Incremental Model in software engineering, advantages, disadvantages, examples, Case study of incremental model
In this tutorial, we will try to answer the followings;
- What is Incremental Model in software engineering?
- Advantages of Incremental Model?
- Disadvantages of the incremental model.
- Examples of incremental model
A case study of incremental model
What is an incremental model?
In this tutorial, we will answer the followings questions;
What is an incremental model? What are disadvantages and disadvantages of an incremental model? When to use incremental model?
What is an incremental model?
According to incremental model, a software is divided into separate modules(components)and each of these modules have a separate set of waterfall activities including requirements gathering and analysis, design, implementation, deployment, and maintenance.
When any component is ready, then the component is delivered to the customer and when remaining components becomes ready than delivered to the customer one by one by integrating new components with old once.
Example of the incremental model (Just for understanding):
A case study of incremental model:
Suppose we want to develop a web-based social network with the following functionalities;
The user should signup the system.
The user should log into the system and can send or accept the friend request.
How can use incremental model in this scenario;
Solution:
We need to convert this system into separate components;
Component 1: Sign up and log in
Component 2: Send Friend request
Component 3: Accept friend request
[quads id=2]
≡ Now, when we start our activities, then we can start with component 1(signup and login). This component undergoes the phases of requirements gathering and analysis, design, implementation, deployment, and maintenance. When this component is ready, we deliver this one component to the customer.
≡ After that we add or increment another component 2 that sends the friend request. This component undergoes the phases of requirements gathering and analysis, design, implementation, deployment, and maintenance. When this component is ready, we deliver this one component to the customer.
≡ After that we add or increment another component 3 that accepts a friend request. This component undergoes the phases of requirements gathering and analysis, design, implementation, deployment, and maintenance. When this component is ready, we deliver this one component to the customer.
Result: In this case study we observe that one system is produced and delivered to the customer in increments.
What are advantages of an incremental model?
- Customer feedback is received after the delivery of each component.
- Risk of requirement changes is reduced
- More flexible
- Easy to test and debug
- Give quick results
What are disadvantages of an incremental model?
- Needs proper plan to integrate the components
- Needs proper design to integrate the components
- More expansive as compared to waterfall model.
When to use incremental model?
- When major requirements are understood but some requirement can evolve within the passage of time.
- When product launch in the market is getting late.
- When a customer has no problem with the budget but he demands more and more quality in software.
Hopefully, now you are able to answer the following questions;
What is an incremental model?
What are disadvantages of an incremental model?
What are advantages of an incremental model?
When to use incremental model?