comparision between water fall model and evolutionary model
what are the advantages and disadvantages of waterfall model over evolutionay model in a software development life cycle.
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
March 5, 2006 2:10 PM
UPDATED:
March 8, 2006 5:04 PM
Answer Wiki:
The waterfall model works well when:
1. You can be sure exactly how your customer's business will operate once the system is successfully implemented.
2. You can be sure of everything the system needs to do and exactly how it needs to do it before you start designing it.
3. You can be sure exactly how the system should be designed before you start building it.
4. You can be sure exactly how people will react to the system before you start building it.
In other words, the waterfall model works well in approximately 0% of cases.
Regards,
Kieron
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Hi Coolsnipster
Check out http://www.stickyminds.com. While it is a site more dedicated to software testing, it will give you a good insight in to your question.
HTH
Regards
Devesh
Waterfall Approach:
Advantages:
1. Reflects engineering practices
2. Stays in place long-term
Disadvantages:
1. Iterations become costly
2. Inflexible
Evolutionary Approach:
Advantages:
1. Meets the immediate needs of the customer
2. Specification can be developed incrementally
Disadvantages:
1. The process is not visible
2. Systems are often poorly structured
3. Special tools and techniques may be required
As a general rule, long-term projects are better off using the waterfall approach because the project is broken up into concentrated phases where special attention is given to each phase. Short-term projects are better suited by the evoutionary approach because of the need for a faster response to changes.
Some projects may even use a mix like using the waterfall approach for the project phases and using the evolutionary approach for the more flexible tasks within the project such the user interface.
- Paraphrased from “Software Engineering” by Ian Sommerville
Hi, since I am not aware how depth is your understanding on these lifecycle models, I guess this site is simple to understand and would be helpful. http://www.levela.com/software_life_cycles_swdoc.htm
I would recomend that before looking for a specific model for software development, the process be analyzed and the development be tailored to the complexity (or simplicity) of the process.
Using a specific model (see Kanada’s reference) a priori is probably more of a hinderance than helpful.
My experience is that all developments have some adaptations early in its lifecycle untill they stabilize, due to incomplete analysis by the developers and incomplete understanding of the process by users. As the system develops both increase their knowledge and thus their understanding of the process. This must be accounted for!.
A lot depends on commitments and time compression. If you have a very big project to do in some very compressed period using a lot of resources, you pretty much have to go with (maybe over)the “waterfall.” If you can work more organically and modularly – typically with fewer resources but working steadily over more time, a more evolutionary process works better. If you have a choice, the latter is better.