A Guide to the Assessment of Software Development Methods

Over the past decade, the term software engineering method has been attached to a variety of procedures and techniques that attempt to provide an orderly, systematic way of developing software. Existing methods approach the task of software engineering in different ways. Deciding which methods to use to reduce development costs and improve the quality of produced products is a difficult task. This report outlines a five step process and an organized set of questions that provide method assessors with a systematic way to improve their understanding and form opinions on the ability of existing methods to meet their organizations needs. 1 Needs analysis 2 Constraint identification, 3 User requirements, 4 Management requirements, 5 Introduction plan.