Incremental build model

Incremental Model

Incremental build model is a software development process where the product is designed, implemented, and tested incrementally (a little more is added each time) until the product is finished. It involves both development and maintenance. The model divides the product into small increments that are built on a pre-determined schedule to add defined functionality, improving and iterating over time. This approach allows portions of the product to be delivered early, and it can help in finding and fixing defects in early stages of the development cycle.

Overview

The incremental build model combines elements of the waterfall model and the prototyping model. It applies the waterfall model in a staggered fashion, where each increment is essentially a mini-waterfall process of its own, including all the phases of the waterfall model: Requirements, Design, Implementation, Testing, and Maintenance. Each increment builds on the previous one. This model is particularly useful when there is a need to get a product to the market early.

Phases

The incremental build model can be broken down into several phases:

1. Requirements Analysis: Identifying the requirements of the system as a whole. 2. System Design: The system is designed to accommodate all the requirements. This phase is revisited for each increment. 3. Implementation: The increments are developed according to the design. Each increment is a fully functioning module of the overall system. 4. Testing: Each increment is tested to ensure it meets the required standards and integrates properly with the existing increments. 5. Deployment: After testing, the increment is deployed as part of the system. 6. Maintenance: The system undergoes maintenance to correct any issues or to make improvements.

Advantages

The incremental build model offers several advantages:

• Early Realization of Project Benefits: Parts of the system are developed and delivered early, providing early benefits and allowing for feedback.
• Flexibility: Changes can be accommodated more easily than in a purely sequential approach.
• Risk Management: Risks are identified and addressed earlier in the process.
• Customer Satisfaction: Customers can see the progress early and provide feedback, leading to a product that better meets their needs.

Disadvantages

However, there are also disadvantages:

• Requires Good Planning: The increments need to be carefully planned to ensure coherence and integration.
• Potential for Increasing Complexity: As new increments are added, the complexity of the system can increase, potentially leading to integration issues.
• Resource Allocation: Resources need to be allocated efficiently to manage multiple increments simultaneously.

Applications

The incremental build model is suitable for projects where the requirements are well understood. It is widely used in software engineering, especially in large projects that require frequent updates and in environments where a working model of the system is required as soon as possible.

Conclusion

The incremental build model is a flexible and efficient approach to software development, especially suited to projects where requirements are clear from the outset. It allows for early delivery of parts of the system, early detection of issues, and better risk management. However, it requires careful planning and management to ensure the coherence and quality of the final product.