The days of 'one size fits all' software design are over.
As such, there is no core foundation or common ground when it comes to software development, noted Swedish computer scientist and software engineer, Ivar Jacobson, during the keynote address at the Agile Africa Conference, in Braamfontein, this week.
He believes having a common foundation when approaching software development will promote collaboration and improve software efficiency.
The Software Engineering Method and Theory (SEMAT) is an initiative to reshape software engineering. The SEMAT community aims to establish a common base of understanding, called the Essence Kernel, said Jacobson. This software development strategy brings together principles that are universally accepted when developing software, he noted.
When every new methodology reinvents the wheel, and when each developer creates new terminology, this confuses the process and often leads to duplication of ideas. "We are not saying 'no' to innovation. We want people to come up with new ideas, but we want some kind of collaboration when this is being done, and for it to be built on an accepted foundation."
Building unique requirements on top of the Essence Kernel is essential, he added. Adding a developer's own ideas on top of a base that has been agreed upon by various groups of people means there will be a universal understanding of the new software, which aids software development and use.
When developing software, system requirements, opportunities and the needs of various stakeholders need to be met, and having an established core on which to create software that meets these requirements makes development easier, he said. Teams are making too many unnecessary mistakes when it comes to software development; the Essence Kernel approach allows groups to share and compare practices, and build effective ways of working.
According to Jacobson, the Kernel model can be applied to a variety of processes, is scalable, and is compatible with different workflows. "The Kernel provides a shared frame of reference in a simple package. The major difference is that this approach focuses on progress and results when creating something new."
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