INTRODUCTION
The growth of Internet & World Wide Web has spurted off the rapid development of systematic design and development of software products to increase productivity & efficiency in the long run for businesses large & small. At times Software projects can be so large that careful planning has to be done. Implementation of a software project is not just writing code, but also following guidelines, writing documentation and also writing unit tests. Guide lines have to be followed, project management and its pitfalls have to be analysed.
A comprehensive model has been established by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) based on a set of software engineering capabilities that need to be present as organizations reach different levels of expertise. Each organization must integrate a strategy called Software Engineering methodology that embraces the underlying process, methods and tools to meet the software development goals.
Web Applications – the significance!
Web Applications are ruling the roost in this modern technology world. To be concise, Web Applications are dynamic web sites combined with server side programming which provide functionalities like interacting with users, connecting to back-end databases, and generating results to browsers. With software being associated with every kind of industry, they have given a boost to website companies in their services. Web Applications are mainly associated with Online Banking, Social Networking, Online Reservations, eCommerce / Shopping Cart Applications, Interactive Games, Online Training, Online Polls, Blogs, Online Forums, Content Management Systems, etc..
Web Application Lifecycle
The process of developing a web application and involvement of the multiple teams that are engaged in the development process define a Web Application Lifecycle. Each organization may set forth its own unique style of operating.
Some Web development companies in India follow a certain standard model like SDLC (System Development Life Cycle) or Agile Software Development Model.
SDLC Methodology
It is the regular waterfall methodology or the traditional process of web App development comprising of research to identify and define application requirements, information analysis, architectural design and specifications blueprint, team involvement, programming, testing and bug fixing, system testing, implementation and maintenance.
Agile Web Application Development
It is the iterative development process which practices that focus on collaboration of people involved and which allows revisions. It also includes research, analysis, project management, design, programming, implementation, frequent testing, adaptation and maintenance. Developed as an alternative to cascade designing methods Agile has an incremental approach and the project is divided into iterations supplying the fully tested and operative functionality.
Agile methodologies including programming, development and project management involve breaking down the software development into smaller modules, while integrating documentation and quality testing at every step. Client participation in the product building process is ensured from the beginning to the end & this results in faster and easier modification of solutions with due attention given to the changing requirements & faster feedback from system user.
Agile Methodologies Types
Generally there are two types of Agile development methodologies
1. Agile Scrum Methodology / Scrum Alliance
In this Web application development is broken into smaller chunks called “ Scrum” rather than a formal project plan. Each Scrum is managed by an individual project manager who is generally referred to as a “Scrum Master”. This technique keeps the team focused on its goals.
2. Lean Development
This technique normally applies to the lean manufacturing principles such as sticking out notes on the board to communicate the next task on the list.
Advantages
Nowadays agile web development methodologies are becoming more popular as compared to the traditional “waterfall” development. Many Web development companies in India are adapting these methodologies
The main advantages are:
Rather than the collective project management, agile project management is more of a goal based management. This allows you to use the full potential of your resources & on time delivery of the Application. As there is constant interaction of the developer(s) with the enterprise / business owner, the clients can request modifications even at the later stages of development, which is very important to meet the market challenges and enjoy a competitive edge in the marketplace. The agile methodologies can help improve almost any application’s development.
Conclusion
To be precise it can be said that agile methodologies are multi-disciplinary in nature and only difference and difficulty in using agile methods is communication, continuous change in requirements and some architectural issues. Applying agile methodologies in web engineering is very useful for web applications.
Author’s Note
The author Sachin Kamath is a software professional with many years of experience in the IT industry. He is the Managing Director of Brand Digital & Taurus Web Solutions, two of the best digital agencies & web development companies in India. Services include website designing, SEO, Application development, Web hosting etc.