Data Process Object Modelling

Nikhil Merala

CWID 11798381

IEM 5723 - Data , Process & Object Modeling

Homework 1

02/02/2017

2. (5 points) Explain the importance of following a system development methodology while developing an information system.

• 6System development methodologies are formalized ways or approaches to implement system development life cycles.
• Using a methodological approach ensures phase wise development (focus) in the SDLC.
• If proper system methodologies are not followed then complex cycles will be missing important aspects and cause future problems.
• This will cause us to start the system development all from the beginning and throw most of it if not all of the work away.
• No methodological approach means lack of co-ordination and thus lack of team work.
• This will automatically degrade the final product / result.

3. What are the primary reasons behind the emergence of RAD approaches in the 1990s?

• 1Following are the primary reasons for emergence of RAD approaches.
• Earlier to the RAD there was the waterfall Development under structured design.
• Although the waterfall development was better than previously undisciplined approach it still had some disadvantages. They are as follows :-
• The designs had to be completely specified on paper before programming began and there were long time elapses between completion of the system proposal in the analysis and the delivery of the system.
• Abundance of paper work made it vulnerable to miss out on important details and were often overlooked.
• Post implementation methods had to be undertaken to right what was previously missed which caused time delay, cost increment and so on.
• By the time from the original development plan to the final phase there were  lot of changes in the business environment and thus they had to go back to the initial cycle and do it all over again.
• RAD addressed both weakness of structured design by adjusting the SDLC phases to get some part of the system developed quickly into the hands of the user.
• By doing this they ensured, that user better understood the system and suggested revisions that would bring the system closer to what was needed.
• RAD has approaches towards software development, rather than on planning it puts more emphasis on process.
• This differs from the waterfall model, which is more focused on rigorous planning and specifications before starting a development phase.
• RAD has some sort of feedback in which it emphasizes adaptability and makes necessary adjustments in response to knowledge gained as the project progresses.
• Prototypes are developed  in addition to or sometimes even in place of design specifications.
• Risk reduction. A prototype could test some of the most difficult potential parts of the system early on in the life-cycle. This can provide valuable information as to the feasibility of a design and can prevent the team from pursuing solutions that turn out to be too complex or time consuming to implement.
• This benefit of finding problems earlier in the life-cycle rather than later as in the waterfall development was a key benefit of the RAD approach.

4. The authors’ motivation for writing the article ?

• 5The writer has speculations about the future of system development methodologies
• He feels that we are stepping back into the pre methodological era and it’s lack of control, standards, undisciplined approaches and training

The authors’ view of the then current state of information systems/software development ?

• According to the author :-
• The then current state of IS / software development consisted of a methodology which is not a single function rather  is a collection of phases, procedure rules, techniques, tools, documentation, management and training used to develop a system.
• The key to successful development is user involvement.
• Motivation for adopting to a methodology was dependent on organization and individual but they were for the same reasons and they were to achieve better end products, a better developed and standardized process.
• He classifies the methodology era into seven broad themes which include Structured , Data oriented, Prototyping, Object Oriented, participative, strategic, systems developments.
• Not all of these approaches were completely different and which is why there was emergence of coming together or blending of a number of themes within a single methodology.
• This led to development of numerous tools like project management software’s, system repositories, drawing tools and computer aided software engineering.
• This led to various organizations choosing different methods to implement methodologies some choose to stick with the generalized methodologies some organizations started developing there own methodologies.

The authors’ prediction or speculation regarding the future use of methodologies ?

• He states that methodologies may lead to developing requirements to the ultimate degree, often over and above what is legitimately required
• This can cause user’s to have an unrealistic wish list, expect much more than possible at the time which will only lead to time consumption, cost increment, degradation in quality and decrement in quality of work life. None the less bring the entire process back to square one.
• These problems would mean that high level of technologies would have to be incorporated that can be difficult for the developers in turn being difficult for end user’s to learn, buy and acquire
• He believes use of methodologies may lead to its rote implementation and change the focus from real implementation and business issues to procedures of methodologies.
• He questions the existence of methodologies in the future, he also believes due to its over complex nature companies might go back to the traditional ways of doing business
• He gives an example of web based applications which still run on the trial and error method and not on the development approach.
• At the end of the paper he shows that even after all the issues with methodologies, it will remain for the better part of the future, it can however become more diversified in nature than it is.

Q5) Based on the article titled “SCRUM Development Process” by Ken Schwaber

available at the following URL, prepare a one-page write-up on the Scrum methodology.

• 2Introduction:-
• Scrum methodology is a technique that is evolved from an English originated game called Rugby, Scrum in context of the game is a formation of forwards in the game binding together in specific positions when that formation is called upon.
• It shares many characteristics with the game, the primary process is to keep pushing forward and the game does not end until the environments dictate.
• It treats major portions of the system development as a black box which can be controlled.
• Analyst have the idea that SCRUM may be appropriate for software organizations to realize benefits of Object oriented techniques and tools like no other.
• Scrum Methodology is based on both defined and black box process management.
• It helps with managing, enhancing and maintaining methodology for existing systems.
• There are various parameters that go into consideration before software product releases they are customer requirement, time pressure, competition, Quality, Vision and resource.

Current Development

• Multiple parameters have to be taken into account before building a system, this has caused development in multiple areas within the environment. Environment may include many variables such as availability of skilled professionals, effectiveness of methods, Domain expertise and so on.
• According to the Schwaber article

    “complexity = f (development environment variables + target environment variables) “

• However, these developments are not entirely stress free, some of the development problems are that the development processes are uncontrolled, unknown number of development process that bridge known but uncontrolled processes are unidentified, Environmental inputs must take place at the beginning of the processes.
• Waterfall methodology was the first defined development process. Some others were namely spiral methodology and iterative methodology. Iterative approach was particular recognized to solve problems like cost increment, improve flexibility and delivery of systems.

SCRUM:

• It is a methodology that initially plans the context and a broader view of deliverable definition, and then build on the project depending upon the environment.
• Scrum fills the loops holes that previous development processes has and tries to improve by acknowledging this and using control mechanism to improve flexibility.
• It is a methodology that uses control mechanism to manage unpredictability and control the risk and in response provide with flexibility, responsiveness and reliability.
• It can be broadly divided into three major phases, Planning and system architecture phase, sprints phase and closure phase.
• Both the planning and closure phase consist of defined processes where inputs and outputs are well defined.
• The middle phase which is the sprint phase is the practical process phase. All the processes in the sprint phase which are unidentified and uncontrolled are treated as a black box that requires control.
• Scrum methodologies have final products which are set during project is ongoing, the cost is flexible with the project as well as the completion date. They are adaptable to the changing environments throughout the process and all these parameters gives it a chance of succeeding that is much higher than any other development process.

Control:

• Since scrum operates under unpredictability and complexity it requires management control to avoid failing. It uses methodologies that embodies these general, loose controls, using object oriented techniques for actual construction of deliverables.

Deliverables:

• It should always be remembered that with Scrum methodology the final product is always flexible.
• The real test or rather real determinants for deliverables are market intelligence, customer contact and the skills of the user.

6. Read the first part (about 7 pages) of the white paper, “Rational Unified Process: Best Practices for Software Development Teams,” and prepare a one-page summary of the Rational Unified Process.

This summary is inclusive of the following topics.