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Software Process Models

 Software process = organized set of activities
aimed at building a software system

 Software process model = an abstract

representation of a software process

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 Ad hoc Software Development

Developing software without planning for each

phase, and without specifying tasks,
deliverables, or time constraints.

Relies entirely on the skills and experience of

the individuals performing the work.

The software process may change as work

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 Software Process Models

 A structured set of activities required to

develop a software system.

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 Software Process Models: Waterfall

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 Software Process Models: Waterfall..
 The Waterfall model [Somm00, Fig 3.1]

Requirements
definition

System and
software design

Implementation
and unit testing

Integr ation and

system testing

Operation and
maintenance

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 Software Process Models: .Waterfall.
 Main characteristics:
 Also called classic software life cycle or
sequential model
 Process activities (phases/stages) are clearly
separated
 After a number of iterations, phases of the life
cycle (such as specification and design) are
“frozen”

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 Software Process Models: ..Waterfall
 Advantages:
 Organized approach, provides robust separation of
phases
 Reflects common engineering practice
 Disadvantages:
 Doesn’t cope well with changes required by the client
 Development teams might wait for each other
 A working version of the product is available only late
 Applicability:
 When requirements are well known and few changes
are likely to be needed
 Can be used also for parts of larger software systems
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 Software Process Models:
Evolutionary Development…
 Evolutionary Development model [Somm00, Fig 3.2]
Concurr ent
activities

Initial
Specification
version

Outline Intermediate
Development
description versions

Final
Validation
version

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 Software Process Models:
Evolutionary Development…

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 Software Process
Models: .Evolutionary Development..
 Main characteristics:
 The phases of the software construction are
interleaved
 Feedback from the user is used throughout the entire
process
 The software product is refined through many versions

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 Software Process
Models: ..Evolutionary Development.
 Advantages:
 Deals constantly with changes
 Provides quickly an initial version of the system
 Involves all development teams
 Disadvantages:
 Quick fixes may be involved
 “Invisible” process, not well-supported by
documentation
 The system’s structure can be corrupted by
continuous change
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 Software Process Models: …
Evolutionary Development
 Disadvantages [cont’d]:
 Special tools and techniques may be necessary
 The client may have the impression the first
version is very close to the final product and thus
be less patient
 Applicability:
 When requirements are not well understood
 When the client and the developer agree on a
“rapid prototype” that will be thrown away
 Good for small and medium-sized software
systems

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 Software Process Models:
Incremental Development…
 The Incremental Model [Somm00, Fig 3.6]

Define outline Assign requirements Design system

requirements to increments architecture

Develop system Valida te Integrate Valida te

increment increment increment system
Final
system
System incomplete

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 Software Process Models: .Incremental..

 Main characteristics:
 Hybrid model that combines elements of the
waterfall and evolutionary paradigms
 The specification, design, and implementation
phases are broken in smaller increments

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 Software Process Models: ..Incremental.

 Advantages:
 Provides better support for process iteration
 Reduces rework in the software construction process
 Some decisions on requirements may be delayed
 Allows early delivery of parts of the system
 Supports easier integration of sub-systems
 Lower risk of project failure
 Delivery priorities can be more easily set

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 Software Process Models: ...Incremental
 Disadvantages:
 Increments need be relatively small
 Mapping requirements to increments may not be
easy
 Common software facilities may be difficult to
identify
 Applicability:
 When it is possible to deliver the system “part-by-
part”

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 Software Process Models: Spiral Model..
 Boehm’s Spiral Model [Somm00, Fig 3.7]
Determine objectives
Evaluate alternatives
alternatives and identify, resolve risks
constraints Risk
analysis
Risk
analysis
Risk
analysis Opera-
Prototype 3 tional
Prototype 2 protoype
Risk
REVIEW analy sis Proto-
type 1
Requirements plan Simulations, models, benchmarks
Life-cycle plan Concept of
Operation S/W
requirements Product
design Detailed
Requirement design
Development
plan validation Code
Design Unit test
Integration
and test plan V&V Integr ation
Plan next phase test
Acceptance
test Develop, verify
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next-level product
 Software Process Models: .Spiral Model.
 Main characteristics:
 Also a hybrid model that support process iteration
 The process is represented as a spiral, each loop in
the spiral representing a process phase
 Four sectors per loop: objective setting, risk
assessment and reduction, development and
validation, planning
 Risk is explicitly taken into consideration

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 Software Process Models: ..Spiral Model
 Advantages:
 Risk reduction mechanisms are in place
 Supports iteration and reflects real-world practices
 Systematic approach
 Disadvantages:
 Requires expertise in risk evaluation and reduction
 Complex, relatively difficult to follow strictly
 Applicable only to large systems
 Applicability:
 Internal development of large systems

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