Custom Software Development, Web Design, Database Programming Methodologies Glossary

Services - Methodologies Glossary  

Contract - projects always begin with this step.   A contract is necessary to protect both parties entering into the new business relationship.  The contract used by 21st Century Technologies, Inc. is very straightforward, and incorporates the experience of many business relationships, projects, etc.  Just email us for a copy of the contract to create a custom software system for your company.

Brainstorm - this part of a project is the most important in terms of the overall feature set of a system.  All ideas are thrown onto the table, and all interested parties are invited to provide input.  No ideas are removed in this stage since the complete system picture has not yet been decided upon.   There will be a time to pare out features from the system, but this is not the time to do it.

It is extremely critical that all users of the system participate in this step of the system design process.  Many times important personnel are left out, and it isn't until system deliveries are made that their input is requested.  This may mean that major changes or additions have to be made to the system due to the lack of proper user input.  The RAD methodology described above helps to alleviate this problem.

It is the Brainstorm phase where all information about the system's desired components is gathered.  Hardcopy reports, hand drawings of desired user data entry forms, existing algorithms (salesperson commission structures, Product Yield calculations, etc.), desired charts, performance criteria (15 messages per second, no more than 20 images per report, etc.) are all gathered here for later organizing.

Requirements - this phase results in a formal list of features that the new system will contain.  These features are usually contained in a System Requirements Document (SRD).  This document is used as the baseline for creation of the System Specification Document (SSD) described below.  The Requirements phase (and the SRD) is very important in the RAD methodology since a System Specification Document will probably not be created.

Analysis - this phase of a project is where algorithms are refined, data structures are investigated, options are reviewed and prioritized, relative complexities (and therefore costs) are reviewed.  The results of this effort will drive the outcome of the eventual system architecture defined in the Specification step below.  See our Checklist page for a list of items to kickstart this effort.

Specification - this phase of a project formalizes the system as determined by all previous steps, resulting in a System Specification Document (SSD).  It is the system design and architecture.  The quality of this document will determine the resulting quality of the system itself.  The RAD methodology doesn't incorporate this step since the system requirements themselves may be in a state of flux.  The system architecture is determined through user interaction rather that through a formal document.

Coding - this is where the system engineers, programmers, network engineers, etc. create the system.  They are given discrete tasks to create specific parts of the system.  This step is tightly woven into the next step...

Module Test - code created by the programmers is tested at the module, or procedure level.  A module is a discrete set of code that (ideally) performs one specific task.  All procedures will be tested as stand-alone units, and all interfaces with other units will be tested as much as possible.   Although much testing will be performed here, the System Testing step is the most critical to the success of a new software system.  It is described below.

System Test - this is where all individual code units are placed into a cohesive system and tested in the real- world environment.   Many problems inherent in the real-world cannot be simulated in the programmers test environment.  For this reason, the system is not considered to be delivered after the Module Test phase.  System Test is the final phase of testing of the new system.   Depending on the level of complexity of the new system, the external interfaces to other software or operating systems, hardware dependencies, users involvement in the previous stages of the project, etc. this part in the process may require more time than the coding and module test phases.   Documentation is written after this step is completed and the system is delivered after System Testing is complete.

Maintenance - can be done by 21st Century Technologies, Inc. or by the customer themselves.   Many times the customer wants to make their own changes to the delivered software system.   If the customer desires that  21st Century Technologies, Inc. do all changes to the delivered system, then a separate maintenance contract can be signed for this purpose.