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Choosing the right software development model directly affects how the program will work. Therefore, in this article, we want to explain different types of software,  еxplorе how they work,  find out how thе choice of a particular model affеcts thе project,  and givе you specific advice on how to choosе the right approach for your projеct.

What are software development models?

Softwarе dеvеlopmеnt modеls arе rulеs or a systеm of rulеs that spеcify in what ordеr to perform various stеps and how to carry out thе procеss of crеating a program.  Each type of SDLC modеl has its features that arе usеd during dеvеlopmеnt.

The main purpose of the software engineering models is:

• to help developers and development teams establish a sequence of actions;

• define the roles and responsibilities of the process participants;

• mark important milestones and ensure the high quality of the finished software product.

The choice of a particular model may depend on the project requirements, type of work, and development team, and therefore, it is important to carefully consider the various options before starting to develop a software product.

Types of models in software engineering

There are the following  types of SDLC models:

• Waterfall

• V-model

• Incremental and iterative models

• Spiral

• RUP

• Agile model

1. Waterfall:

This classic model was used in the early days of development and continues to be actively used today. Its working principle is simple: each subsequent stage is performed only when the previous one is completely finished.

This type is rather rigid and has strict rules. It clearly defines the terms of each stage. But there is a disadvantage: it is very difficult to take a step back. Making corrections to an existing project is very expensive and problematic.

This method is suitable only for projects that are clearly outlined, there is a full understanding of what is being created, for what purposes, and what requirements are set.

Advantages:

• Development is easy to control. The customer always knows what the programmers are doing now and can control the timing and cost.

• With this type of software engineering model, the cost of the project is determined at the initial stage. All steps are planned already at the stage of contract approval, software is written continuously «from and to».

• There is no need to hire testers with a serious technical background. Testers will be able to rely on detailed technical documentation.

Disadvantages:

• Testing starts at the last stages of development. If a mistake has been made in the product requirements, fixing it will be expensive. Testers will discover it when the developer has already written the code and technical writers have already written the documentation.

• The customer already sees the end product and only then can give feedback.. There is a high probability that they will not be satisfied with the result.

• Developers write a lot of technical documentation, which delays the work. The more extensive the project documentation is, the more changes need to be made, and the longer it takes to coordinate them.

2. V-model:

A type of design model in software engineering where each development phase has a corresponding testing phase.

The V-shaped model is suitable for systems that have a particular need for uninterrupted operation. For example, applications in clinics for patient monitoring, integrated software for vehicle airbag control mechanisms, etc.

A feature of the model can be considered to be that it is aimed at thoroughly checking and testing a product already at the initial stages of design. The testing stage takes place at the same time as the corresponding development stage, e.g., unit tests are written during coding.

Advantages:

• The number of errors in software architecture is minimized.

Disadvantages:

• If an error is made during architecture development, it will be expensive to go back and fix it, just like in the «waterfall» model.

3. Incremental and iterative models in software engineering:

The incremental software development model is suitable if the project has a clear action plan, but the product needs to be launched quickly, and changes can be made later.

Its essence is that first, a set of tasks is worked out, and they are prioritized. Then, each «block» is developed according to the traditional cascade model.

• Initially, a «basic» product with minimal but important functions is made.

• It is gradually supplemented by developing other components, which are called increments.

• The process is looped until there is a fully assembled single system.

The essence of iterative software development methodology is to create and gradually improve a basic functionality. While it sounds similar to the previous option, there is a difference.

The incremental software process model in software engineering can be compared to a jigsaw puzzle where all the elements are laid out step by step and gradually assembled into a single picture.

Advantages of the incremental model:

• You do not need to invest a lot of money at the initial stage. The customer pays for the creation of basic functions, receives the product, «rolls» it out on the market, and decides whether to continue development based on the results of feedback.

• You can quickly get feedback from users and promptly update the terms of reference. This reduces the risk of creating a product that no one wants.

• A mistake is cheaper. If an error is made while developing the architecture, it will cost less to fix it than in the «waterfall» or V-model.

Disadvantages of the incremental model:

• Each team of programmers develops its own functionality and can implement the product interface in its own way. To prevent this from happening, it is important at the stage of discussing the technical task to explain what it will be like so that all project participants have a common understanding.

• Developers will postpone the finalization of the main functionality and «see the little things». To prevent this from happening, the project manager should control what each team is doing.

Advantages of the iterative model:

• Quick release of a minimal product gives you the opportunity to get feedback from the customer and users quickly. This means that you can focus on the most important software features and improve them in accordance with market requirements and customer's wishes.

• Constant testing by users allows you to detect and eliminate errors quickly.

Disadvantages of the iterative model:

• Using databases or servers at the initial stage - the former are difficult to scale, and the latter cannot handle the load. You may have to rewrite much of the application.

• Lack of fixed budget and deadlines. The customer does not know the end goal and when the development will be finished.

4. Spiral modеl:

A model that combines quantitative and cyclical development methods. Spiral models of software development are suitable for large projects where mistakes can lead to significant losses or unpredictable consequences. Emphasis is placed on risk assessment and working out specific business tasks. The principle of work is as follows:

The work follows a spiral, at each turn of which there are 4 main activities

1) Creating a plan;

2) Risk analysis;

3) Development and design;

4) Evaluating the result and collecting feedback.

If all 4 stages are successfully completed, the development moves to a new spiral.

Benefits:

• Great attention is paid to risk elaboration.

Disadvantages:

• There is a risk of getting stuck at the initial stage - endlessly improving the product's first version and not progressing to the next one.

• Development takes a long time and is expensive.

5. Rational unified process:

Rational Unified Process (RUP) is an Agile software development methodology. The RUP life cycle consists of four phases: start, develop, design, and transfer. Each of the phases has mandatory goals. Moreover, developers can iterate further as needed until requirements are met. A full-fledged software development consists of 10-15 iterations on average.

Benefits:

• RUP methodology allows you to deal with changes in requirements, whether they come from the client or arise during the course of the project.

• RUP emphasizes the need for accurate documentation.

• Requirements integration occurs throughout the development process, and in particular in the build phase.

Disadvantages:

• RUP relies on the ability of experts and professionals to assign actions to certain workers, who are then required to produce the planned results in the form of artifacts.

• Integration into the development process can negatively impact other more fundamental activities in the testing phases.

6. Agile model in software engineering:

Agile software development methodology is a methodology based on an iterative method in which conditions and solutions evolve through the mutual work of self-organizing cross-functional teams.

Benefits:

• Early stage testing.

• Ability to evaluate added functionality «in action».

• User experience research at all stages.

• Ability to quickly present a «raw» but working version to the market.

Disadvantages:

• Lack of a clear project development plan.

• Constant threat of redoing a large part of the work.

• Reduction of product quality in favor of speed and simplification.

Through Agile types of SDLC, it is possible to make the project management process more streamlined.

Such projects involve learning adaptation processes, teamwork, self-organization, reporting, and audits.

Agile methods are considered to be cutting-edge in design. Their purpose is to produce high-quality software quickly.

These methods include:

a) Extreme Programming (XP):

XP differs from other Agile methodologies in that it only applies to software development. It cannot be used in other businesses or everyday life like Scrum or Kanban.

The XP methodology aims to cope with the ever-changing requirements of a software product and improve the quality of development. Therefore, XP is well-suited for complex and uncertain projects.

The XP methodology builds around four processes: coding, testing, design, and listening. In addition, Extreme Programming has values: simplicity, communication, feedback, courage, and respect.

b) Scrum:

Scrum is an Agile methodology by which teams can structure work through short development cycles called sprints. Scrum teams commit to delivering results at the end of each sprint and implement practices and team structures that help them achieve this frequency. Scrum takes this further by providing a structure to help teams apply Agile principles to their day-to-day work.

c) Kanban:

Kanban is an Agile methodology that helps teams continuously deliver results. Kanban teams organize their work on a Kanban board using cards, columns, work-in-progress limits, specific commitments, and delivery points.

The Kanban methodology is ideal for knowledge-building work where the product or service is fairly invisible. Kanban helps teams visualize achievements and make progress day in and day out.

Differences between Scrum and Kanban software development process models

Scrum and Kanban are often compared, but the comparison doesn't always make sense - they don't compete or exclude each other. Scrum helps to solve a large complex task, while Kanban helps to optimize the workflow.

What are the best software development models?

The best models of software development depend on what your project requires. You can choose the suitable model for you in the following steps.

Steps to select the different software development models:

• Understand the project requirements

• Assess the risks

• Consider resources and timelines to choose models of software development

• Compare and choose

• Adapt and monitor

Step 1: Understand the project requirements

Understanding the project's nature, timing, and constraints will be essential to choosing the suitable software development process models.

• First, it is necessary to explore the idea. It is crucial to understand how you see your future product. This allows the idea to be formed and its prospects to be assessed.

• Then, you need to study competitors, similar products on the market, target audience, and opportunities and conduct a number of analytical studies to understand how to turn the idea into a working product.

Stеp 2: Assess the risks

Every project has risks. In this case, however, the risks are so serious that it is not known in advance whether the system can be realized. If there are such risks, you will probably start development with prototypes, concepts, models, etc., to determine whether it is fundamentally possible. In this case, the spiral model is the best model for you.

If there are no such risks in your case, the next question is whether the requirements will change. If they are well known in advance, and you are sure the customer will not make any significant changes during the development process, then you should choose the Waterfall development model.

We recommend choosing it when the project has a short duration. In case of clear and unchanging requirements together with a short period, the Waterfall model, compared to the iterative model, will give less overhead on the process.

At the implementation stage, programmers will not be distracted from writing code: neither the need to urgently fix bugs from the previous iteration nor endless rallies and releases.

Stеp 3: Consider resources and timeline to choose models of software development

Next, evaluate your project timeframe to determine which development method is most effective for your project. Of course, the projected duration of your software development project strongly influences the choice of methodology.

For example, you may want to explore the Waterfall methodology for long-term development with no looming deadlines. Here, your team can complete each phase before starting the next.

On the other hand, for projects that go through sprints and quickly approaching deadlines, consider iterative models. This way, you have the option to release partially finished products if needed.

Of course, evaluate your timeline to help you choose the best development methodology.

Stеp 4: Compare and choose

Finally, based on your software development factors, you can choose your methodology. Choose the model that best fits the requirements of your project. Usually, there is no one «best» of the various software development models, but it is the one that works best in your particular situation. Or you can mix and match aspects of the framework to create your own methodology.

Stеp 5: Adapt and monitor

Remember that selecting a method is only the first step. Adapting different models in software engineering to your needs and regulating the development process is critical to a good outcome.

Main stages of software development

1. Defining the strategy

2. Analyzing

3. Design

4. Realization

5. Testing

6. Implementation

7. Usage and technical support

No matter which of the different types of software engineering models you have chosen, the process will still follow typical development stages. The stages may change slightly depending on the chosen method; other approaches are used, but the principle remains the same. Software development goes through the following stages:

1. Defining the strategy

Finding out the requirements, assessing the realization of these requirements, calculating the budget, and determining the possibility of performing the work for the client on mutual terms. This stage may occur only once in the cycle.

2. Analyzing

Investigating the functions defined in the strategy phase, attributes, and relationships. This stage usually occurs immediately after the strategy is defined and may be repeated in a cycle.

3. Design

Gathering the data model.

4. Realization

Developing the product according to the requirements and the whole team's interaction to achieve the final goal is one of the most intense phases of the development cycle.

5. Testing

This phase can run in parallel with the realization phase. Testing of everything that developers do, the work of the product.

6. Implementation

Often, the product is implemented in iterations to do it better, gradually dealing with bugs and difficulties. During the implementation phase, your main tester will be your client. The entire system goes to full capacity and starts working for its users.

7. Usage and technical support

Keeping the project afloat, interacting with the client, users, etc. It all depends on the conditions of working on the project.

Summary about software engineering models

We have introduced you to the different models of software development. It is impossible to say which of them will suit your project better. You have to choose the best one on your own, based on the project's objectives, budget, team, and deadlines. Many of them overlap with each other. You may have to try several of them before you find the one that will lead your project to success and make your work more productive.

SDLC software development life cycle is important for software development companies. It helps to avoid chaos in the work to handle product development tasks in a structured way, following a well-defined plan that will ultimately lead to a successful result.

Next, we'll take a closer look at what SDLC is, what stages are included in the software development life cycle, and look at the Four-ages case.

What is the software development life cycle?

Software development life cycle is generally the process of planning, developing, and maintaining software (for PCs, mobile phones, and so on).

Following the SDLC methodology makes optimizing the final result and achieving all the goals planned at the initial stage possible, e.g., making a product within the budget, in accordance with the client's expectations, qualitatively, strictly within the deadlines, bringing profit to the client's business in the long term.

This so-called plan is referenced by developers, project managers, and other stakeholders working on the projects, and it ensures unity of action throughout the software development process - ensuring quality, reducing hiccups, and streamlining the transition from concept to ready-to-use software.

Software development cycle: why is it crucial?

• Thanks to the software development cycle, the team working on product development understands clearly what is required of them and the goal for the final software outcome.

• Also, the development of the SDLC cycle allows early identification of risks.

• One of the main advantages of the SDLC cycle is that it gives a step-by-step realization of the solution, e.g., prototyping or writing functional specifications.

What are the phases of SDLC?

• Ideas generation

• Planning

• Visualization of the future product

• Active coding/development

• Testing

• Deployment

• Maintenance & operations

More about each system development life cycle stages read below.

SDLC cycle: preliminary planning & determining the project scope

This is the most essential of the software development life cycle phases because if you do not start the working mechanism correctly, it will go wrong and not give the desirable results.

After the client and the vendor have given the start of the project, the vendor's project manager appoints a project team. Together with the customer, they define the scope of the project by gathering and analyzing requirements.

At this stage, it is important to develop business goals, requirements, and specifications and consider all possible risks. It is essential to discuss what will be needed to achieve the goals. Think through all the details to get the result, namely the end product for the customer, through the same analysis, planning, design, development, testing, and launch.

SDLC cycle: analyzing the requirements & completing the plan

Team members who might be involved in this phase: Product Owner, Project Manager, Business Analyst, CTO.

After discussing the ideas with the client, we have a clear vision of the desired product and the team's expected outcome. The next step is to consolidate this into a structured plan.

• Analyze all the requirements, research, and planning based on the fact that the end product should meet your expectations, especially (first and foremost) the customers' expectations.

• At this stage, we need to not only refine the project plan but also develop a work breakdown structure and formulate a design plan.

• The team should determine the price and the resources to be spent and how much of them will be needed to solve all the tasks. It is also critical to calculate the risks and develop a sub-plan to minimize them.

To summarize this phase of the SDLC cycle: The team needs to develop a plan for all participants (developers, designers, testers, etc.), determine the feasibility of the project, and how they can successfully finish it with minimal risks and costs.

Then, all parties review the plan and provide feedback and suggestions. Having such a plan is important to gather more input from everyone into the same document. A failure at this step will result in high costs or, possibly, even a project collapse.

SDLC system development life cycle: System Design & UX mockup creation

Team members who might be involved in this phase: System Architect, UX/UI Designer.

The project specifications from the previous step are transformed into a design plan (Design Specification). This is the stage of creating Unified Modelling Language (UML) diagrams (UML) and mockups. Essentially, this is also a planning and task structuring phase.

Numerous tools for developing diagrams & mockups, such as Adobe XD, Figma, InVision, and moqups.com, simplify the process of creating a visual representation of the work from idea to completion. This visualization will help better understand and manage the development process, ensuring it is organized and consistent.

Software development process steps: example of mockup (what the product should look like & sequence of execution)

It's essential here to break down the work stages into a diagram of the software development life cycle.

The SDLC cycle diagram example (steps of software development & execution order)

Each of these steps is represented as a separate block, from which arrows will emanate, indicating the direction from one phase to another based on the sequence of execution. This can be represented in the form of a cycle, a linear sequence, or another form depending on the SDLC model chosen (we will tell you a bit about software life cycle models below).

Note. The SDLC diagram assists all project participants in grasping the overall picture, understanding the project's current state, and planning the next steps.

Lifecycle of software development: bringing the design to realization

Team members potentially involved in this phase include the front-end and back-end developers.

And now, we have come to the central and one of the most time-consuming stages of software development - coding. This is where the process begins, where each developer adheres to the created plan/specifications.

At this stage, clear coding style guidelines and best practices are vital to maintain order throughout the project. Establishing rules for variable naming and directory structuring ensures organized and consistent code, making it more understandable and testable.

To ensure the effectiveness of the development process, task management systems like JIRA, Redmine, or Basecamp are used.

Developers clearly understand what needs to be done, while managers can monitor the progress.

Software development life cycle process: analyzing the bugs & defects of various types

Team members who may be behind this phase: Developers, QA Engineers, Product Owners.

The SDLC software development life cycle methodology helps to avoid costly mistakes, namely resource and, at the same time, reputational losses.

The testing phase significantly contributes to it. The more testing - the fewer corrections will be required in the future, the less precious time and money will be spent, and the reputation of the company will be better.

In this phase of the SDLC cycle, the Quality Assurance (QA) engineers meticulously test the software to ensure its quality and functionality align with the expected outcomes. They use a variety of testing methodologies, such as:

• Functional Testing: To ensure the software's functions operate per the requirements.

• Integration Testing: Ensuring that different software components work seamlessly when integrated.

• Regression Testing: Verifying that new changes haven't adversely affected the existing functionalities.

• Performance Testing: Checking the system's responsiveness and stability under different conditions.

• Usability Testing: Evaluating the software's user-friendliness and overall user experience.

• Security Testing: Probing the system for potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

As these tests are carried out, any discrepancies, bugs, or issues are reported back to the development team. The developers then prioritize and fix these bugs, ensuring the software is free of critical and significant defects. The QA and development teams often implement tools like JIRA, Bugzilla, or Trello for effective bug tracking and collaboration.

Continuous communication between the QA and development teams is vital to ensure all identified issues are addressed promptly during this phase of the SDLC cycle. Once the QA team is satisfied with the software's stability and performance and all the critical problems have been resolved, the software can move into the Deployment phase.

SDLC software development life cycle: launching the product

Team members who may be behind this phase: Product Owner, Project Manager, DevOps.

Now comes the SDLC software development life cycle stage – deploying the product, handing it over to the customer, and launching it to users. Some companies' services may include marketing the new product (helping the customer's target audience know that the software has been released), e.g., launching on platforms such as Product Hunt.

At this stage, in order to launch the developed product to end users, it is usually deployed to a server. It might or might not use Kubernetes. If you created a mobile app, you must upload it to the app store.

Many software development outsourcing companies prefer a phased deployment approach. It involves releasing the product in beta mode, allowing users to test its features thoroughly. Feedback gathered during this phase is invaluable, helping refine it to suit the target audience better.

After that, you can already release the final paid version of the software and get more positive results regarding registrations and sales.

Product life cycle software development: maintenance & operations

Team members who may be behind this phase: Users, Testers, Support managers.

This stage of the software development life cycle consists of support and operation, meaning that you need to check the documentation and the effectiveness of the work done.

The project team takes care of the developed product even after its release, improving it at the customer's request and constantly fixing functionality problems.

This stage might not be present in some SDLC methodologies if the agreement specifies that the project concludes upon product deployment. This typically happens when production has been finalized and approved by the client, and you have handed over your work.

Sometimes, it's pre-agreed that the product won't be left unsupported. Instead, one or more developers will be assigned for ongoing support, with separate compensation for this service.

Software life cycle models: what are the basic models?

• Waterfall

• Agile

• Iterative

• V-shaped

• Big Bang

• Spiral

Now let's take a closer look at each model in the chart.

SDLC methodology: A Simple Case Study

A company in California, known for sharing APIs (these are like building blocks for software), wanted to create a big hub for distributing these APIs. They teamed up with Four Ages Software to make this idea come to life, and the journey lasted three years.

They started with a small team, but as the work grew, so did the team. They had a flexible plan (SDLC methodology/Agile), which allowed them

• tackling different tasks step by step, like creating a user-friendly interface,

• setting up payment systems,

• and ensuring that the software could handle a lot of use without crashing.

To keep everything on track, they used a method called Scrum. It helped them break down big tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and kept everyone in the loop about what needed to be done next.

Tools like Jira and Slack helped them track progress and communicate efficiently.

One impressive feat was building a system that could handle up to 10 million requests per second, showing that with good planning and a step-by-step approach, you can build powerful and reliable software.

They also made sure to test the software thoroughly to catch any issues and put in measures to keep the data secure.

This story shows how having a good Software development life cycle plan and a flexible approach can help turn a complex idea into a successful software project, step by step.

Find out this case and others here.

SDLC methodology: a brief summary of the main points

Software development life cycle is, in general, the process of planning, developing, and maintaining software (for PCs, mobile phones, and so on).

SDLC is essential for software development companies because it helps avoid chaos in handling product development tasks in an organized way, following a well-defined plan that will ultimately lead to a successful result.

Main software development life cycle steps: Ideas generation, Planning, Visualization of the future works, Active coding/development, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance & operations.