Mobile application development has the same complications as web page development. Software developments also suffer from problems. One of the qualities it has is that the duration is shorter and there is a lot of competition in the sector. In this way, it forces you to constantly innovate and implement changes in the development platform. All this influences when choosing a specific development methodology. There are different types of methodologies for mobile application development.
Agile methodology
The agile methodology is based on having as its main characteristic fast and continuous software deliveries. For example, in the scrum framework , the project is divided into small parts that have to be completed and delivered in short time frames, called ‘sprints’. Thus, in case of having to modify something, only the part that we want to change is changed. This methodology arises in the software development industry. This arises when companies worked in a traditional way and deliveries were very late.
The main advantages of this methodology are:
Improve quality: Minimize errors in deliverables and improve customer experience and functionality.
Greater engagement: Improves employee satisfaction and generates team awareness.
Speed: Shortens production cycles and minimizes reaction and decision-making times.
Increase in productivity: By allocating resources better, and in a more dynamic way, it improves production according to the priorities that the company has.
Waterfall model
It is one of the model of methodologies for the development of classic mobile applications. This application is only responsive when the requirements are fully closed and will not change. There is no feedback between the phases in which the project is divided. So each phase closes sequentially. The entire process is set by deadlines and budgets. This model is only advisable for highly controlled and predictable mobile projects, there is no uncertainty about what you want to do or are influenced by changes in the industry.
Rapid application development
This methodology emphasizes obtaining a functional prototype of an application to later improve it. Then it includes more functionality and complexity. The use of well-known design patterns is recommended to accommodate changing requirements. Within the methodologies for the development of mobile applications it is usually used when delivery times are very short. It is necessary to have a deliverable immediately. It is not ruled out to use other methodologies later, since this type of development can be used to show a sketch of the application to a client, generally in a couple of days.
Mobile-D
The objective of this methodology is to achieve very fast development cycles in very small teams. It is based on well-known but strictly enforced mobile application development methodologies such as: extreme programming, Crystal Methodologies, and Rational Unified Process. It has different phases: exploration, initialization, product phase, stabilization phase and the testing phase. Each one has a planning day and a delivery day.
1.Exploration phase : attention is focused on planning and basic concepts of the project. This is where you define the scope of the project and its establishment with the functionalities where you want to go.
2.Initiation phase : we configure the project by identifying and preparing all the necessary resources, as we have commented previously, in this phase we will dedicate one day to planning and the rest to work and publication.
3. Product phase : the sub-phases are repeated iteratively. Test-led development (TDD) is used, before starting the development of a functionality there must be a test that verifies its operation. In this phase we can say that the entire implementation is carried out.
4. Stabilization phase : integration actions are carried out to hook the possible separate modules into a single application.
5. Testing phase : once the development is completely stopped, a testing phase is passed until a stable version is reached as established in the first phases by the client. If necessary, bugs are fixed, but nothing new is developed.
