1. 44222: Information Systems Development
Dynamic Systems Development Method
Ian Perry
Room: C48
Extension: 7287

2. Traditional Systems Development
Systems Development Life Cycle
(Anderson R G, 1989)
Define Development Strategy
Systems Analysis
Systems Design
Systems Development
System and User Documentation
System Implementation
System Testing
System Maintenance

3. Structured Systems-Development

4. ‘Classic’ SSADM Structured Systems Analysis & Design Method1
Analysis 2
Specification
Of Requirements 3
Selection of
Technical Options 4
Logical
Data Design 5
Process Design 6
Physical
Design
Feasibility
Study Report
Systems
Requirements
Information Systems in Business
Harry M
Pitman Publishing 1994.

5. Problems with these Approaches?
Nothing!
If you have a well defined problem that can be solved by a sequential process with a fixed number of separate stages.
But!
What if the Users are not exactly sure of what they want the system to do?
What if the Implementors mis-interpret what the Users have asked for?
What if the system needs to be delivered within a short timescale?

6. Dynamic Systems Development Method http://www.dsdm.org/
What is DSDM?
The Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is a framework of controls for the development of Computer-based systems
It is independent of any particular set of tools and techniques.
It can be applied to Information Systems Development projects of any size.
Is especially good for Information Systems Development projects with very short deadlines.

7. DSDM - Continued
The lifecycle which DSDM uses is BOTH ‘iterative’ and ‘incremental’.
“A move away from traditional systems development is essential if IT solution providers are to deliver working systems in the ever decreasing timescales demanded by businesses today.”
Even within a traditional systems development environment, advantage can be gained from using components of the DSDM approach:
to ensure the right requirements are addressed.
to reduce the time to delivery.

8. When to use DSDM?
The application should have its functionality reasonably visible through the user interface (screens, reports, etc.):
to enable prototyping to be used to maximum benefit.
The project should be able to identify all of those who will use the end result:
these "Ambassador users" should participate throughout the life of the project providing a two-way communication channel between the business community and the IT community.
If the system is large, it should be able to be broken down into smaller components:
either for incremental delivery or for development by parallel teams.

9. DSDM Principles - A Summary
Active user involvement is imperative.
DSDM teams must be empowered to make decisions.
The focus is on frequent delivery of products.
Fitness for business purpose is the essential criterion for acceptance of deliverables.
Iterative and incremental development is necessary to converge on an accurate business solution.
All changes during development are reversible.
A collaborative and co-operative approach between all stakeholders is essential.
Testing is integrated throughout the life-cycle.

10. The ‘five’ Phases of DSDM
DSDM provides a generic process which must be tailored for use in a particular organisation dependent on the business and technical constraints.
DSDM outlines a five phase process:
feasibility study
business study
functional model iteration
design & build iteration
implementation

11. Feasibility Study
To assess the suitability of the application for a Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach.
To check that certain technical and managerial conditions are likely to be met.
The feasibility study typically lasts a matter of weeks (rather than months).

12. Business Study
To ‘scope’ the overall activity of the project and provide a sound business and technical basis for all future work.
the high-level functional and non-functional requirements are baselined.
a high-level model of the business functionality and information requirements is produced.
the system architecture is outlined.
and the maintainability objectives are agreed.
Like the feasibility study, the business study is a short phase, of no more than a month.

13. Functional Model Iteration
Prototyping to elicit requirements through demonstration and feedback.
Prototypes are built incrementally towards the tested system which is placed in the user environment during the implementation phase.
All prototypes in DSDM are intended to evolve into the final system and are therefore built to be robust enough for operational use & to satisfy any relevant non-functional requirements, such as performance.
The completed functional model will consist of all necessary high level analysis models and documentation supported by functional prototypes addressing detailed process & usability.

14. Design & Build Iteration
Ensuring that prototypes are sufficiently well engineered for use an operational environment.
The dividing line between Functional Model and Design & Build is not clear cut.
Some components of a system may well pass from the Functional Model Iteration to the Design & Build Iteration while other components are still very sketchy or even non-existent.
i.e. Design & Build activities may happen concurrently with the Functional Model activities.
Similarly, in very large DSDM projects, the actual implementation may be phased, so Design & Build may be concurrent with some of the Implementation.

15. Implementation
Put the latest increment into the operational environment, train the users, and review what has been achieved.
4 four possible outcomes:
Everything delivered; no need for further development.
New functional area discovered during development; development returns to the Business Study phase and the whole process is worked through.
A less essential part of the functionality was missed out due to time constraints; development returns to the start of the Functional Model Iteration and adds the functionality to the delivered system.
A non-functional requirement was not satisfied as it well as it would have been, given more time; development returns to the Design & Build Iteration to rectify this.

16. Functional Model Iteration Design & Build Iteration
The DSDM Lifecycle
Feasibility Study
RAD approach suitable?
Business Study
High level Requirements
Implementation
Implement
Train Users
User Approval
Review Business
Functional Model Iteration
Agree Plan
Identify Functional Prototype
Create Functional Prototype
Review Prototype
Design & Build Iteration
Agree Plan
Identify Design Prototypes
Create Design Prototypes
Review Design Prototypes

17. How is DSDM Different? Traditional approaches: For DSDM;
fix requirements, BUT allow time and resources to vary during development.
For DSDM;
time is fixed, resources are fixed as far as possible, BUT requirements are allowed to change.
A very important product of the Business Study is:
a clear prioritisation of the high-level functional and non-functional requirements.
DSDM projects guarantee to satisfy at least a minimum subset of these requirements.

18. DSDM & the HCHE Project Time & Resources are fixed:
Deadlines & Teams.
Requirements might change:
Read the ‘HCHE’ Case Study carefully.
Use the Interview with “ambassador users” to confirm requirements.
DSDM matched to ISD Assignments:
Business Study = Problem Statement
Functional Model = Prototype Documentation
Design & Build = Prototype (for use in documentation)