Custom Software Development Methodologies in a Nutshell

Custom software development is a meticulous procedure and has to be planned with goals, objectives, budgets, and time span within which the project needs to be executed.

FREMONT, CA: Custom software development has become inevitability for organizations that are dealing with technology. With technology permeating into all aspects of human life, software development has become a crucial part of enterprise strategies. Custom software development is a meticulous procedure and has to be planned with goals, objectives, budgets, and time span within which the project needs to be executed. After considering and analyzing all these factors, the most suitable development strategy has to be formulated. 

The decision to decide the methodology for development is incumbent on all aspects of the project. Some of the majorly used methods for custom software development are listed below

Big Bang Methodology 

An approach selected to deal with simple projects where the client is unaware of the requirements and the form of the result. The plan and model are easily manageable, and the resources required are minimal. It involves a high risk if the complexity of the project taken is high.

Prototype Model

The type of software development that demands a stage by stage evaluation and ascension. In this model, the developers create a prototype solution and provide a demonstration to the client. This approach decreases the chance of failure due to frequent assessment and strong documentation, but is burdensome and has high project cost. 

Waterfall Methodology

It is one of the oldest software development methodologies and represents the classic life-cycle approach to the development of software. The process is rigid, and set patterns need to be followed as no one phase can be skipped or overtaken by another before completion. It leads the development process in a sequential flow and helps orderly progress of the custom development. The method is suitable for projects of all shapes and sorts. Due to its conservative scope for spontaneity, the process helps deal with problems efficiently. 

Agile Software Development Methodology

Being the most popular method adopted by the developers, agile methodology helps cater to continuous changes in custom software development. The flexibility of the model helps reduce the risks as the software is divided into smaller bits called iterations. Every sequence for the development of iterations is unique and dependent on the values gained from the agile manifesto. 

The most significant advantage of this method is its ability to deliver faster feedback. Expensive errors are avoided since the progress is stage-wise. The methodology is not supported to smaller projects and requires skilled professionals who have finesse and good exposure to the development. 

Rapid Action Development Methodology

This method mainly aims at completing the project at a rapid pace. It is a combination of both prototype and agile to create quicker products, iterations, and designs so that projects take shape faster. Stage wise testing resolves errors while the methodology ensures the completion of the projects on time. 

Dynamic Systems Development Model Methodology

Here in this method, development is carried out within a rigid time-frame, fixed budget, and with a high user-involvement. This model has been formed on the premise that developers of custom software need to get continuous feedback to attain maximum functionality. Like agile methodology, each section is divided into iteration, and each iteration is taken forward as a unique set with suitable approaches. It is also based on the RAD model since it has excessive user involvement. As a comparatively a lengthy procedure, it can be applied for projects that have long time frames and are larger in scale. 

Scrum Methodology

This methodology divides the projects into smaller modules, where every module is taken forward with a unique strategy. The approach takes into account the necessary rapid transformations and makes sure to conduct regular meetings to check if the changes are made accordingly. The development team is responsible for decision making since there is a feedback cycle after every stage of development. 

Feature Driven Development

This approach is mainly feature-based and progresses depending on the feedbacks obtained. To augment productivity and functionality, iterations are used to simplify the management of multiple complexities. It is an ideal method for bigger projects, as the features are pre-defined, and the development is uncomplicated. 

Each method presents its advantages and disadvantages depending on the nature of the projects taken. It is crucial to consider all aspects of the project before selecting the appropriate methodology for customer software development. 

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