Methodology-free software development: Why having hundreds of methodologies?

1
Methodology-free software development Why
having hundreds of methodologies?

• Herwig Mannaert

2
Which Methodologies ?

• More than 1000 exist...
• BON,   Booch,   BOOM,   Catalysis,   CBD/e,  
  Coad/Yourdon,   COMMA 
• CRC,   Convergent Engineering,   Demeter,  
  DOORS,   DOOS
• EPA,   EROOS,   Fusion,   Goofee,   HOOD,   IDEA,
    ION,   KISS
• MERODE,   MOSES,   MWOOD,   Object COMX,  
  Objecteering
• Objectory,   OEP,   Octopus,   OMT,   OOAD/OOIE,
    OOA/RD,   OOBE
• OOCL,   OOHDM,   OOram,   OOSC,   OOSD,   OOSE,  
  OOSP
• Open,   OSA,   PAUD,   ROAD,   ROPES,   RUP,  
  Scrum,   Skill-Driven Design
• SDL,  Shlaer Mellor,   Softstar,   SOMA,  
  SOMT,   Syntropy,   XP
• Which one do we use ?
• The methodology jungle...

3
Adoption of Methodologies

• Huisman IIvari, 2002 Many organizations
  claim that they do not use any systems
  development methods.
• Riemenschneider, 2002 Only about half of all
  organizations actually follow a methodology
• Interpretation
• Explicit use
• Implicit use
• Ad hoc

4
Common Flaws of Methodologies

• Most methodologies manage the process
• Managing the process is what you do if you
  cannot manage the product.
• Example assembly lines in manufacturing
• Most IT projects are/should be closer related to
  manufacturing than to RD.
• Example management training programs VDAB
• State-of-the-art design principles are defined
  informally and leave room for interpretation
• Example coupling, cohesion, and information
  hiding

5
Common Flaws of Methodologies

• Most methodologies implicitly lead to a
  one-to-one functional-to-constructional mapping
• In engineering this mapping is many-to-many
  requirements are global constraints for the
  design
• Example specs vs. parts in a car engine
• This creates the evolvability challenge ever
  changing requirements imply design for change
• Example upfront design of basic changes
• Key design activities/decisions are described
  informally and left over to individual designers
• Example generalization, granularity