the software.

Types of Evolutionary Process Models

• Prototyping Model:

  • Employs a working model with limited functionality to quickly explore requirements and provide user feedback.

• Spiral Model:

  • A risk-driven model combining elements of both prototyping and sequential (waterfall) models.
  • Addresses potential risks through risk analysis and provides alternate solutions.

This quiz explores the fundamentals of process models in software development, focusing on their structure, planning, and control. It covers the five core framework activities essential for effective project management, ensuring time efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Assess your understanding of how these activities facilitate communication, planning, modeling, construction, and deployment in software projects.