A software development methodology is the methods and the different sets of workflow techniques that are used in order to design different I.T. software solutions. As I’ve been learning, there are many different types of these methodologies. According to Synopsys, the four most popular methodologies are Agile development methodology, DevOps deployment methodology, Waterfall development method, and Rapid application development. In my class, I’ve been learning about the Agile development methodology and the Waterfall development method. I think it is really interesting how there are so many different methods in developing software that all lead to the same outcome, and I’m interested in learning more about other methods. I think it will be very helpful to learn these different methodologies as some are more effective in certain situations. Synopsys has really helped me because it shows two of the methods I already know and allows me to get a better understanding of them, but also allows me to learn a couple new methods.

The first methodology that I learned about, the Agile development method, involves repeating all of the steps in short increments. The main reason that this method is used is to help minimize risk when adding new functions to the software. These risks can include bugs, changing requirements, and cost overruns. Like all of the methods, the Agile development method has both pros and cons. Some pros include allowing the software to be released in different iterations, not just one. This helps the developers fix bugs and change things early on in development. Another pro is that it allows users to learn the benefit of the software earlier, rather than waiting for the entire software to be incremented. However, there are also some cons to this methodology. One major con is that new users are often behind and not able to get up to speed, as they don’t have the documentation needed. This is because it relies on real-time communication. Another major con is that Agile development methods may not be as helpful in large organizations as they are used to other methods, such as the waterfall method.

The second method that I learned about is known as the Waterfall method. Unlike the Agile method, the Waterfall method performs each step in order and doesn’t move on to the next step until the previous step is completed. On top of that, each step is only performed once. The Waterfall method consists of different steps, otherwise known as sequential phases, which each have their own goals. These phases are Requirements, Design, Implementation, Verification, Deployment, and Maintenance. This method is also known to many as the traditional method, as many different companies use it. A major pro to using this method is it being easy to understand and manage, as there is only one step with one goal going on at a specific time. This allows less experienced teams and managers to understand and benefit from this method. A major con to this method is that is can be very slow and also very costly. This is because of the way that it is structured, as well as its tight controls. I haven’t learned about the other two methods on Synopsis, the DevOps deployment methodology and the Rapid application development, but I think this website is a great source to learn more about them, and I’m excited to do some more research on these topics.

Synopsis: https://www.synopsys.com/blogs/software-security/top-4-software-development-methodologies.html

From the blog CS@Worcester – One pixel at a time by gizmo10203 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.