Process Models; Evolution and Rationale

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Posted on January 22, 2025
Process Models; Evolution and Rationale

Assignment Briefing Sheet (2022/23 Academic Year)

Assignment title:

‘Process Models; Evolution and Rationale’

Authorship:

Individual

 

Module title:

Measures and Models in Software Engineering

Module code:

7COM1024

Tutor setting the work:

Dr Martina A. Doolan

Moderator’s initials:

Dr Deepak Panday

Submission deadline:

16 November 2022

Target date for return of marked assignment:

16 December 2022

You are expected to spend about

35

hours to complete this assignment to a satisfactory standard.

 

This assignment is worth

33%

of the overall assessment for this module. It will be marked out of 100 and scaled.

The assignment assesses the following module learning outcomes (from definitive module document):

1.     the range of individual products and processes that exist within a complex software engineering project.

2.     the selection of appropriate models and measures that can be applied to software engineering products and processes.

Assignment Task:

On the module we have studied a variety of process models as approaches to software development focusing on the importance of such approaches to generate software products of high functionality and quality.

In no more than 3,000 words provide a critical evaluation of three of the process models that you have studied on the module, compare and contrast these (up to 60 marks). In your essay include an analysis of the business/technological rationale that led to their inception (up to 20 marks). Include a discussion of the main claimed advantages and disadvantages for your chosen process models. All claims made in your essay should be supported by references at that point at which the claims are made and included in a reference list. Critical evaluation is to be applied throughout the essay. The reference list is not included in the word count (up to 30 marks).

In your essay you must:

·        The three process models chosen must be discussed using a critical, comparative and differentiative approach and supported by the literature.

·        Ensure that the essay is well structured. A reminder that a basic essay comprises introduction, body, and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings for ‘signposting’ as appropriate.

·        Write full sentences using your own words.

·        Follow the correct submission requirements i.e., format and word count limit. Do not include graphics photos, diagrams, appendices, and lecture material. 3,000 words excluding reference list acceptable.

·        Provide clearly referenced evidence to support your claims from your reading of books,

journals, periodicals, and articles from the press that support your research for the essay (as citations in your text and included in your reference list).

·        Use the Harvard Referencing system. You will find a useful guide at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm (up to 10 marks).

Submission Requirements:

Students are required to submit ONE Word (.doc; docx) file of their work via Canvas no later than the 16 November 2022. The file submitted must be in the form of a Microsoft Word document (.doc;.docx). The filename is to include student id, followed by an underscore, followed by MMSE_CW, for example 0123456_MMSE_ CW.

The essay should be submitted in the following format:

The main text should not exceed 3000 words (+-10% accepted excluding references). Do not include graphics photos, diagrams, and lecture material. The text should be in a consistent font, either 11- or 12-point Times New Roman or Arial. Include a 2cm margin at the left and right and 2.5 cm margin at the top and bottom of the page, and the file name as noted above is to be included at the bottom of each page along with the page number.

You must use the Harvard Referencing system. Students will find a useful guide at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm. Alternatively use the resources provided on the lecture slides.

Note: The contents of the ONE-word file submitted should contain the essay. Use headings and subheadings as appropriate and do not exceed the word limit.

Type of Feedback to be given for this assignment:

Individual personalized written feedback is provided with the marked assignment on Canvas, as well as verbal feedback in class. Individualized and group formative feedback is provided throughout the module during the practical sessions on a week-by-week basis.

Pick the two from the list below. Include diagram for each model

  1. Waterfall 
  2. Agile
  3. Prototyping models
  4. RAD
  5. Incremental model spiral model
  6. Concurrent development model
  7. Linear sequential models/waterfall
  8. Iterative/ Evolutionary process model

Disclaimer

The assignment sample provided by Assignments Consultancy is a previously completed work for another student and contains plagiarism. It is being shared only as a reference or guideline to help you understand how to structure and approach your own assignment. We do not recommend submitting it directly as your own work. You are solely responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of the assignment you submit, and we advise using this sample only as inspiration while adhering to your institution's academic policies.

Solution

A software system goes through a succession of stages over its existence, beginning with its conception and continuing through its development, manufacturing, and maintenance until its final retirement. This essay aims to offer a broader understanding of software system development by explaining and assessing various approaches. The paper will begin with a review and definition of traditional software life cycle models due to their prominence in textbooks and modern software development techniques. Following is a comprehensive examination of the different models of software evolution used to structure software engineering projects and technologies. These models are employed to determine the software's evolution through time. Depending on the desired objective, it might be interpreted as descriptive or prescriptive language.

As highlighted by Van Heesch, Avgeriou and Hilliard (2012), a descriptive model comprises documentation of the complete development history of a software system. To better comprehend and enhance software development processes, descriptive models can serve as the basis for constructing empirically-based prescriptive models, which can subsequently be developed using descriptive models. A prescriptive model functions as guidance during the software system development process (Adkins et al., 2022). Using prescriptive models helps software development teams to better their work planning and organization by establishing rules for when and how particular tasks should be accomplished. Establishing prescriptive life cycle models for software development is simpler and more frequent than establishing ad hoc ones. This adds legitimacy to most of these beliefs, which are either intuitive or well-reasoned. Numerous specific variables that define how a software system is developed in practice can be neglected, generalized, or deferred (Hachemi and AhmedNacer, 2018). This raises problems regarding the relative validity and resilience of such life cycle models in the context of developing different application systems in different development environments, employing employees with varying degrees of skill, etc. In addition to specifying how to use certain software engineering tools or environments, prescriptive models may also define how to do particular software engineering activities.

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