CST 438 Week 7

 

WELCOME TO WEEK 7

Learning Journal - CST 438

Describe some of the differences between using an Agile process and using a  Plan and Document (or Waterfall) process. 

    This week I reviewed the differences between using an Agile process and a Plan and Document (Waterfall) process. In a Plan and Document approach, requirements are written as a detailed SRS during a dedicated requirements phase, with the expectation that they remain complete and stable for the rest of the project. Changes are handled through a formal change control process, which involves evaluating the impact on cost and schedule before updating documents, code, and tests. Design is completed after requirements and is intended to be stable, while cost estimates are based on person-weeks from past experience. Scheduling uses tools like PERT charts with periodic status meetings, and testing is split between developers writing unit tests and QA handling system and acceptance tests.


However, Agile uses behavior-driven design where requirements are written as stories and refined through continuous customer involvement. Changes can be made at any time during iterations, and acceptance tests are often documented when the story is written, following test-driven development. Design is done incrementally and can change as new requirements are added, with cost estimated using story points and team velocity. Scheduling focuses on iteration planning and daily stand-ups, while risks are addressed through short technical investigations called spikes. Developers in Agile handle both unit and system testing throughout the process, making testing a continuous activity rather than a final phase.

This week we focused on the Plan and Document approach and even had to complete an SRS as part of our work, which helped put these concepts into practice.


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