Software Development Methodologies: How to Choose the Right One for Your Project

A software development methodology will determine your whole process of building a project. Learn what methodologies have proven successful for your particular project.

Software development isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago when you could build a world-class product like Facebook in your garage. Now the expectations from software are infinitely higher, and each project requires multiple specialists and parallel processes.?

A methodology can make or break your project, because each method prioritizes different parts of the process and requires certain team configurations, skillsets, budgets and timelines.

As building software became more complex, people came up with various methodologies that would help facilitate collaboration on a project and optimize all the processes associated with?software development.?

In this article, you’ll learn about the software development methodology types that are used by modern companies that provide mobile and?web development services.

Here you’ll also learn how to choose a software development methodology for your project.?

What is a software development methodology?

A methodology for software development is a set of rules and practices that determine the whole process of building software. A methodology gives the team a concrete algorithm that helps to manage each individual process that happens during the development.?

There are many different software development methodologies, each with its own pros and cons and addresses various challenges and goals. Your choice of a software development methodology will depend on factors like:

• Team size and structure
• Technologies
• Project size
• Business goals
• Software requirements

Let’s now compare software development methodologies based on their peculiarities as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and figure out how to choose a software development methodology after you?hire web developers for your project.

Top 8 common types of methodologies in software development

Agile development methodology

Agile is currently the most popular methodology among developers. Its main idea is working on a product in iterations, meaning that the process happens in small pieces.?

Iterations happen after sprints — set periods of time dedicated to developing prioritized features. A sprint can last 1-4 weeks, depending on the product and the team configuration.?

Agile Story Points: Why and How to Use in Development Process

After each sprint, a team evaluates its success and decides on what’s developed next. This allows the team to be flexible in their work process and minimize the number of errors and bugs, as each piece of code is tested immediately after its implementation.?

Pros and cons

Pros

• Flexibility and iterative process
• Quality and constant testing
• Increased speed

Cons

• Lack of focus
• Complex communication
• Lack of clear documentation

The?pros?of the Agile methodology include:

• Flexibility. Business owners can prioritize different features after each iteration based on their current business needs, user feedback, or changes in the market.?
• Quality. By testing small parts of code, it’s easier to find and address the issues.?
• Speed. Many processes happen simultaneously, saving time for development while increasing the quality of code.?

Here are some?cons?of Agile:

• Lack of focus. If the changes to the project are required too often, a team may lose focus on the big picture.?
• Communication. Agile requires lots of communication, and it may be challenging to manage, especially in bigger teams.?
• Documentation. In hasty development, specialists don’t often have time to write and update the documentation, and it may become an issue later.?

What is Agile suitable for

Agile works best in dynamic environments where requirements often change. It’s great for startups or business software that needs to react to ever-changing market expectations and standards. Just note, that your Agile team needs expert developers who are able to work independently, in order to orient themselves in a slightly chaotic environment.?

10 Best Project Management Software Tools for Managing External IT Teams

Waterfall development methodology

Waterfall is a traditional methodology, the full opposite of Agile. It’s based on gradual processes that stick to a set plan, determined at the start of the project. It was the first methodology to appear, and it’s still used in some projects today.?

A waterfall structure doesn’t suggest any unexpected changes, that’s why it’s easy to follow for less experienced teams. This, however, makes it too rigid for projects with changing requirements.?

Pros and cons

If you'd like to learn more about waterfall and other development methodologies, make sure to read our full article at Mobindustry.net!