White Horse Ferries Company Development Methods
If we talk about web applications, Despa (2015) stated that they need specialized software development approach. Despa (2015) defined the software development approach as an Endeavor to a unit group of processes and procedures that are vital to software development life cycle. He is illustrating an approach called ‘Innovative Software Development Framework’ or shortly as ISDF. This approach is improved depended on the previous procedures of Information Technology (IT) projects ‘managed by him in the previous 5 years. It is argued that current Software Improvement approaches are divided into heavyweight and lightweight. Both of these two types are analyzed with a focus on their general framework, advantages, disadvantages, and the project category they are appropriate for. Heavyweight approaches relate to waterfall model and depend on deep planning, hard-efforts features, and itemized design. In this model, the project implementation phases go from top to bottom which means that each of steps between the second and last step is only done after the previous step has been finished. The result of the previous step will be the input for the next step. The model mainly depends on the project plan. This model includes a lot of costs and endeavors for writing and accepting documents. Moreover, it has the difficulty in reacting to changes and sudden quality dilemmas. In addition, further problems of schedule surpass due to late performed project examining and low ‘project owner feedback’. In fact, the systems that depend on this model do not show current needs. Waterfall model also delays the hard and danger part to the project end, make the project sophisticated, and provide un-trusted schedule and estimates. The waterfall is ideal for projects with low changes and lower levels of sophistication.
In my own opinion, the waterfall model will not be suitable for the White Horse Ferry Company because the booking procedures do not show any level of simplicity. Moreover, the booking includes many methods, payment with cancellation restrictions, and the difference in price brand and vehicle types. The description that was given to the ferry company cannot be developed through the waterfall model.
Back to Despa (2015), and on the other hand, the lightweight approaches relate to the Agile model and enable fast react to changes and ‘customer response’. The agile mold was assembled to be selected, elastic, and hasty with a focus on cooperation and communication. It covers competition through supporting invention and excellence. The main advantage of Agile is that it depends on repeated and gradually development and highlight on people not ‘technology or techniques’. The model mainly represented through the project owner. The disadvantages of this model are many. One of them is the depending on incomplete architectural planning. The other one is the extra concentrating on the first result. Moreover, it provides low levels of documentation and test area. It is found that if the organization size goes larger, the possibility of implementing the agile approach become harder. Furthermore, it provides limited help for spread improvement teams and decreases the outsourcing ability.
The agile model is perfect for undersized teams as in other mass squads the communications decrease the practices’ influence such as personal physical communication and appraise conventions. The requirements for a software development approach in invented projects was launched through the fact the ancient heavyweight approaches cannot produce development in a short time without balancing the quality while lightweight Agile are described by incomplete certification, frail body, and need of risk running. The software expansion approach must be explained in quality and quantity standards, causing similar results in the case of repeated usage, applied within acceptable success level, and explained in a simple way. It must involve human factor, roles, dexterity, teams, equipment, techniques, processes, norms, quality measuring equipment, and team values.
The central frame of any software approach is the improvement life cycle. This improvement life cycle that is used in ALPHA projects and shaped in ISDF approach is composed of many components. These components are ‘research, preparation, intention, prototype, expansion, testing, organization and maintenance’.
Few details must be mentioned about the responsibilities of project manager, project owner, and project team. The project owner responsibilities are to construct the needs and hand to project executive. The project executive assesses these needs and raises a team with the vital group of experience and skills that are needed to execute the project. The project team responsibility is to assess the needs technically. In ALPHA development, the uppermost time acceptable for building a model is 3% of the whole paced scheme time and only two models were created.
The quality aspect in ALPHA project includes set of calculations. An example is a way of calculating the ‘Compliance Degree’ where it is equal to ‘the number of lost functionality added to the figure of defective functionality, alienated by a figure of intended functionality. These three numbers are added to the figure of extra functionality alienated by the figure of definite functionality and the five statistics are divided by three’. Giving considerations to Intellectual property rights like patents are important in the software development life cycle. This step is to assure that any invention or innovative procedure that can be part of the development process is assigned and recorded to the person who came up with it firstly. The time is a major concern for most of the organizations when starting a project or even within a project. Usually, there must be a timetable for each of the general phases of the project and any further details.
Agile Approach
It is a modern approach for software development aimed to be chosen by the large organizations. Forrester Research (2014) claimed that the reason of that is the feature of Agile for faster delivery of the product or services. Usually the questions of where, what, and when are asked before adopting the Agile techniques instead of If. The graph is showing that the Agile methodologies are mostly used by multi-tier, the web, and mobile applications other than traditional and Hybrid methodologies. In contrast, the Hybrid is used more than the Agile in the packaged and mainframe applications. There is a noticeable following for the Agile approach between many types of organizations.
The automation is vital for starting a perfect Agile methodology. The Agile processes must be carefully established order to prevent the possibilities of failure. There are many ‘engineering techniques and Infrastructure capabilities’ to move the application delivery quickly. Without the automation, the Agile is almost stopped from being productive. The fast delivery depends on preparing a fast response delivery production line consisting of the basic environment, continuous integration, automotive examining, and automotive publishing.
If you reach the speed in delivery range, then you need to make a change in the organization by terminating rules and simplifying processes. The perfect Agile delivery consists of:
1-All the time integration: That enables the organization to get the last updated feedback on the changes included in the code. Without this, you will not know if the changes are effective or not.
2-Automated examining: that is vital for quick delivery because, without this component, you cannot move the whole development cycle with expected speed.
3-Seperated architectures: this is important because sometimes the change is needed only on the part of the application, not the whole of it.
4-Service visualization: that reduces the money spent of Devin tests environments and also makes those environments execute quicker.
5-Automative publishing: this is the immediate delivery of the application after being consistent with the previous components.
Usually, if these components were implemented in the perfect way then all the changes will be done to the smaller issues or problems that contribute fast to the big change that makes the application delivery faster and more accurate.
Spiral Method
The cooperation can adopt the spiral method. The spiral methodology is defined as a life cycle sophisticated model that gives priority to early establishment and reduction of risks generated from projects (BURAGGA, & ZAMAN, 112, 2013). A spiral method would be effective for the cooperation as it begins by exploring risks on small scale, develops plans on how the cooperation can best handle the risks and develops decisions on whether the proposed project should proceed for the next spiral iteration spiral methods is beneficial because it derives speedy benefits of development which are not generated from the project increased speed but from the continuous process of risks reduction level. This has an impact on time necessitated in delivering the projects. The success of the spiral method will entirely depend on conscientious, knowledge management and attentiveness (BURAGGA, & ZAMAN, 113, 2013). The spiral method is additionally advantageous because it can be utilized in all kinds of projects and the focus on risks reduction is essential in development. Since the white horse ferries are associated with complex projects that are characterized with innovativeness in order to grow the market base the spiral method is appropriate because its high level of benefits delivery.
Several benefits and disadvantages of the method should be considered to ensure that the method is effective. Spiral is advantageous because it is associated with high-risk analysis amount which helps in avoiding risks occurrence (DOOLEY, 32, 2011). Additionally it effective in large and complex projects which the white horse ferries would benefit. The methods hold strong documentation and approval control with additional functionalities which can be incorporated later. The most benefiting feature of the spiral method is that it is introduced in the early life of the cycle of software thus making it easy for assessing the developments (DOOLEY, 34, 2011).
However, the spiral method is disadvantageous because it is an expensive method of the evaluation of high risks requires expertise and the white horse company should consider conducting estimation before its evaluation (DOOLEY, 42, 2011). In addition, if the phase of risk analysis fails to be successful then development may not be achieved. The cooperation can introduce the spiral method into operation by evaluating the requirements of the methods by obtaining details, defining the required prototype, evaluate the prototype by defining the weaknesses, opportunities, strengths as well as threats. Second the cooperation is required to design and analyze the prototype which is then followed by conducting attest before the initial implementation. After the evaluation process, the company is required to develop a maintenance routine that will ensure that the projects are continuously assessed and maintained in order to prevent the occurrence of failures which will result in minimizing organization downtown (DOOLEY, 48, 2011).
Since the world today is characterized by innovation which makes it a competitive world of the internet the white horse ferries company should design software’s that are suitable for its business. The development should, therefore, incorporate the method effective software development methodologies to generate maximum benefits. The software methodologies should be capable of functioning in solving the needs of the organization because the organization requires fresh functionalities in the existing software. The development should, therefore, evaluate to ensure that it generates the given functionalities in the developed software’s (BURAGGA, & ZAMAN, 124, 2013).
Iterative Method
The iterative model can additional be adopted by the White Horse Ferries. The iterative model is not focused on attempting to start on the general specification of software development requirements (BURAGGA, & ZAMAN, 126, 2013). The development model begins by implementing and identifying the specific part of the general software that can be evaluated so that the additional requirements can be identified and analyzed. Then the process is followed by petition which results in the production of a fresh software version for every model cycle. The iterative model helps in the creation of a highly featured design level of system application before the beginning of product building and solutions development. The model is effective in tracking defects while still in the early stages because it aims at improving products on steps basis. This helps in avoiding down the flow of effects that would hinder software development effectiveness. The model generates reliable feedback to the user thus enabling them to draw assumptions on the effectiveness of the model. Moreover, interactive model utilizes less time on documentation and adequate time of provision of designs. However the model is expensive since it requires architecture to develop the sketches and the phases are rigid since no overlapping can be done (BURAGGA, & ZAMAN, 128, 2013).
The white house ferries company can utilize the interactive model when the requirements of the general system are defined clearly and understood completely to avoid the occurrence of inefficiency. Additionally, if the company intends to venture into a big project the iterative model is essential and all the major necessities must be defined clearly and the rest of the details may evolve with time. The basic thought of the iterative model is developing a repeated cycles system and in incremental portions (GARCÍA DÍAZ, CUEVA LOVELLE, & PELAYO GARCÍA-BUSTELO, 87, 2014).
RAD Method
RAD is a software development model that utilizes minimal planning in preference of rapid prototyping. The prototype can thus be described as the model of working that is equivalent in terms of functions to the element of the general software product. RAD is an incremental model type in which the functions are established in a parallel mode like mini projects. The model is essential as it is speedy in providing the consumers with something to view in order to provide quick feedback in regard to delivery and requirements. This is because RAD developments are presented in time boxes that are delivered and later assembles in working prototype (GARCÍA DÍAZ, CUEVA LOVELLE, & PELAYO GARCÍA-BUSTELO, 89, 2014).
The white horse ferries can apply the RAD model by utilizing the following phases. Business modeling involves defining information flow between different functions of the business. Data modeling is then concocted where information is collected from the model of the business and is then utilized in defining objects of data that are required for the business. Process modeling is additionally essential as it involves the defined data objects being converted in order to achieve flow of business information objectives that are specified. The description of the conversation are generated and then created for data objects CRUD. Application generation then follows where the tools are later utilized in converting the models process into the actual system and code which ends with the turnover and testing of all the fresh interfaces and the generated components (GARCÍA DÍAZ, CUEVA LOVELLE, & PELAYO GARCÍA-BUSTELO, 93, 2014).
RAD model is advantageous because it results in reduced time for development thus increasing reusability of components. Speedy first reviews occur thus allowing the users to utilize the feedback in the generation of solutions (RECH, & BUNSE, 66, 2009). The model is also effective as it solves issues from the beginning of the integration thus elimination integration issues. However, the model requires strong performances from individuals and teams in identifying the requirements of the business. The white ferries company can, therefore, ensure that individuals take part in the identification of requirements fully by incorporating skilled developers as the model is highly dependent on the skills of modeling (RECH, & BUNSE, 66, 2009).
Incremental Method
Incremental model is a building method of the development of software’s where products are designed tested and implemented until the time that the products will be finished. The methods incorporate both maintenance and development (RECH, & BUNSE,44, 2009). The development of a product is completed when the product is capable of satisfying all the requirements. The model is thus effective because it utilizes the elements of prototyping and the elements of the waterfall model. The decomposition of components while allying the methods allows partial usage of products which ensures that the long time development is avoided. The methods additionally avoid the beginning outlay of capital and the long subsequent period of waiting.
The development of the methods helps in easing the traumatic impacts of introducing a whole fresh system at once. However the model is associated with several issues because the resulting costs may be over the organization’s costs and since the method involves adding more functions to a product it may lead to the generation of more issues which are related to the system since they were not designed initially in the development of the system (RECH, & BUNSE, 66, 2009). The white horse Ferries Company can utilize the model because it is associated with fast deliveries that are linked to low costs which would help the cooperation to identify additional requirements. This allows the company to review the presented results from the feedback that is collected from the customer and this may lead to essential changes.
References
BURAGGA, K. A., & ZAMAN, N. (2013). Software development techniques for constructive information systems design.
DESPA, M.L. 2015, "Formalizing the ISDF Software Development Methodology", InformaticaEconomica, vol. 20, no. 2/2015, pp. 66-80.
DOOLEY, J. (2011). Software development and professional practice. New York, N.Y, Apress.
GARCÍA DÍAZ, V., CUEVA LOVELLE, J. M., & PELAYO GARCÍA-BUSTELO, B. C. (2014). Handbook of research on innovations in systems and software engineering. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&A N=883284.
HPE TECHNOLOGY. (2014). Agile Software Development Methodology: Foundation For Successful Adoption By Forrester Research. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQK-XB867qs
RECH, J., & BUNSE, C. (2009). Model-driven software development: integrating quality assurance. Hershey, Information Science Reference.
