The software industry's increasing pursuit of higher quality and faster delivery has spiked the evolution of various development models. These diverse approaches offer development teams a spectrum of methodologies to choose from.
Still, selecting the right model for your project requires careful consideration of multiple factors to ensure alignment with your team's capabilities and project objectives.
In this blog, we'll explore four key aspects of the Incremental Process Model in Software Development:
- What is incremental process model?
- Types of incremental process models.
- Four phases of the incremental process model.
- Advantages and disadvantages of the Incremental Process Model.
Join us as we delve into this efficient and flexible approach to software development.
What is Incremental Process Model in Software Engineering?
The Incremental Process Model is a software development model that divides project features into smaller, independent modules. This software development approach follows a cyclical pattern of development and delivery:
Initial Base: Developers create a foundation for the project with basic features.
Modular Development: Each module, typically representing a specific function, undergoes a complete development cycle:
Requirement analysis.
Design.
Implementation.
Testing.
Iterative Growth: New functionality builds upon previously completed work. This cycle repeats until the software is complete.
Continuous Delivery: The model aims to deliver a working product incrementally, balancing high-quality functionality with rapid feature releases.
This approach is particularly well-suited for large, complex projects with numerous functionalities. It allows teams to:
Manage complexity by breaking the project into manageable pieces.
Deliver functional software early and often.
Identify and address issues early in the development process.
By combining both iterative and linear models, the Incremental Process Model offers a flexible and efficient path to software development.
2 Types of Incremental Models
The Incremental Process Model in Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) primarily has two distinct approaches:
1. Staged Delivery Model.
2. Parallel Development Model.
Staged Delivery Model
The Staged Delivery Model, also known as "incremental implementation," builds software in successively refined stages:
Team develops one section or function of the project at a time.
Each subsystem builds upon the previous one.
Key advantages:
Enables developers to focus on individual functions.
Provides customers with a detailed view of each function.
Encourages active feedback from stakeholders.
Parallel Development Model
The Parallel Development Model allows for concurrent development of multiple subsystems:
Different parts of the system are built simultaneously.
The approach can significantly reduce overall development time.
Still, building different subsystems concurrently requires sufficient amount of resources.
Key advantages:
Potential for faster time-to-market delivery.
Allows for simultaneous progress on multiple project components.
The choice between staged delivery and parallel development often depends on the project's complexity, timeline, and the organization's capabilities.
4 phases of incremental process model
Phase 1: Requirement Analysis
The journey of software development with Incremental Process Model begins with the crucial step of requirement analysis. This process serves as the foundation for the entire project, establishing a clear pathway for development.
Key activities for this phase:
Business analysts and project managers works with client to gain understanding of functional and non-functional requirements.
Objectives and requirements are documented, creating reference point throughout the project's lifecycle.
Phase 2: Design & Development
Phase 2 consists of 2 stages: Design and Development.
The design stage focuses on specifying and outlining development pathway that will guide the project. In this stage, developers team utilizes Software Requirements Specification (SRS) to develop a preliminary design model illustrating:
Software functionality.
Visual design elements.
Control flow between screens.
All these details are captured in the Design Document Specification (DDS), which requires authorization from all involved parties.
Team continues to detail the development pathway by deciding the functionality and capability for each model and how modules interact with each other across systems.
Developers then begin the coding process, adhering to the organization's specified coding standards and following the development pathway established.
Phase 3: Testing
Testing is a critical phase in the Incremental Process Model, ensuring the quality and functionality of the developed product. The process typically unfolds in two stages:
The development team conducts preliminary testing, including unit testing and application integration testing. This proactive approach allows developers to detect and address bugs early in the development cycle.
The dedicated testing team test the product in a controlled environment to ensure that the programming adheres to customer and business requirements.
By investing time and effort in thorough testing before launch, businesses can save significant resources that might otherwise be spent fixing products in production or post-production. This approach not only reduces costs but also enhances the overall quality of the final product.
Phase 4: Implementation
The final phase of the Incremental Process Model is implementation.
Once a product successfully completes each testing stage, it's prepared for deployment in a real-world setting.
Before implementation, the client reviews the test findings to ensure the software meets all their requirements. Upon the client's acceptance, the team proceeds with deploying the program.
Once deployed, the system's current users can begin utilizing the new capabilities.
The Incremental Process Model's cyclical nature means that after implementation, the team often returns to the first phase to begin work on the next increment, continually improving and expanding the software's functionality.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Incremental Process Model
The Incremental Process Model comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you determine if Incremental Process Model is suitable for specific project needs.
Advantages
Rapid Production: The Incremental Process Model facilitates swift software production as developers team breaking the project into smaller, manageable increments.
Flexibility in Requirements and Scope: This model allows for flexible and cost-effective changes to requirements and scope. As each increment is developed separately, adjustments can be made without significantly impacting the entire project.
Adaptability Throughout Development: Changes can be implemented at various stages of development. This adaptability ensures that the final product aligns closely with evolving client needs and market demands.
Efficient Error Detection: Issues can be identified and resolved within specific increments, reducing the risk of compounded problems in the final product.
Disadvantages
Intensive Planning and Design Requirements: The Incremental Process Model demands a high level of project planning and design upfront.
Potential for Incomplete Initial Requirements: Since not all requirements are gathered at the outset for the entire project lifecycle, issues may arise in later stages.
Time-Consuming Issue Resolution: Resolving issues within a specific increment can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. The rigid nature of each iteration step, which typically doesn't overlap with others, can make it challenging to address problems that span multiple increments.
Resource Management Complexity: Managing resources across multiple increments can be complex, especially for larger projects. It requires careful coordination to ensure that each increment has the necessary resources without compromising the progress of others.
Despite these challenges, the Incremental Process Model remains a popular choice for many software development projects, particularly those where early delivery of core functionality is crucial.
The key to success with the Incremental Process Model lies in thorough planning, clear communication with stakeholders, and a flexible approach to development. When implemented correctly, this model can lead to faster time-to-market, improved client satisfaction, and more adaptable software solutions.
Summary for Incremental Process Model in Software Engineering
The Incremental Process Model offers a flexible and efficient approach to software development, particularly suited for large, complex projects. By breaking development into manageable increments, teams can deliver functional software more rapidly while maintaining the ability to adapt to changing requirements.
Key Takeaways:
The Incremental Process Model divides development into smaller, manageable modules.
The model follows four key phases: Requirement Analysis, Design & Development, Testing, and Implementation.
It offers flexibility, rapid delivery, and enhanced customer engagement.
Challenges include intensive planning requirements and potential integration issues.
Implementing the Incremental Process Model Successfully:
To maximize the benefits of the Incremental Process Model, consider our following advice:
Conduct thorough initial planning to define clear overall system architecture.
Maintain open communication channels with stakeholders for regular feedback.
Allocate resources efficiently across increments to maintain consistent progress.
Regularly review and adjust the project plan to accommodate evolving requirements.