Evaluation of Software Development Methodological Approaches and Industry Practice

by Dr Ruben Picek, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics, Department of Information System Development, Varazdin, Croatia

Abstract:
Awareness of SW importance in today's business environment expands use of applications in all segments of human society what is more and more evident. The software becomes the central factor, and direct consequence of this is its size, increasing complexity and new types (eg. tablet and GSM applications which inevitably led to new markets (e-services: e-stores). Despite of the economical and functional importance of applications in the modern environment, their development, integration with existing/legacy SW and maintenance are still considered as high-risk activities. World's research of current situation in the SW industry shows that there are significant problems and challenges in IT projects - development is slow and expensive, SW has flaws in usability, reliability, security, performance, and their elimination will inevitably cause an overdraft in the budget and time.

In academic community as well as in IT industry, it is clear that the development of any software cannot have random or adhoc approach, but it is based on selected development methodology (generic, private or hybrid - mix). Emergence of new SW types increases the need for discovering more modern and better ways of methodological development, like new paradigms, theoretical approaches, notations, methodologies, etc. Even the IT industry in the development of its IT projects tend to use self-developed approaches that are known as "best practices" and their activities try to standardize in order to reduce project risk and maximize added value.

Despite all of the efforts and progress that contribute to the academic community and IT industry there is an inevitable gap that still exists and is most clearly visible in the (un)efficiency and (un)realized profit of IT companies. Are there, regarding to the circumstances, possible improvements; can we get more and be more efficient? Reducing the gap between academic community (theory) and the IT industry (practice) is core of this research project.

Keywords:
SW development, Methodologies, IT industry, best practice, gap between academia and IT industry

Short Biography:
Ruben Picek is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb where he works at the Department of Information System Development. He participates in teaching several courses: Software Engineering, Business Processes Modeling, Information Systems, IT Service Management and Manufacturing Information Systems at undergraduate program as well as ERP Systems at graduate Bologna program.

Ruben is a student's mentor at the undergraduate and graduate study programs. In 2008 he finished doctoral dissertation with the title: Integration Framework for Using Patterns In Model Driven Development. Areas of special scientific interest for Ruben are: methodological development of information systems, business process modeling, ERP systems and IT services. Up today he participates in three research projects and one big industrial project. Ruben is the author of eight scientific papers and holds three certificates: Microsoft Certified Business Management Solutions Specialist - Financials in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 4.0, Microsoft Technology Associate Exam 98-364: Database Administration Fundamentals, Microsoft Technology Associate Exam 98-361: Software Development Fundamentals (VB).