Plan-driven development is an approach to software engineering, where the development process is planned in detail. Plan-driven development is based on engineering management techniques and in the traditional way of managing large software development projects.
A project plan is created that records the work to be done. Who will do it? And the development schedule and the work product.
In a plan-driven approach, iteration occurs within activities with formal documents used to communicate between stages of the process. For example, the requirements will evolve and, ultimately, a requirements specification will be produced. This is then an input to the design and implementation process. In an agile approach, iteration occurs across activities. Therefore, the requirements and the design are developed together, rather than separately.
Advantages:-
Requires personal knowledge at the beginning.
Appropriate for big software development projects.
Predictability -The project timeline and cost can be more accurately estimated.
Documentation, expensive documentation is produced at each phase, adding to understanding and future maintenance.
Disadvantages:-
Rigidity -Changes to requirements are often difficult to accommodate once the project underweighs certain changes. Late feedback, Comprehensive process fix the feedback delayed.
Now let us learn about the difference between agile development and plan-driven development.
| Aspect | Agile Development | Plan-Driven Development |
| Development Approach | Iterative and Incremental | Sequential and Linear |
| Flexibility | Embraces changes throughout | Changes are minimized |
| Requirements | Evolves during development | Defined upfront and fixed |
| Customer Involvement | Continuous collaboration | Limited involvement during development |
| Documentation | Emphasizes working software over comprehensive documentation | Comprehensive documentation is crucial |
| Delivery Time | Frequent, small releases | Typically longer release cycles |
| Risk Management | Adapts to changes, mitigates risks iteratively | Detailed risk analysis and management plans |
| Testing | Continuous testing throughout development | Testing at the end of the development cycle |
| Team Structure | Cross-functional, self-organizing teams | Specialized roles and hierarchy |
| Progress Tracking | Regularly assesses progress and adapts plans accordingly | Strict adherence to predefined plans |
| Communication | Emphasis on face-to-face communication and collaboration | Formal communication channels and documentation |
| Customer Satisfaction | Prioritizes customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery | Focus on meeting predefined requirements |
| Feedback | Frequent feedback from customers and team members | Limited feedback until the end of the development cycle |
| Adaptability | Embraces change and adapts quickly to evolving requirements | Resistant to changes once the plan is established |
Both approaches have their strength and weaknesses and the choice between them depends on factors like project size, complexity, customer involvement, and the level of flexibility required.
This is all about plan-driven development.