| In today's development environment, two main | | | | application is its ability to solve the problem while |
| methods exist to gather and communicate needs, | | | | providing a positive end-user experience while |
| allocate resources and manage projects; the | | | | operating the application. An application that doesn't |
| "Waterfall Method" and "Agile Development Model." | | | | successfully satisfy both of these criteria is considered |
| Waterfall Method | | | | inadequate." |
| The waterfall method is a monolithic approach were a | | | | EVS ( specializes in commercial-grade application |
| product manager designs a detailed specification, gets | | | | development for process manufacturing and |
| approval from a client then engineering works from the | | | | distribution. Our experience has proven that many |
| specification. In this environment, engineering is told | | | | times a business or an industry has an issue or need |
| what to do, what screens to develop and typically | | | | for automation; companies have a need to track the |
| how the screens should look and feel. Not knowing | | | | shipment and return of pallets but they are not quite |
| anything more about the application than the | | | | sure how to solve the specific problem. A process |
| specification document provides, engineering is typically | | | | manufacturer may know that it needs to be easy to |
| not able to predict exceptions, variances, future | | | | use because of volume transactions or computer |
| requirements, etc. This approach assumes that (1) the | | | | competency of users, but the process to achieve the |
| client knows exactly what they want and can | | | | end goal is typically unclear. To try to probe for a |
| communicate every process with every exception, | | | | definite specification for development is fruitless; many |
| variance and deviation to every process, (2) the | | | | manufacturers simply do not know (1) the possibilities |
| project manager understands every process and | | | | of technology, and (2) all of the deviations and |
| deviation that the client defines, (3) the project | | | | exceptions that can possibly occur to get to the final |
| manager can write a specification that will convey | | | | solution. |
| exactly and clearly every process and exception | | | | According to Garber, "The assumptions of this |
| adequately to engineering, (4) the project manager | | | | approach are nearly impossible; it also assumes that |
| understands the existing application adequately to | | | | software engineers do not need to understand the |
| determine how the new module will best fit in, and (5) | | | | purpose, they just need to know how to code, |
| project manager understands the development | | | | developers are a commodity. This approach is utilized |
| environment adequately to design screens in a logical | | | | frequently and unsuccessfully in offshore development |
| and efficient method. | | | | environments." |
| The term escape velocity refers to the speed that is | | | | Agile Methodology EVS Style |
| necessary for an object to overcome gravity and | | | | The Agile Development Method utilized by EVS |
| soar into space. Escape Velocity Systems provides | | | | defines the product manager role as limited to defining |
| direct applications for businesses looking for a catalyst, | | | | initial and general scope for the project, understand the |
| not just a software package. Process manufacturers | | | | business issue that is being automated and manage |
| require the best software solution coupled with industry | | | | timelines and budgets of the project. The developer |
| experience that will accelerate the velocity with which | | | | becomes active in the design and development |
| they race towards their goals. According to President | | | | process. This methodology has the following |
| Evan Garber, "The purpose of software development | | | | characteristics: |
| is to solve a business problem. At Escape Velocity | | | | 1) Definition of general business purpose, scope, budget |
| Systems (EVS), the measurement of success for an | | | | and timeline. |