Process Models In Software Engineering

Why we need process modeling?

Used properly, process modeling offers great benefits for understanding processes and revealing inconsistencies.

DEFINING PROCESS
Process: A series of steps involving activities, constraints, and resources that produce an intended output of some kind.

CHARACTERSTICS OF A PROCESS
Prescribes all the major process activities. Process uses resources and produce products. Be composed of sub processes. Each process activity has entry and exit criteria. Process activities are organized in a sequence. Each process has a set of guiding principles that explain the goals of each activity. Constraints or controls may apply to an activity, resource or product.

PROCESS MODEL

Description of a process expressed in a suitable process modeling language. It is an abstract representation of software process.

KINDS OF PROCESS MODELS

Two kinds of Process models:
Prescriptions process models: prescriptions for the way software development should progress Descriptions process models: descriptions of the way software development is done in actuality.

BENEFITS OF USING PROCESS MODELS

With a process models help, the software development team can easily understand the project they will develop. The description of the processes provides every one a common understanding of the activities, resources and constraints involved in software development. A process model can help the development team find inconsistencies, redundancies, and omissions in the process and in its constituent parts.

FEATURES OF PROCESS MODEL TOOL

Easy of understanding and communication. Supports process improvement. Supports process management. Provides automated guidance in performing the process. Supports automated process execution.

DIFFERENT PROJECT MODELS

Waterfall model, Code and Fix Big - Bang Spiral Model Iteration model Increment model

Waterfall Model

Waterfall Model

Waterfall Model
The

Waterfall Model consists of the following main steps:

System Design and Program Design. Coding. Testing.

Requirements Analysis.

Waterfall Model
Disadvantages of the Waterfall Model: You can not think out all the detailed requirements and goals at the beginning of most projects. Sometime you have to go further and then you can get more information to do the job. The model does not accommodate this natural uncertainty very well. The Waterfall Model does not tell how to transfer from one stage to another. Practically, there are a few project which always follow the sequential steps that the model proposes. Developing a system using the Waterfall Model does not yield a working version of the system until late in the process.

CODE AND FIX MODEL

Team falls in it automatically when they dont want to use some thing else. Starts with a rough idea, dose some simple design and then proceeds into a long repeating cycle of coding, testing and fixing bugs. And finally product is released. Least overhead for planning and documenting, results can be shown immediately.

BIG BANG MODEL

Very little planning, scheduling and formal development process. Maximum time for developing the software and writing the code. There is one starting point but release date is flexible.

Prototyping

Prototyping
Prototyping is comprised of the following steps:
Requirements Definition/Collection.
Design. System Implementation. Assessment. Prototype Refinement. Prototype Creation/Modification.

Prototyping
Disadvantages

of the Prototyping Model:

Prototyping can lead to poorly designed systems.

Prototyping can lead to false expectations.

Iterative Development
In

Iterative Development Model, the project is divided into small parts. When each of them is finished, it can be demonstrated to customers and feedbacks from customers are collected. Thus enable users to have some functionality while the rest is being developed.

Iterative Development
Disadvantages of the Iterative Model:
Communication and coordination skills play an important role in project development. The customers expectation may change when they see the system develop. The user have to be actively involved throughout the project. Though this involvement is a positive for the project, sometime it may delay the project progress. A controlled mechanism should be developed to deal with the huge requests . Some time these requests may lead to confusion.

The Spiral Model

The Spiral Model

The Spiral Model is made up of the following steps:
Project Objectives. Risk Assessment. Planning and Management. Engineering & Production.

SOFTWARE DESIGN DOCUMENTS

Architecture Describing overall design of the software Data flow diagram shows how data moves through the program. Some times called as bubble chart as its uses circles and lines State transition diagram breaks software into basic starts and conditions, show how software changes from one state to another. Flow chart pictorially describes the programs logic. Commented code

PARTS OF SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

Help

files Samples and examples Product support info Error messages Setup and installation User manuals Labels and stickers Readme files