There are many different types of projects; some may be simple and predictable while others may be complex and well-defined. Planning and decision-making techniques can be used in projects where the results can be estimated, and more thorough product roadmaps or planning can be carried out. Before the project starts, the team can schedule meetings to plan the steps it will take to accomplish the goal. How goals can be accomplished within the time frame can be learnt with certified scrum master certification by Universal Agile.
These projects might include building a new structure or carrying out any other task that requires careful planning and execution. Other projects, like software development, can undoubtedly not be handled efficiently using the established process. The processes involved in creating software are intricate and involve significant fluctuations due to development changes.
Since the market also plays a significant part in this process, a predictable approach would not result in a successful development process. The empirical process concept makes a lot more sense in this situation because it encourages product developers to build products while gaining experience from their prior knowledge.
This article goes into great detail about the distinctions between defined process and empirical process, which will aid professionals in understanding both ideas.
What is a Defined Process?
An agile is defined process control which consists of a clearly defined series of steps that must be taken to accomplish the objective. A well-defined process has predictable low volatility and consistently produces the same results. Because there are no changes that arise during development, planning is made simpler. It is common knowledge that a defined process is repeatable and predictable.
The waterfall methodology is one of the most well-known software development techniques that followed a set process. This approach to software development requires months of planning before any work is done. There is a project manager who is aware of the procedure and provides the developers with a minimal amount of information. The project manager is solely responsible for the project. The team schedules all of the project’s specifics for the coming months and completes all of the development procedures during those months.
In a well-defined process, a command-and-control style of leadership is evident as the project manager oversees every developer and gives them specific tasks to complete. There is no room for change in this procedure because the team follows the plan regardless of market fluctuations. The team uses change control when drastic changes are needed for the project because making the actual change is expensive.
The project has a fixed set of requirements that must be met during the planning process. The project’s duration is determined by how long the requirements are and how long it will take the developers to finish it. The project manager and the developers would decide on a specific date by which the project would be finished. The customer would be informed of this date.
Why is the Defined process not a good method for developing software?
Depending on customer feedback, market demand, or other factors, there may be a lot of changes in the world of software development. All these product changes should be supported by an efficient software method as and when necessary. The plan developed for the product cannot be changed under the traditional software approach, which is a defined process.
Additionally, when the project’s initial plan is being developed, the team must base everything on data collected from other businesses. This assumption is used to fix the requirements, which is an ineffective method of doing so. The product’s specifications are constantly changing, which causes the completion date to fluctuate. To ensure that the customer is happy, the team must adhere to the deadline that was given to them. The team experiences a serious crisis as a result, and project control is lost.
The world of software development is characterized by constantly shifting requirements. As before, the market is now highly volatile. Features that were popular yesterday might not be used today because there are more useful features available now than there were back then. Therefore, when a customer requests the development of a product, they are likely to have provided specific specifications that require planning and development. The finished product might not be relevant to the market if it takes months to produce because more features may have become popular while the product was being developed. As a result, the defined process has a poor time to market.
What is an Empirical Process?
An Agile-driven process called an empirical process is one where the team anticipates the unexpected. In a clearly defined process, the team would plan every aspect of the product under the presumption. That doing so is necessary for the product to succeed. In contrast, the development work is carried out in an empirical process control scrum based on the experimentation and observation of the prior sprint. The work in Scrum is divided into sprints, which have fixed durations like two to four weeks, as opposed to the defined process.
Based on the needs and fundamental requirements of the customers and users, the team creates a minimum viable product and introduces it to the market. Users discover numerous bugs and other features that are necessary for a smooth user experience as they begin to use the product software. To implement any feature for the product, the empirical process makes use of facts, prior experience, and evidence. All of the components that make up the product are discussed, examined, and then customized for it.
Defined Vs Empirical Process
Comparison between a defined process and an empirical process:
Defined Process
- Before the project starts, the procedure is carefully planned.
- Every step of the project is finished in a single cycle, which could take months.
- The majority of the project’s information is known by the project manager.
- The manager and the developers are led in a command and control manner.
- The project manager is responsible for the project.
Empirical Process
- As the team moves forward with the project, planning happens.
- The entire project is finished in quick cycles, and each cycle is reviewed.
- There is an equal right to information about the project’s specifics for each participant.
- Agile or Scrum teams are self-organizing and free to express their opinions and ask questions.
- Everyone involved in the project who creates and delivers the product is responsible for it.
Conclusion
Depending on their needs, both defined processes and empirical processes may be effective for businesses. An empirical approach to software development. However, seems to be a better choice for any software development organization given the unpredictable nature of the world we live in today.
It is recommended to prefer agile methods and at the very least give Scrum a shot. If your company is accustomed to using the waterfall model. You could apply Scrum on a larger scale and advance to other Agile methods by realizing how much of a difference. It could make to the company’s business value, ROI, and revenue. To become a successful scrum master take certified scrum master training from Universal agile.
