Ch. 9: Software Process Frameworks

Question 1

In which projects is the V-Modell XT used?

Answer 1

With the V-Modell XT, a framework for software process models was created that is mandatory for public IT projects, for example, in the federal administration in Germany. This means that the V-Modell XT is very popular in the public sector.

Question 2

Please name the main elements in the V-Modell XT and describe their purpose.

Answer 2

• Project types: To enable the use of the V-Modell XT in as many projects as possible, a distinction is made between different project types. For each of the project types, the V-Modell XT describes which process modules must be used there and which can be optionally selected (Weit e.V., 2006, pp. 424-425).
• Decision points and project implementation strategies: In the decision points in the V-Modell XT, it is decided whether a certain project progress level is reached. For each decision point it is defined which results or products have been completed there. The order of the decision points is determined in the project implementation strategy. The concrete implementation strategy for a project is derived from the project types and specific project features.
• Process modules: The V-Modell XT defines specific tasks, activities, results and the roles involved within a software project in the process modules.
• References: Provide specifications and reference points for the organization and project-specific adaptation of the V-Modell XT.

Question 3

What is described in the references of the V-Modell XT?

Answer 3

• Tailoring for your own software process models.
• Roles in the software process, each of the more than 30 different roles having a description, responsibilities, and category of the role.
• Products in the software process, whereby the V-Modell XT contains a detailed description of the creation, use, and dependencies of 110 product or result types.
• Activities, whereby detailed instructions for creating and processing the results are given for each of the more than 100 different activities with the course of the individual work steps.
• Convention mappings in which national and international conventions are related to elements of the V-Modell XT.

Question 4

Please name the phases of RUP.

Answer 4

1. Inception
2. Elaboration
3. Construction
4. Transition

Question 5

What are “disciplines” in the RUP?

Answer 5

Disciplines are used in the RUP to denote the core software engineering activities. For each discipline, the RUP names specific roles, artifacts (results, products), activities (work steps, tasks), and workflows (sequence of activities in connection with artifacts and roles). In contrast to the waterfall model, the software engineering core activities of a phase are not strictly separated, but sometimes take place in parallel or are closely interlinked. However, the phases in the RUP differ in the proportion or intensity with which the activities are carried out.

Question 6

How does RUP support evolutionary development?

Answer 6

The Rational Unified Process supports the evolutionary development through the possibility of executing the individual phases several times one after the other. Whether and how many cycles are carried out depends on the specific software project.

Question 7

In RUP, the implementation activities are followed by …

Answer 7

… transition.

Question 8

Please name and describe the roles in Scrum.

Answer 8

*Product Owner: they represent the needs of the customer or the user. They are responsible for the success of the project, as well as for the requirements engineering. They create the release plan, prioritize the requirements, and approve the result created in a sprint.
* Scrum Master: they moderate and accompany the activities in Scrum and ensure that the time and organizational requirements in a Scrum cycle are adhered to by all those involved. They ensure the ideal working environment for the Product Owner and team by removing the obstacles that hinder efficient work. The Scrum Master has no authority to issue instructions to the Product Owner or the team. Instead, they manage the Scrum process by enabling the development team and the Product Owner to work. This is done by protecting them from external influences and disruptions, and in solving organizational issues
* Team: responsible for the technical conception, construction, and quality assurance of the software. A team works in a self-organized and autonomous manner. In coordination with the Product Owner, the team determines how many functions are implemented and when they are implemented in a sprint. Apart from organizational requirements and conventions, the team is free to choose the technical implementation.

Question 9

In Scrum, ensuring that the time and organizational requirements in a Scrum cycle are adhered to by all people involved is a responsibility of the …

Answer 9

… Scrum master.

Question 10

Which elements for administration and control are there in Scrum?

Answer 10

The most important concepts that are used in a Scrum process are:
* Product Backlog (list of all system requirements, contains a few, roughly outlined requirements and wishes for the system, during the process, the requirements are refined, supplemented, and prioritized by the Product Owner)
* Sprint Backlog (list of requirements that are to be implemented by the team in a sprint, it is a subset of the product backlog, the Product Owner and team agree on which requirements are included in the sprint backlog).
* Velocity (team-specific key figure that results from the amount and scope of the functions implemented by a team in a cycle, it provides an indication of how many and which requirements a team can load from the product backlog into a sprint backlog for the duration of a cycle).

Question 11

What happens every day in Scrum?

Answer 11

There is a short status meeting every day in which each team member briefly presents what they have done in the past 24 hours, what problems they have, and what they will do in the next 24 hours. The daily meeting is called “daily Scrum” or “stand-up meeting,” and can last a maximum of 15 minutes.

Question 12

What are the four phases of a sprint cycle in Scrum?

Answer 12

• Sprint planning: the Product Owner presents the requirements that they have planned for the current sprint. The team estimates the implementation effort for each of the requirements, and the sprint backlog is filled.
• Sprint: the team implements the requirements from the sprint backlog, the Product Owner is available to answer any questions and specifies the requirements for the next sprint during implementation, the Scrum Master removes obstacles that arise during the implementation, and ensures that the daily stand-up meeting is carried out properly.
• Sprint review: the team presents its results to the stakeholders and the stakeholders give their feedback on the result. The Product Owner officially accepts the sprint result and documents changes and requirements that have not yet been implemented in the product backlog.
• Sprint retrospective: The Product Owner, team, and Scrum Master reflect on their own sprint from the points of view of “what went well?” and “what needs to be improved?”