Software Development

A. Software Development Overview:

Software development encompasses two primary categories: Construction and Management. Each plays a vital role in the successful delivery of software projects.

Construction

The construction aspect of software development involves several critical phases:

• Requirement Gathering: This first stage concerns itself with defining what it is that the software has to do, which is to engage the stakeholders in determination of user requirements and project objectives.

• Design: During this phase, the technical things such as system architecture, design of human computer interfaces, and the database are developed. Such designs should therefore go through the stakeholder approval process before the next step is taken.

• Coding: This is the actual creation ground of the software to be developed. Application developers code based on the specifications of the design where all the functionalities created correspond to the laid down requirements.

• Testing: After coding, the software is tested to realize whether certain faults or problems have been developed. This phase signifies that the software in question works right and is of good quality before being deployed.

• Implementation: In the case of x86 the final product is deployed directly into the production environment. This phase comprises of user training and support which help to overcome any problems that come with the deployed system13.

Management

In construction, management in software development promotes implementation so that projects is carried out in a efficient and effective manner. Key responsibilities include:

• Project Planning: Creation of a clear project schedule that defines the activities to be accomplished, the time required to undertake specific activities, the resources that can be used for the implementation of the project, as well as the drawbacks that may likely occur in the course of the project implementation. This plan provides a guide which the project team should follow when implementing the project.

• Quality Assurance: Developing corresponding programs that will fulfill quality requirements for the software from the time of its creation until it goes to production. It consists of assessment and over-checking at different progress-points.

• Communication: Ensuring provision of efficient and effective communication between developers, clients and management. Communication is vital in. Arrays of beliefs and attitudes, and expectation are managed, and all the concerns addressed sufficiently.

• Risk Management: Ensure a clear understanding of all possible threats in the process of a project and a clear vision of measures on preventing such threats. This approach of being proactive is helpful within minimizing the number of times that you must say no to consumers and in the process of delaying and costing.

B. Software Engineering Framework:

The Software Engineering Framework is a structured approach that emphasizes a commitment to quality throughout the software development lifecycle. This framework comprises four key components: Quality Focus, Processes, Methods, and Tools.

Quality Focus

• A quality emphasis in software engineering is important as the discipline seeks to deliver quality software products. This commitment involves:
• Defined Processes: Defining unambiguous procedures that should be followed in the development process to determine that the quality would be consistent.
• High Standards: Pertaining to strict quality standards that have to be met by every developed software product to ensure its credibility and worth to the buyer13.

Processes

• Activities in software engineering state the different steps and products to be followed in order to achieve software development. This includes:
• Framework for Development: This is an organized process where each of the steps is accurately described starting from the planning phase, through the development and over to the deployment stage.
• Management Control: Tasks enable coherent supervision over a project since it assists the various teams involved in the project coordinate themselves appropriately in terms of time, cost, and quality47.

Methods

• Techniques give detailed procedures for performing activities in the context of software development process. Key aspects include:
• Technical How-To's: This includes but not limited to Requirement Analysis phase, Design phase which involves modeling, coding phase, and testing phase.
• Best Practices: Adopting well-proven practices also makes the work of teams properly correspond to standard requirements concerning quality and speed45.

Tools

• Automated support includes methods and techniques applied to both processes and quality control. Their role includes:
• Automation: Sub-tools of different kinds make many of the regular development tasks easier and more efficient, helping with code analysis and testing, and decreasing the possibility of human mistake.
• Integration: Everyone knows that effective tool can complement each other and create an environment where software can be developed efficiently and with high quality output.

C. Software Development Loop:

The Software Development Loop is a cyclic model that integrates various stages essential for developing effective software solutions. This model includes four key stages: Problem Definition, Technical Development, Solution Integration, and Status Quo.

Problem Definition

At this first step, the client is asked to define the main issue the software should solve. It requires:

• Understanding User Needs: Consulting with other interested parties to gain knowledge of the problems they face, and what they expect of anyone offering his or her services to them.
• Defining Objectives: Those that highlight objectives of the software project, which is an important groundwork for the other phases.

Technical Development

To do this the next phase involves putting in place an effort to provide for a solution to the problem. This includes:

• Designing the Solution: Defining a concept and detail of how the software is supposed to look, work and what it will be comprised of.
• Coding: Implementing the design documents which include converting designs to an actual application code which is a programming language together with frameworks.
• Testing: Carrying out different procedures that have to show that the solution functions properly and complies with the specified quality.

Solution Integration

As important as it is to develop the solution, equal attention should be paid to its integration with the current environment. This stage involves:

• Integration Testing: Ensuring that the new software behaves properly with other systems and subcomponents within the environment.
• Deployment Preparation: To ensure that there is a seamless combination of each of the approaches, then appropriate amendments influenced by the feedback from testing must be accomplished.

Status Quo

The last one can be described as distributed and continual utilization of the developed software. Key activities include:

• Deployment: Deploying the software for the actual users where key activities involved maybe awareness creation and follow up on tutorials.
• Handling New Requirements: Endlessly revisiting users’ feedback and the systems’ performance to look for additional requirements or changes, therefore, defining a new problem.

D. Software Engineering Phases:

The Software Engineering Phases outline a structured approach to software development, ensuring that projects align with business goals and effectively address user needs. The four basic phases are:

Vision

• Establishing Business Goals: This phase is all about deriving the major goal and purpose of the software project. It entails determining why the organization wants the new software, In this case, wants the organization to become efficient, wants to increase sales, or even increase the satisfaction level of clients. Anyway, having clear business objectives helps to light a signal throughout the whole process of development.

Definition

• Detailing Activities to Achieve the Vision: This phase focuses on developing the activities and specification required to achieve the vision set earlier in this process. These are; requirements elicitation and analysis, developing a project schedule and defining deliverables. It is important for everyone concerned to have a clear writing of what needs to be achieved.

Development

• Designing, Implementing, and Testing the System: In this phase more specifically, the actual development of the software is carried out. It involves:
• Designing: Designing of architectures and defining specific requirements for how the software should look like.
• Implementing: The designs generated would then lead to writing of codes.
• Testing: Performing unit testing and integration testing and system testing type testing so that the software is built with stated requirements and has no defects.

Maintenance

• Managing Changes and Enhancements Post-Deployment: After implementing mobile applications, it is essential to solve new problems and introduce changes based on users’ feedback during its usage. This phase checks that helps in continuously updating it in order to meet the needs for its use by its users continually.

Agile Development

Agile Development is a dynamic approach to software development that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and iterative progress. It encompasses a variety of methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming (XP), all of which adhere to the core principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto. Here’s a closer look at the key elements of Agile development:

Key Principles of Agile Development

Iterative Development:

• Agile supports the view of segmenting a project into components of more reasonable size or iterations. A single iteration is most often a few weeks long and ends with a potentially shippable increment of product.
• This approach is also helpful because changes in the approach can be made frequently during the course of the project with feedback from the teams involved.

Collaboration:

• In the agile environment, there is great focus on the cooperation of everyone involved in development processes, such as developers, testers, and customers.
• Quite frequently, you may find your team engaging in stand-up meetings, also known as scrums, to check everyone’s progress and stay on the same page.

Customer Satisfaction:

• One of Agile development goals is to provide customers with valuable software as often as possible. However, the core concept centers on investigating customer needs and expectations in order to provide updates and alterations.
• Involving customers through the development process means that the product is developed and changed based upon feedback all of which ultimately serves to meet the needs of the customers.

Adaptability:

• This means that agile teams should welcome the change instead of working to the set plan. It means that teams are able to change direction as soon as something new appears on the horizon in terms of information or responsibilities.
• One benefit of adopting change is that it assists teams in providing more solutions that meet changes in market needs.

Simplicity:

• Agile is all about simplicity – the process of maximizing the work that is avoided. Simplicity leads to effectively delivered solutions with little fuss and thereby leads to better quality software solutions being developed.

The Agile Manifesto

The Agile Manifesto, created in 2001 by a group of software developers, outlines four foundational values and twelve guiding principles that encapsulate the essence of Agile development:

Four Core Values

• Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools: The key factors accounted for while designing the work of the team, including prioritizing effective communication within the team.

• Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation: Agreeing to give fewer Documentation than what user usually expects from a software /product providing more functional software.

• Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation: Incorporating the different customers in the process of development.

• Responding to Change Over Following a Plan: Actually accepting change as normal within a developmental stage rather than trying to fight change.

Twelve Principles

• The twelve principles provide additional information on different ways each of these values is implemented and which aspects should be stressed, such as the frequency of working software releases, the sustainably paced delivery of a system, and technical proficiency.

Conclusion

• Agile Development belongs to the group of new(er) processes which are a radical change from the traditional waterfall models. Since iterative processes are given preference, value is attached to customers, and teams are made to work together, Agile approaches are the solution by which an organization is able to address change and ensure delivery of a satisfactory software that meets the users’ needs. Considering flexibility as a key factor in the modern world of rapidly developing technologies, Agile is becoming a preferred option for software development companies around the globe.

Reference: 

https://teamhood.com/project-management/software-development-project-management/

https://techbullion.com/quality-focus-in-software-engineering-the-key-to-successful-software-development/

https://www.betsol.com/blog/7-stages-of-sdlc-how-to-keep-development-teams-running/

https://www.smartsheet.com/content/software-project-management

https://www.blackduck.com/glossary/what-is-sdlc.html