Software Development Models and Methodologies

Top Stories

Photo Story 27 Dec 2019
What's in store for software development trends in 2020?

New year, new IT priorities. While not all initiatives stick, these development and testing trends will shape how teams create, evaluate and deploy software. Get ahead of the curve. Continue Reading
Feature 11 Dec 2019
A look inside the new Redwood Oracle UI design

The two designers who head Oracle's Redwood user experience and branding effort explain the philosophy behind the new look and share the timeline for the multi-year rollout. Continue Reading

Answer 23 Jul 2014

When tracking defects, make efficiency the end goal

Tracking defects can benefit the development team if done for the right reasons. Explore the reasons to track defects in this expert response. Continue Reading
Tip 18 Jul 2014

CI success depends on quality acceptance criteria

Successful continuous integration requires testable acceptance criteria that help to guide developers. Continue Reading
Answer 17 Jul 2014

Software quality metrics paint partial project picture

QA consultant Gerie Owen discusses the use of two post-production metrics: defect removal efficiency and defect detection percentage. Continue Reading
Feature 11 Jul 2014

FAQ: Software testing in the cloud

Tackle the basics of testing software in the cloud with these answers to frequently asked questions. Continue Reading
Answer 17 Jun 2014

Proactive additions shore up forms-based authentication

How can we best prevent hacking and user account lock out in Web applications with forms-based authentication? Continue Reading
Answer 23 May 2014

How Amazon CloudWatch provides automated APM tools

Amazon CloudWatch provides AWS customers with automated APM tools that they can use to keep applications and businesses running smoothly. Continue Reading
Tip 16 May 2014

AWS mobile development tools hold steady lead

AWS mobile tools are able to stay ahead of other mobile development vendors' tools. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Apr 2014

Knowledge, skills and abilities for software QA jobs

The right knowledge, skills and abilities for QA jobs don't necessarily include test script automation or security testing skills. Jenn Lent explains. Continue Reading
Tip 24 Mar 2014

Agile application lifecycle management is not an oxymoron

Learn how Agile application lifecycle management supports the development process for better software and business needs. Continue Reading
Quiz 06 Mar 2014

ALM and the Agile development methodology: What do you know?

Test your knowledge of application lifecycle management when it's merged with the Agile development methodology. Continue Reading
Guide 24 Feb 2014

All about Agile and ALM

When it comes to deployment strategies, mobile app capabilities, cloud computing issues and security, there's a lot to learn about Agile ALM. Continue Reading
Tip 14 Feb 2014

Agile project management: Increasing business agility with Agile ALM

Increase business agility capabilities with Agile project management. Find tips and tools for Agile ALM best practices. Continue Reading
Answer 03 Feb 2014

Agile ALM tools have pitfalls to acknowledge

While venders only discuss the benefits of using Agile ALM tools, test expert Amy Reichert reveals the possible pitfalls. Continue Reading
Tip 31 Jan 2014

Agile and ALM: A marriage made in heaven?

Learn why developing Agile and ALM can benefit organizational processes. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Jan 2014

How Agile ALM tools shape business agility

Learn how Agile ALM tools can increase agility in businesses. Continue Reading
Tutorial 16 Dec 2013

Continuous software development lessons from Ancestry.com

Check out the six lessons Dr Seng lLin Shee learned as he upgraded Ancestry.com's technology and infrastructure in order to support continuous software delivery efforts. Continue Reading
Answer 18 Sep 2013

The risks of Agile software development: Overcoming feature creep

Ellen Gottesdiener, founder of EBG Consulting offers insights on managing feature creep, the biggest pitfall of Agile software development. Continue Reading
Answer 17 Sep 2013

Guiding principles for an automated software test

An expert in automated software testing offers guiding principles for succeeding at this most challenging of QA projects. Continue Reading
Video 20 Aug 2013

Agile 2013: The project management process for baking a cookie

At Agile 2013 Sujey Edward, vice president of Salient Solutions, Agile Center of Excellence, gave a demo on the project management process for baking a cookie. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Jun 2013

SaaS application testing: Keep performance tests in mind

Performance testing must be a high priority for SaaS application testers. Learn why and pick up tips on how to test a SaaS system's performance. Continue Reading
News 15 May 2013

STAREAST 2013: Software testing news

Check out our coverage of STAREAST, the Software Testing Analysis and Review East Conference, for the latest trends and tips east of the Mississippi. Continue Reading
Video 02 May 2013

Explain software testing benefits to the executives

Find out why some executives see testing as #EpicFail, and learn how to convince them of the benefits of software testing and QA. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Apr 2013

Star Wars-themed ethics training

Take a satirical look at the facts behind the destruction of the Death Star and learn about the need for ethics training in software QA management. Continue Reading
Video 30 Apr 2013

The Death Star Conspiracy as software testing ethics training

Take a satirical look at the facts behind the destruction of the Death Star and learn about the need for ethics training in software QA management. Continue Reading
Tip 18 Apr 2013

Scrum project management: Estimating with story points

Scrum project management expert Yvette Francino explains how teams use story points to estimate effort involved in developing a particular feature. Continue Reading
Answer 29 Mar 2013

A well-developed software requirements specification is easy to test

SearchSoftwareQuality expert Scott Sehlhorst discusses how to avoid writing a software requirements specification that is too vague to be tested. Continue Reading
Video 08 Mar 2013

What's ailing enterprise software security management?

Enterprise application security testing means not only finding security vulnerabilities, but tracking them down and putting an end to them. Continue Reading
Tutorial 07 Mar 2013

Mobile ALM guide

This guide outlines common mobile ALM challenges and explores the various ways software professionals can meet and solve them. Continue Reading
Feature 25 Feb 2013

Mobile apps development: Defining requirements is a whole new ballgame

Software pros must address three critical issues in the requirements phase of mobile apps development: choosing a platform, security and usability. Continue Reading
News 19 Feb 2013

Top ten mobile application threats to enterprise security

Check out the top ten threats presented by enterprise mobile applications, according to the OWASP Mobile Security Project. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Nov 2012

How to measure test progress: Every picture tells a story

Seeing the big picture when it comes managing the progress of your software tests may require putting together all the little picture pieces. Continue Reading
Answer 26 Sep 2012

How does the role of project manager change in the cloud?

Agile and ALM expert Yvette Francino discusses how the role of project manager may change when applications are developed and tested in the cloud. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jul 2012

Agile project management using the Cynefin framework

Learn how the Cynefin framework facilitates problem solving, Agile project management and teamwork. Continue Reading
Answer 01 Jun 2012

When to perform post-production testing

In some cases, testing post-production is needed, according to expert Pete Walen. He discusses the potential situations where post-production testing is helpful and what expectations we can have for performance testing. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Mar 2012

Security testing for unvalidated redirects and forwards

Security expert John Overbaugh gives security testers the information they need in order to ensure the Web application code that they’re responsible for is protected. Continue Reading
Answer 29 Mar 2012

Integration testing: What are the challenges?

Expert Pete Walen describes common problems with integration testing and offers insights into implementing it correctly, so that both internal and external users can benefit. Continue Reading
Answer 26 Mar 2012

Exploring integration testing in the Agile development lifecycle

Agile expert Lisa Crispin explores the various meanings and offers tips to testers on how to work integration testing into the Agile development lifecycle. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Jan 2012

Streamlining user acceptance testing (UAT) with Agile

Organizations that implement successful user acceptance testing can greatly reduce errors and business risks. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jan 2012

Agile testing quadrants: Guiding managers and teams in test strategies

Agile expert Lisa Crispin explains the four Agile testing quadrants and how they can guide managers and development teams in creating a test strategy. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jan 2012

Software development bugs: How to identify and prevent them

With strong Agile practices such as unit testing, code reviews and proper attention to requirements, bugs can be prevented or found early in the application lifecycle. Continue Reading
Tutorial 29 Dec 2011

SoftwareQuality Tutorial Mega Menu: Software Test Professionals Conference Fall 2011

Software Test Professionals Conference Fall 2011 Continue Reading
Tutorial 29 Dec 2011

SoftwareQuality Tutorial Mega Menu: Software testing and ALM: A cloud computing guide

Software testing and ALM: A cloud computing guide Continue Reading
Tutorial 20 Dec 2011

Reg Menu Link Quality metrics: A guide to measuring software quality

reg menu link Quality metrics: A guide to measuring software quality Continue Reading
Tip 06 Dec 2011

Defect tracking: Lean principles for getting the right data at the right time

In this tip, author Paul E. McMahon describes how Lean principles can be used to help determine when defect tracking is appropriate for your organization and what type of data is important to collect. Continue Reading
Tutorial 15 Nov 2011

Load testing and performance testing with JMeter: Tutorial

JMeter, a free open source load testing tool, is straightforward to use and supports several programming languages, including HTTP/HTTPS, SOAP, JDBC, LDAP and JMS. In the following set of informative tips, expert Mike Kelly explores the capabilities of JMeter and breaks down its use into a step-by-step approach. Continue Reading
Answer 15 Nov 2011

Participating in conferences and workshops: What will I learn?

When attending classes, conference and workshops, attendees may have unrealistic expectations of what they will gain, or how they will learn useful information. Expert Peter Walen offers some tips on how to actively participate in the learning process and make the most of educational opportunities. Continue Reading
Answer 23 Sep 2011

Exploratory testing and regression testing in continuous integration

Expert Lisa Crispin explains how and when to implement exploratory testing, automated regression testing and manual regression tests in an Agile development environment. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Sep 2011

The whole-team approach to Agile development: Examples and benefits

Lisa Crispin continues in this second tip in the series by giving real-life examples and benefits gained from practicing the whole-team approach on Agile development teams. Continue Reading
Tip 16 Aug 2011

Agile software development: Tips for writing testable user stories

Testing pressures are always high on Agile projects. In this article we explore some of the ways adding clarity to stories can help make testing easier for all parties involved. Continue Reading
Tip 03 Aug 2011

Tools and techniques for tracking changes to software requirements

In this tip, requirements expert Sue Burk explains different techniques and tools that can be used to track changes to the requirement itself as well as changes to the attributes of the requirement. Continue Reading
Tip 19 Jul 2011

Regression vs. risk-based testing: Managing complexity

In this tip, consultant Vasudeva Naidu describes in detail the steps necessary to implement risk-based testing in your organization to ensure your regression test strategy is solid and successful. Continue Reading
Tip 31 Mar 2011

Managing change requests to your application

In this tip, we look at end user requests, and the process to prioritize the requests for IT, so they know where to focus their work efforts. Continue Reading
Tip 31 Mar 2011

Application security: Protecting application availability, data confidentiality and integrity

Network security and application security are both important in keeping your applications safe from hackers. In this tip, security engineer John Overbaugh focuses on application security, which is needed to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of your application and its data. Learn more about various areas of security that need to be considered when designing secure applications. Continue Reading
Answer 30 Mar 2011

Understanding the dependencies between requirements in a Scrum environment

Prioritizing user stories for each iteration in a Scrum environment can be challenging if the project owner does not understand the dependencies between requirements. In this expert response, Lisa Crispin shares best practices for prioritizing user stories based on requirement dependencies. Continue Reading
Answer 28 Mar 2011

How user stories help to define software requirements

User stories play an important role when defining requirements and they also contribute to living documentation during the software development process. In this expert response, Lisa Crispin offers key practices for ensuring that requirements align with user stories and that user stories are accurate. Continue Reading
Answer 28 Mar 2011

Mapping software requirements to test cases

Even though you must have at least one test case per requirement, it's possible not to have a one-to-one mapping between each requirement and test case. In this response, expert Sue Burk explains how it is important to trace the relationship between requirements and the tests that verify them whether the relationship is one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many. Continue Reading
Answer 23 Mar 2011

Tracking changes to requirements in Agile development

All development teams need to track requirements changes, but depending on the software development lifecycle and overall ALM process, the best approach to change tracking may not be the same across the board. In this response, expert Mike Jones explains how Agile teams can best integrate change tracking into their development process. Continue Reading
Tip 09 Mar 2011

Attracting the right Agile software developers

A lot of software development job candidates will claim to have Agile skills, but are they just throwing around buzzwords? In this tip, consultant Catherine Powell will help you find the qualified candidates who live out the values and practices of Agile in their daily work. Read more for ideas of how to attract Agile candidates and ensure those you hire will fit well on your Agile team. Continue Reading
Tip 22 Feb 2011

Embedded software testing: Five messaging event styles

In testing embedded systems, timing can often cause trouble. In this tip, consultant Scott Allman describes the five different types of event styles that can occur when two events are executed. A good test plan will cover each of those event styles by executing the conditions to create the different styles and then checking for appropriate messaging. Continue Reading
Answer 21 Feb 2011

How to gain acceptance of organizational change

Any organizational change can meet with internal resistance. In this response, SSQ Site Editor Yvette Francino offers advice on how to win buy-in from those affected through honest communication and continuous improvement. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Feb 2011

Manual testing vs. automated testing: A decision point

Automation in a test environment can be expensive and doesn’t always yield a high return. In fact, a high percentage of automation efforts fail. In this tip, Vasudeva Naidu gives advice on key factors that will lead to success in your automation initiative. Naidu describes the history of automation in test, including reasons leading to failure. Done well, and augmented by manual tests, automation can prove instrumental to a successful test effort. Continue Reading
Tip 14 Feb 2011

Waterfall vs. Agile development: A case study

Two projects very similar in scope were executed by the same project team for the same users. The first project used a waterfall methodology and resulted in missed deadlines and failure to deliver user requirements. The second used an Agile methodology, and while there were initial problems with the learning curve, the project was a resounding success. Read on to find out more about the projects, what worked and what didn't. Continue Reading
Tip 26 Jan 2011

Agile ALM tools: How they differ from traditional lifecycle management tools

Software consultant Nari Kannan describes the differences between agile application lifecycle management (ALM) tools and traditional lifecycle management software. Agile ALM tools are more tightly integrated, easier to use, supportive to distributed teams and seamlessly integrated into many of the traditional lifecycle management functions. Continue Reading
Answer 26 Jan 2011

Test automation for your team: How to begin

Initiating test automation on your project team may seem challenging, or even overwhelming. Fortunately, expert Karen Johnson has been through this process and has some insights into how to best begin. She offers some questions you can ask of your team, a list of common errors to avoid, and general advice on how to make this new process pay off. Continue Reading
Tip 14 Jan 2011

Specialized testing for your enterprise application

In this tip, Judith Myerson describes examples of five types of testing for your enterprise applications: cloud testing, user acceptance testing, modular testing, agile testing and incremental testing. Myerson gives a brief overview of each type of testing, explaining the appropriateness and benefits of these types of specialized testing efforts. Continue Reading
Answer 11 Jan 2011

Application development for mobile phones: Testing across different devices

New mobile phone models enter the market all the time, and it seems daunting to perform application testing on the various devices available. Expert Karen Johnson carefully examines the factors developers must consider and offers strategies on how to most effectively conduct application testing to ensure usability across as many mobile devices as possible. Continue Reading
Answer 29 Dec 2010

Functional requirements and nonfunctional requirements in software engineering explained

Clearly defining both functional and nonfunctional requirements in software engineering projects is important from both a business perspective and a performance perspective. In this expert response, Sue Burk offers definitions and examples for both functional requirements and nonfunctional requirements. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Dec 2010

Eight steps for a successful software release

Have you done everything to prepare for a successful software release? Software project manager Kay Diller describes eight things you can do to ensure your deployment will go smoothly. From creating your team to being prepared with a back-out plan, Diller steps you through important considerations covering all aspects of the project. Continue Reading
Answer 12 Nov 2010

Software retest, regression, smoke and sanity testing: What's the difference?

Understanding the nuances between different types of test efforts can be a challenge. In this expert response, Karen Johnson explains what is meant by retesting, regression testing, smoke testing and sanity testing. Find out the purpose of these types of tests and a few other terms that some organizations use for testing efforts. Continue Reading
Tip 10 Nov 2010

Applying lean concepts to software testing

If we're going to use a factory analogy for software development, shouldn't we at least study the techniques modern factories use? In this tip, software quality expert Matt Heusser describes concepts used first for lean manufacturing, which are now being applied to software development and software testing. Continue Reading
Tip 12 Oct 2010

What is a test case? What is a requirement?

After exploring the definition of a test case by surveying test experts, authors and students, consultant Robin Goldsmith learns that interpretations remain ambiguous and varied. Similarly, the level of detail thought to be needed to define requirements can vary and can often drive the level of detail of the test efforts. Continue Reading
Tip 22 Sep 2010

Inadequate requirements and what to do about them

Software requirements are often subjective and poorly written resulting in inadequate requirements documentation. In this tip, QA Director John Scarpino describes some of the reasons behind poor requirements and ways that this can be addressed. Continue Reading
Tip 31 Aug 2010

Strategies for minimizing regression defects

Regression defects, those unexpected defects that result from a fix of another defect, are often the most challenging to find and fix. Expert John Overbaugh describes why these defects are so challenging and offers up techniques, such as automation and reviews, to help minimize regression defects. Continue Reading
Answer 13 Jul 2010

Differences in Agile and traditional software project management

In this expert response, some of the differences between project management in traditional environments and agile environments are explained. One of the biggest differences is the flexibility of scope changes that is welcomed in agile environments. Continue Reading
Tip 01 Jun 2010

The importance of critical thinking in software test

Even though there are numerous definitions for the term "software testing," there is common ground. Testers need to use critical thinking skills when diving into the testing of a software application. In this tip, expert Chris McMahon explains ways for testers to increase test coverage, use proven approaches and determine which aspects of testing fit in and where. Continue Reading
Answer 28 May 2010

What does "change management" mean in software development and QA?

Change management, sometimes called configuration management, has a few different meanings in the software development community, from team changes to code changes, explains expert Yvette Francino. Continue Reading
Tip 29 Mar 2010

Six tours for exploratory testing the business district of your application

Exploratory testing is sometimes thought to be "directionless testing", but James Whitaker's new book suggests that exploratory testing, is more structured than it is credited for. Exploratory testing is filled with numerous tours or testing protocol, which dictate where problems might occur and where to find them and eliminate them. Continue Reading
Tip 16 Mar 2010

A software expert's heuristic for regression testing

Often, regression testing is what stands between a product in a test lab versus a product in the hands of our users – so we don't want to take longer than we need – but we don't want to haphazardly release a product before its ready. Continue Reading
Answer 24 Feb 2010

Scrum Master or Scrum project management, is there a difference?

A Scrum Master is commonly mistaken for a project manager who works in a Scrum environment. Learn what distinguishes a Scrum Master in this expert response. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Feb 2010

Using Fist of Five, Planning Poker to reach Agile team consensus

In these tips, consensus-building tools such as Fist of Five and Planning Poker are introduced. Even when these tools are used, the team must decide how they are going to handle a stale-mate condition and move forward on decisions. Continue Reading
Tip 09 Feb 2010

Why use POST vs. GET to keep applications secure

Although POST and GET HTTP requests essentially perform the same command on a Web server, a security expert says there are inherent dangers in using one over the other. Learn why one type of processing request provides more security for your Web application in this expert tip. Continue Reading
Answer 01 Feb 2010

What are the pros and cons of centralizing a QA or software test team?

Is it better to centralize a test team or have testers paired organizationally with developers? There can be advantages to either approach. This expert response examines some considerations and an alternative that will allow your quality team to work effectively with either model. Continue Reading
Answer 01 Feb 2010

Who determines the appropriate severity or priority for a defect?

There are often differences of opinion on the definition of severity or priority of a defect. The bottom line is determining when and if the defect will be fixed. Factors that need to be considered are customer urgency and time required to fix and test. This strategy takes into account needs of the customer, the developer and the tester. Continue Reading
Tip 27 Jan 2010

Nine ways to evaluate automated software testing tools

Evaluate automated software testing tools more thoroughly with these tips for analyzing cost, support, total cost of ownership, usability and more. This tip suggests questions to ask about each attribute of a tool and a vendor's support for it. Continue Reading
Answer 05 Oct 2009

Problems caused by skipping analysis stage of SDLC

A requirements expert explains the possible pitfalls of skipping the analysis phase in the software life cycle development (SDLC). Continue Reading
Tip 15 Sep 2009

Calculating mean time to failure in performance testing

Calculating MTTF (mean time to failure) can be a difficult for testers in order to develop a performance test pass as there are multiple steps. This expert tip will guide you through process, Continue Reading
Tip 11 Sep 2009

Winning responses to "Why is QA always the bottleneck?"

Executives are notorious for criticizing QA and test pros, often labeling them as the "bottleneck" of software projects. Learn appropriate responses to upper management's unfair and difficult inquiries in this useful tip. Continue Reading
Tip 10 Sep 2009

Defining report requirements with use cases

This tip offers a new and interesting way to go about defining and reporting requirements for use cases. There are a number of details that need to be attended to in defining requirements such as taking a look at users and then constructing use cases. Continue Reading
Tip 09 Sep 2009

How requirements use cases facilitate the SDLC

Learn software use case processes and techniques that result in better application requirements in this tip. Takeaways include use case diagrams and user acceptance test case examples. Continue Reading
Answer 09 Sep 2009

Defining core software regression tests

Regression testing is defined through software purpose addressed, the common key strategy is to automate the test phase. according to software testing expert John Overbaugh. Continue Reading
Answer 20 Aug 2009

How to deliver software with an SDLC iterative model

The phases of iterative SDLCs come together to build better software applications faster, as long as the team avoids some common development and planning mistakes. Continue Reading
Feature 28 Jul 2009

Adaptation in project management through agile

Project managers often focus on following the test plan versus agile leaders who expect change and are prepared to adapt on the fly, learn how to transition quicly in this chapter from Agile Project Management by Jim Highsmith Continue Reading
Tip 23 Jul 2009

Expert shows seven ways to improve your project management abilities

Project management offices can benefit when the team has a diverse portfolio of skills. Learn how to become a better project manager by reading these seven suggestions, which range from developing talents and group leaders to better assessing software tools. Continue Reading
Answer 23 Jun 2009

Differentiating between Functional and Nonfunctional Requirements

Many of the difficulties encountered in defining requirements relate to the functional-nonfunctional distinction. As so often happens, some of those difficulties are things of which people are aware, largely realizing after-the-fact that nonfunctional requirements were missed. Continue Reading
News 18 Mar 2009

The challenges of test-driven development (TDD)

Out of all agile practices, many organizations struggle the most with adoption of test-driven development (TDD) -- but that doesn't mean they're giving up on the challenge. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Mar 2009

Defining requirements during software project feasibility analysis

There are at least two key points in a software project when requirements should be defined. One point people often miss is during feasibility analysis, and failure to define requirements at this stage can doom a project. Continue Reading
Answer 06 Mar 2009

What is test granularity?

Test granularity is the level of detail at which your software tests and test cases address your project. Continue Reading
News 02 Mar 2009

How Covad made the switch to a distributed agile development process

Waterfall methodologies weren't working for Covad Communications, so the company switched its process to agile and cut costs while achieving faster project completions. Continue Reading
News 18 Feb 2009

Can traditional project management and agile development coexist?

Are traditional project managers and agile practitioners fundamentally at odds? Or can they live together and even complement each other? Continue Reading
News 10 Feb 2009

How teams transition to agile development methodologies

Organizations usually move to agile development methods for the same reasons -- scope creep, time to market -- but details of the transition can vary from team to team. Continue Reading