Ante Baus
13 min read May 20, 2024After 12+ years in software development, we’ve realized one simple truth – no two projects are the same and you can’t approach them in the same way.
And the software development methodology you choose can be the difference between success and failure – that’s how important they are.
So, what are software development methodologies, exactly? And how do you choose the right one for your project?
Here, we’ll answer these questions (and more!) and give you a detailed rundown of the top methodologies out there.
Table of Contents
We’ll cover the basics first – what are software development methodologies?
Software development methodologies are processes you use to plan and manage software development from start to finish.
They’re structured frameworks that help you organize roles, tasks, and deliverables for each stage in the software development life cycle.
Software development methodologies are key to successful development because using the right methodology can:
There’s a lot of different methodologies out there, but there are 2 main types you should know – Agile and Waterfall.
We’ll cover both in detail, starting with Agile development and the top Agile methodologies out there.
Agile development is a set of development methodologies and practices that emphasize iteration, collaboration, and flexibility.
In Agile development, the focus is on quick, iterative processes and continuous improvement in order to deliver high-quality software, quickly.
It works, too – Agile projects are 28% more successful than projects using traditional development methodologies.
And a huge reason for that are the 4 core Agile values, outlined in the Agile Manifesto:
Agile methodologies focus on speed, collaboration, and adaptability – so, if you use them, you’ll get your product to market faster.
Some of the top Agile methodologies out there are:
Also, using Agile methodologies doesn’t just speed up development, it improves the quality of your projects, too.
Quality assurance (QA) is a key part of Agile at every stage of development, so with Agile methodologies you get high-quality software, quickly.
And that’s why they’re a good choice.
Now, let’s cover the top Agile development methodologies we’ve mentioned in more detail.
Scrum is by far the most popular Agile methodology out there – 81% of Agile teams use Scrum or a Scrum hybrid.
And there’s a good reason for that – Scrum emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and quick iteration, so your team can work faster without compromising quality.
So, how does it work, exactly?
Scrum breaks down your software development cycle into smaller (2-4 week) iterations called sprints.
Each sprint is like a mini development cycle, starting with planning all the way through to launch.
And at the end of each sprint, you have a sprint retrospective, where your team discusses the previous sprint to find areas of improvement for the next sprint.
So, with Scrum, your team isn’t just more productive, they also continuously improve after every sprint.
“In the first few sprints, you want to get the feel of what your team is capable of doing. After that, you’ll be able to assign tasks per sprint more accurately.”
Marko Strizic, DECODE co-founder and CEO
Scrum is best suited for smaller teams (3-9 members), working on complex and dynamic projects with changing requirements.
It’s also the best choice if you want to get your product to market faster, especially as a startup.
